Donna Davidson and Shelley Love shot a 75 to win the championship flight at the Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy Ladies Open Two-person Scramble, Saturday, at the Dauphin Lake Golf Club.

Three shots behind the winning duo was the team of Lane Prokopowich and Linda Kitching, while Marilyn Schwitzer and Pearl Maksymetz were third after shooting an 82.

Ally Warkentin and Kayla Hagenson were fourth after carding an 83 and Colleen Johnson and Verna Vanrobaeys shot an 86 to finish fifth.

Deannie Boraskavich and Noella Kilimnik won the first flight on a countback over Barb Hrehirchuk and Lori Mathieson after both teams finished with a 90.

In third place were Melissa MacQuarrie and Nadine Soloway, while fourth place went to Jill Watt and Lois Bednarski on a countback after they tied with Karen Todorian and Morgan Kropelnicki with a 92.

A 95 put Donna Campbell and Marie Sawyer in first place in the second flight, one shot ahead of runners-up Colette Robinson and Terri Rampton.

In third place, with a 97, were Amber Tarrant and Beth Tarrant and in fourth place, with a 99, were Evelyn Beyette and Jean Geiser. Eleanor Snitka and Tesse Memme were fifth with an even 100.

The Canadian Red Cross response to 2025 wildfires is the largest  operation in the organization’s recent history.

Since May, the Red Cross has been providing humanitarian assistance to people impacted by wildfires across the country with operations in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Atlantic Canada, surpassing operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s wildfire response includes operating a mega-congregate shelter with capacity for more than 3,000 people, deploying 1,200 personnel, registering 52,000 people, securing 815 flights for 10,000 people, and securing 200,000 hotel nights.

Data collected from this year’s wildfire season reveals a new threshold for both the size and complexity of response operations in Canada, and it is critical to prepare for future events, the organization said in a press release.

The Red Cross recommends the need for:

• strengthened capacity to respond to all-hazard events in Canada;
• a permanent investment in a civilian operational response capacity such as that of the Red Cross Humanitarian Workforce; and
• enhanced co-ordination across government and whole-of-society response actors.

This year’s rise in response operations demonstrates a year-over-year trend in rising emergencies across Canada.

Continued investments in pan-Canadian civilian response capacity, such as those made possible through the Government of Canada’s humanitarian workforce program, are critical to maintaining the response capacity needed to respond to rising events and must be maintained.

“We have reached a critical tipping point this response season, with more than 1,200 Red Cross personnel deployed to support fire operations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Atlantic Canada. This represents the largest volume of domestic response operations in our modern history, with needs continuing to rise,” said Conrad Sauvé, Canadian Red Cross president and CEO.

“We continue to surge our response with specialized expertise to meet rising demands. Continued investment in our Civilian Response capacity is critical as we can no longer treat these events as exceptional.”

Quick facts

During the wildfire response, the Red Cross:

• deployed 1,200 personnel to support response operations –including 630 volunteer deployments contributing more than 88,000 volunteer hours;
• secured 815 flights carrying more than 10,000 passengers requiring evacuation from their communities;
• operated 45 reception sites across four provinces; and
• operated 11 congregate shelters, including a mega-shelter with capacity for more than 3,000 people in Winnipeg.

Minegoziibe Anishinabe (Pine Creek) hosted a four-person scramble golf tournament, Friday at the Dauphin Lake Golf Club.

The team of Peter Genaille, Stacy Genaille, Faron Genaille and Tristan Genaille won the championship flight, finishing with a 51.

In second place was the team of Darcy Malcolm, Rene Hunter Jr., J.C. Houle and Eric P., with a score of 54. One shot back in third place were Darryl Lacquette, Elvis Nepinak, Tyler Lacquette and Jose Lacquette.

Winners of the first flight on a countback, with a score of 59, were Marvin Traverse, Koby Shorting, Faron Shorting and Darren Summer. In second place was John North, Braden North, Cody North and Johnny North.

Larry Nepinak Jr., Earl Thompson, Ian Moosetail and Brent Moosetail were third with a 60.

The second flight was won by Nelson Kematch, Sean Cook, A.J. Cook and Ivan C., finishing with a 62. Calvin Campeau, Nelson Leaske, Able Gott and Dennis Chartrand were awarded second place on a countback over John Sinclair, Lou Shorting, Albert Shorting and Kyle Sinclair as both teams shot a 63.

Bert Mekish, Pat Mekish, Stacey Mekish and Joseph Nepinak won the third flight on a countback, shooting a 65, the same score as runners-up Nelson Nepinak,  Henry Nepinak, Fred Nepinak and Larry Nepinak Sr.

In third place were Chief Derek Nepinak, Keewatin Nepinak, councillor Kevin McKay and Shawn Woods.

Closest-to-the-pin winners were Nelson Leaske on no. 2, Dave Contois on no. 6, Kyle Sinclair on no. 9, Faron Genaille on no. 11 and Johnny North on no. 14.

Skins winners were John North, Darryl Lacquette, Peter Genaille and Darcy Malcolm, while Jeffery Roulette won the longest drive contest, Lou Shorting won the putting contest and Dayce Roulette won the shoot-out.

The Dauphin Kings’ top scorer from the last two seasons will take his talent to the Niagara University Purple Eagles of the American Collegiate Hockey Association, a Division 1 school.

Cayden Glover joined the Kings early in the 2023-24 season from the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars.

He led the team with 48 points in 50 games, including 20 goals. This season, Glover led the Kings with 33 goals and 52 points in only 38 games, missing the final six weeks with an injury.

The Kings continue recruiting for next season, with Quebec City’s Emrick Gagnon being the latest player to sign a letter of intent.

