The Town of the Pas Council met last Wednesday for their final meeting of the 2022 year. With the recent amount of snowfall that has taken place in the area, council is making it a priority to focus on how to better streamline this service going forward.
“What we’re wanting to do is bring some more visibility to the whole snow removal process and by-laws,” said Town of The Pas Mayor Andre Murphy. “Our administration and public works are going to sit down and see if there’s a better way of doing snow removal. One of the biggest challenges I see is really around communication of it.

I would bet that any child wants to be a superhero at some point in their life. If a child is dealing with a life-threatening illness like cancer, I would bet they would likely love to be pulled from their reality and dream of flying or super strength or super speed.
A group of avid quilters were able to provide a tiny bit of wish fulfillment and cozy comfort when they sewed together 22 quilts with designs of superhero bodies so 22 children would be able to assume their own alter egos when they use the quilt.
“A few years ago, I started a journey that has taken me to places I never imagined it would,” said Jocelyn Marchuk, who organized the quilters.
“I started volunteering as a pattern test for several fantastic quilt designers from across North America. One of these designers is a Manitoba lady by the name of Jennifer Long of Bee Sew Inspired (located in Manitou). Jennifer makes both quilt and doll patterns, as well as more recently designing some fabrics for and working with Riley Blake Designs.
“A couple of years ago, Jennifer put the Be A Superhero quilt up for testing and all I could think was ‘Wow! This would make an awesome quilt to make multiples of and give to children going through cancer treatments in the hospital during the holidays’,” Marchuk continued. “I knew that this could not happen during COVID, but it always was in the back of my mind.
“This year, the pattern kept popping up on more posts and it kept reminding me that I should follow through with my idea.”
At the beginning of October, Marchuk put a challenge out to all of her quilting friends, with the idea of others making the quilt tops and supplying the backing, and Marchuk herself would supply the batting, put it all together and deliver them to the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg in time for Christmas.
“My goal was to get 20, but I said I would commit to 25,” said Marchuk. “I am happy to say that we received 22.
“I am so thrilled with the variety of colours and the special care these ladies put into all of their quilts. I have quilts from ladies from all across Manitoba, as well as a lovely lady who messaged me and asked if she could join our cause from Reno, Nevada. She mailed me her quilt top and asked me for the number of our local quilt shop so she could purchase her backing from our local store.”
Each quilt has a card attached with a message of joy and strength and tells the family who created their individual quilt.
On Wednesday (Dec. 7), the quilts were gathered to be photographed together at the SVRSS, with one quilt being presented to Cameron Coulthart, a Grade 12 student who has been battling his own cancer diagnosis.
On Friday morning (Dec. 9), Marchuk met with a Child Life team representative at the Health Sciences Centre to deliver the precious cargo.
“Although this project was my idea, it is really the ladies who answered the call and who are my superheros, and I want to thank them all for making my wish come true,” said Marchuk.
“Children is where my heart is. When you’ve seen families struggle with children who have been diagnosed with cancer and have to go through these struggles, this was something that I could do, create a little bit of joy for these families and their children. Hopefully we did that.
“I would like to now challenge everyone to take some time and think of a way that you can use your time and talents to bring joy to those around you during this holiday season,” Marchuk continued, adding that there are 110 beds in the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg, so it’s never too late to make something special for the children who have to stay there over Christmas or any time of year.

The frigid temperatures didn’t stop the crowds from coming out on Friday night (Dec. 16) to Mistletoe Magic at the Swan Valley Historical Museum. A huge crowd lined up for the opportunity to ride on the horse drawn sleigh and witness the magic of the lights while riding on straw bales. Inside the museum hall, attendees could warm up with some free hotdogs and hot chocolate before a visit with Santa in his sleigh.

Families from around the area have gathered for generations at the Silverton Hall to celebrate the coming of the Christmas season.

This year was no different as grandparents and parents brought their youngsters to meet with Santa and his elves and gathered together around the manger under the Christmas Star.

See more in this week's Russell Banner!

It’s been an exciting couple of weeks for Tanya Thompson and her girls.... First, the Major Pratt Lady Trojans swept the MHSAA AA Volleyball provincials - losing only one set throughout the entire tournament.

Looking at the statistics, as Thompson pointed out, this level of success is nothing new for this team.

“I’ve been doing some stats on our team’s year and thought the season we played 136 set of volleyball and of that, we lost 18 sets in the whole year,” Tanya proudly pointed out. After the weekend of AA volleyball provincial competition in The Pas, Tanya and three of her girls headed into Winnipeg for the gala Volleyball Manitoba evening where Tanya was awarded the AA coach of the year for the MHSAA 2022 season.

Some of Tanya’s accomplishments include: -Former Team Manitoba player -AA varsity girls provincial champions - 2021 (coach) -Team Manitoba Assistant coach - 2022; champions at the 2022 Summer Games -AA varsity girls provincial champions - 2022 (coach)

“I was surprised and very proud,” Tanya said. “I know the time I have spent in the gym with these girls - that’s the important thing - so I don’t need that award to feel good about my coaching - but it was definitely nice to be recognized by my peers.”

Get the full story in this week's Russell Banner!

For the second year running, the Major Pratt Lady Trojans have emerged as the MHSAA Provincial AA Volleyball Champions.

“Last year we only had one graduating player so we had six returning players and six new girls join us,” coach Tanya Thompson said “So it was very much the same girls who have been together for years.”

Throughout the provincials the lady Trojans were undefeated. In fact, this powerhouse team lost only one set in the semifinals. The Trojans entered the provincials ranked second in the province.

They played four round robin games defeating The Pas, Elton, Warren and Souris - each in just two sets. They came up against the Green Valley Pirates in the quarter finals - again, winning in two straight sets.

A win against Rosenort in three sets led to the final game where they hit the court against Flin Flon, bringing in the gold medal win in two straight sets. Kylee Peake and Alyssa Bily were chosen as tournament All Stars and Sunay Pieterse was honored as the Most Valuable Player of the provincial tournament.

Coach Tanya Thompson, who has coached them for years, said that the girls have had success throughout their entire season, coming out as the top team in all but two tournaments over the entire season - including a second place finish in a 32 team tournament in Regina.

“Most of these players have been together since grade seven and also for their club volleyball season for the rest of the year,” she said. “So they have a really good chemistry together both on and off the court - they’re just really good friends.” “They’re determined and they’re hard working but it’s more than just skill.” They bond so well on the court because they have such respect for each other and such great friendships off the court as well.”

Check this week's Banner for more!

The Dauphin Kings are heading into their Christmas break on a five game point streak following an overtime win and a shootout loss over the weekend.

On Friday the Kings opened up a 2-0 lead in their second period with Swan Valley, only to see that advantage evaporate midway through the third when the Stampeders took a 3-2 lead.

Jakob Brook notched his second goal of the night with just three seconds remaining in the final frame to get Dauphin to overtime where Mason Smith tallied his ninth of the year on the man advantage to give his Kings a 4-3 decision and an important two points.

Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley called it a key victory, as well.

“I liked our pushback, we came back in the final minute and found a way to get it done in overtime. We can’t keep chasing games like that but at the same time we’re coming back against some pretty good hockey clubs.”

It was more of the same on Saturday night at Credit Union Place when the Kings faced a Waywayseecappo team they are also chasing in the standings.

Dauphin looked like a group that had already checked out for the Christmas break 23 minutes into the contest, but they again pushed back and rebounded from a 3-1 deficit.

The Kings took the lead in the third period on Mathew Gough’s 12th of the season.

However, with just over a minute to play the Wolverines evened things up again when Nolan Grier scored his 11th. The goal was initially called after bouncing off the crossbar despite the goal judge and crowd behind the Dauphin goal voicing their opinion that the puck never did cross the line.

Five minutes of overtime solved nothing. In the shootout both Gough and Jamie Valentino missed for Dauphin while Grier notched the winner for Waywayseecappo.

Hedley says the games right before the Christmas break are sometimes the most difficult ones to play in during the regular season.

“It’s tough. Guys know they’re leaving the next day and Wayway still has a game on Tuesday. They came at us with some good jump and we have to give them credit for that. But at the same time we weren’t skating or battling and we were getting outworked on every part of the ice in the first half of the game. Our goalie, Marko Belak, was outstanding and gave us a chance to get back in it and we did.”

Despite the Kings’ five game point streak Hedley knows his team cannot keep playing three point contests, especially against clubs they’re chasing in the standings.
“We have a really good group this year. There’s guys in the room with a lot of purpose. These last few games have been three point games but at the same time for us we almost didn’t get any and we ended up with two.”

The Kings close out 2022 with a record of 18-12-2-1 for 39 points. Entering the week they sit tied with Waywayseecappo for third in the West Division and are just two points back of the OCN Blizzard for first.

Dauphin is back from their Christmas break, Jan. 6, when they visit the Winnipeg Blues. They will return to Credit Union Place for their first home game of 2023 on Jan. 7, when they play the back end of a home-and-home with the Blues. The CJHL trade deadline looms on Jan. 10.

Dauphin District Community Foundation (DDCF) is $172,381.93 richer thanks to this year’s Endow Manitoba Giving Challenge.

As part of the annual campaign, Nov. 14 to 20, gifts to Manitoba community foundations’ undesignated funds were “stretched” by a maximum of $4,000 thanks to The Winnipeg Foundation and the Manitoba government, that each provided a maximum of $2,000 in matching funds per foundation.

During the week, DCF received 247 gifts totalling $168,381.93 which earned the maximum donation from the province and the Winnipeg Foundation.

Provincewide, community foundations received gifts totaling more than $1.68 million during this year’s Endow Manitoba Giving Challenge, the most raised during the nine-year history of the challenge.

“Community foundations are built by citizens working together to ensure their local communities have access to reliable and stable funding for their charitable activities,” Alan Goddard, director of Endow Manitoba, said.

“Manitoba is the most generous province in Canada, and we have the most community foundations, per capita, in North America. The growth and success of the Giving Challenge is one of the many ways we show that we care for our communities, now and for future generations. Gratitude to all our donors, volunteers, and event partners - including the Manitoba government - for the stretching gifts made to each community foundation during the Giving Challenge.”

Endow Manitoba Giving Challenge 2022 highlights:
• $1,684,041.75 raised;
• $1,492,538.83 total gift value;
• $191,502.92 total stretch value;
• 2,828 gifts made; and
• 39 community foundations received maximum stretch.

Community foundations are charities, built by communities for communities.

Gifts are pooled and permanently invested, and the interest earned is granted to local initiatives each year. Since the capital is never spent, gifts support the community forever.

Every year, community foundations invest millions of dollars into a wide range of local charitable projects, helping ensure Manitoba communities are vibrant and thriving.

Endow Manitoba represents the network of the province’s community foundations. An initiative of The Winnipeg Foundation, Endow Manitoba works with the province’s 57 community foundations to increase their impact and to advance the movement.

By Ed Stozek
For the Herald

Attending the St. John one-room country school from 1958-64 resulted in a variety of life-learning experiences. Our daily routine always started with the singing of “Oh Canada” and reciting “The Lord’s Prayer.”

Having eight different grades in one room provided exposure to a wide range of events. Occasionally I took a break from working on my assignments and listened to Mrs. Kowalchuk teach Egyptian history to the Grade 8 class. Visions of pyramids and a sphinx spurred my interest.

Throughout my tenure as a student at St. John, recess and noon hour provided an avenue for a variety of games and tested the strategy of tag, hopscotch, dodgeball, soccer, baseball and cricket. We improvised playing cricket by using a baseball and a baseball bat. A piece of cordwood functioned as a wicket. If inclement weather occurred we stayed indoors for recess and noon hour and honed our crokinole and checkers skills.

When classes resumed after lunch Mrs. Kowalchuk read to us for 15 minutes. During my Grade 5 year we followed the storyline of Anne of Green Gables. As four o’clock approached it was time to clean up the classroom. Running water literally meant running to the well to get a pail of water for classroom use. Washing the blackboard, going outside to clean the chalk from the brushes or taking down the flag were all part of our school routine. There were certain rules to follow associated with flag protocol. We also followed the rule of law in Manitoba to sing “God Save the Queen” before we were dismissed.

A highlight of the school year included the annual Christmas concert. We practiced singing carols and perfected our acting skills for a variety of skits and plays. In Grade 5 we became the proud owners of a red tonette, an instrument similar in principle to a recorder. As an ensemble we learned to play “Jingle Bells” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

On the evening of the concert the school was “packed to the rafters.” The annual concert was equivalent to performing at Carnegie Hall. Weeks of rehearsal paid off as we presented the program on the stage constructed for the special occasion.

Our reward was thunderous applause from an appreciative audience followed by Santa Claus giving us a brown paper bag filled with an assortment of candy, nuts and an orange.

After the concert the parents and children filed out of the school and made their way to their cars, one horse open sleighs or cabooses. Under the stars on a cold winter night the Chevys and Fords moaned and groaned before their motors finally started. For the patrons who had arrived using actual horsepower, the horses were hitched up to the sleighs. Most had unhitched the horses prior to the concert and left them some hay and oats to munch on.

My sister noted that on the way home from one concert, she found out that it was not fun to ride in an open sleigh. She personally experienced the lyrics from Jingle Bells. “We got into a drifted bank and then we got upsot.”

‘A caboose or van was generally shaped much like a modern day Boler camper except that it was made from lumber. Instead of wheels, sleigh runners were used. A small box heater fueled with wood kept the inside of the caboose warm for the passengers. A set of small round holes beneath a sliding window at the front of the caboose enabled the driver to handle the reins and communicate with the horses. The horses didn’t need much guidance as they instinctively knew their way home where they would enjoy some hay and a well-deserved rest in the comforts of the barn.

The St. John School was the last school in the area to be consolidated into the Pelly Trail School Division.

It closed its doors on June 30, 1964. That September I boarded the school bus and started Grade 7 at the Oakburn Elementary School. I now had 32 classmates in one grade. During the course of my six-year experience at St. John my grade always consisted of only three students.

A new era had begun.

The Manitoba government has relaunched the Manitoba 511 highway and traffic information service following enhancements to the Manitoba 511 website, mobile app and 511 phone system.

Enhancements include faster and more interactive map features, new customized notifications and hands-free audio alerts, as well as:

• up to three route options with corresponding travel times and hands-free audio alerts for selected routes when a destination is entered in the mobile app;
• notifications for traffic incidents and road closures with registered accounts; and
• interactive voice response on the 511 phone system to allow hands-free access to road conditions and traffic alerts on preferred routes.

Manitoba 511 is a free traveller information service operated by the Manitoba government. The service is available by phone, computer and mobile device. In 2021, there were approximately six million visits to the Manitoba 511 site and telephone line.

Manitoba 511 can be accessed on a computer or mobile device by visiting the Manitoba 511 website at www.manitoba511.ca or by downloading the app to a mobile device. It can also be accessed toll-free (within Manitoba) by calling 511.

Travellers should always check the Manitoba 511 website for current road conditions to ensure safety prior to making the decision to travel.

The website is updated regularly by road patrol, but conditions can change in a matter of minutes. Manitobans can also follow @ MBGovRoads on Twitter for closures or incidents.