Gagnon played for Nichols School in the United States High School Preparatory, where the 19-year-old scored 19 goals and added 29 assists for 48 points in 66 games.

Registration is now open for the Kings’ development camp, which runs, Aug. 25 to 28, for ages seven and up.

Instructors will include former Kings Aidan Brook, Carson Cherepak, Brayden Dube, Riese Gaber, Nakodan Greyeyes, Grady Hobbs, Owen Wareham and Cole Sheffield, as well as current players and coaches.

Battle for the Belts

Spots are still open for this year’s Battle for the Belts.

The sixth annual two-person scramble is set to return, July 20, at the Gilbert Plains Country Club and will feature a $10,000 hole-in-one prize.

The entry fee is $160 and must be prepaid by contacting the Gilbert Plains Country Club at 204-548-3030, Dan at 204-572-7552, or Chris at 204-648-7989.

There will be equal flights, closest-to-the-pin contests, a meal and prizes, with all proceeds going to improvements at the golf course.

Track provincials

cancelled

The Manitoba High School Athletic Association’s track and field provincials, scheduled for early June, were cancelled due to poor air quality as a result of the wildfires throughout the province.

There were athletes from Dauphin who were going for the first time, but also repeat athletes. Some of their ranked times for the 100-m were in the top eight and for the 400-m in the top four in the province.

The Rural Municipality of Dauphin council held its regular meeting, June 24.

Accounts and finances

Council approved 20 cheques, as well as payroll and online payments in the amount of $249,938.02.

Committee reports

Assistant CAO Tyral Solski informed council that Dauphin Recreation Services general manager Ryan Vanderheyden had responded to a question from the June 10 council meeting which he attended regarding the value of the assets at DRS.

When asked about the Association of Manitoba Municipalities June district meeting, Solski said it was a good meeting with only two resolutions discussed.

Transportation

Public Works foreman Ryan Jenkins reported the graders were out maintaining the roads.

The gravel program is progressing with trucks hauling out of the Chute Pit and Tardiff Pit.

Dust control has been applied to all ratepayer applicants.

Crews have been installing approaches with some having been completed.

Sign maintenance is ongoing with damage being done by big equipment  to one of the largeRM of Dauphin signs.

Crews have also been out with the brusher, cleaning up some road allowances for access to property and visibility issues.

Crews will start to mow some main roads as part of the summer road maintenance program.

There was another collapsed culvert, which crews have repaired.

Drainage

Crews were out repairing and replacing culvert markers as part of the spring ditch clearing maintenance.

More surveys for drainage licensing were done as time allowed and crews were moving pipes to more locations.

Meetings

Councillor Ken Plustwa volunteered at the Inter-Mountain Watershed District water festival in Ethelbert. He also attended interview sfor the CAO position and an IMWD board meeting in Ste. Rose, which were also attended by councillor Ken Shewchuk, who also attended a Dauphin and District Handivan Association meeting.

Councillor Ron Ryz attended a Riverside Cemetery Board meeting, as well as the CAO interview meetings and the June AMM District meeting.

CAO hired

The RM of Dauphin has hired Grady Stephenson as the new CAO, effective, July 28.

Grass cutting

Upon reviewing proposals for grass cutting municipal lands, council approved the proposal submitted by Conquest Property Management.

Ste. Rose RCMP have arrested three men in connection with multiple incidents.

On June 20, Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP received a report of an abandoned pickup truck located on PR 278, near Road 127N, in the RM of Alonsa.

The vehicle had been stolen on June 13 and was reportedly driving erratically in and around the Ebb and Flow First Nation earlier in the evening. Information was also received that the suspects may be armed.

Officers responded and while enroute, received another call stating that several men had exited from the vehicle and ran into the woods, heading towards the lake.

With the assistance of officers from Dauphin, Amaranth, Winnipegosis, Police Dog Services and RCMP Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, two suspects were tracked for nearly four kilometres by Police Service Dog Marook in the wooded area before being located and arrested without incident.

Later that morning, police received information that a third suspect, involved with the stolen vehicle earlier in the morning, was now walking along Kinosota Road.

Officers attended to the area and located the 28-year-old man who was arrested without incident, however, once taken into custody, began to utter threats towards the officers and damaged the police vehicle.

RCMP have charged Mathew Kakewash, 31, Shawn Francoeur, 26, and Brady McKay, 28, with numerous offences including uttering threats, possession of property obtained by crime, flight from police and operating a conveyance in a dangerous manner.

All three were remanded in custody.

This year’s Gary Brandon Memorial Golf Tournament was sold out with 64 teams competing.

When the two-man match play event was done, it was Payton Lepla and Nelson Lepla who stood tall, beating Tandri Sigurdson and Trevor Fox to win the championship flight.

Jake Wiens and Steve Desroches finished third, beating Darcy Malcolm and Kayon Malcolm.

Eric Prokopowich and Ben Talbot won the first flight, defeating Tyler Carefoot and Linden Smigelsky. James Davidson and Keith Hanke finished third after they defeated the duo of Rob Bouchard and Mike Sparrow.

Larry Johnston and Brian Johnston won the second flight, beating Mike Van Alstyne and John McMullen. Christian Laughland and Bob Gilroy finished third, beating Mark Odut and Regan Hedley.

Zach Mertens and Willi Budzinski won the third flight, defeating Mike Pernarowski and Jordan Pernarowski.

Dave Campbell and Jerron Kyle defeated Jody Bilous and Derrick Kabel to win the fourth flight.

Sutherland and Terry James won the fifth flight over Safronetz and Collins, while Eastman and Diboll beat Terran Roos and Branden Hrychuk to win the sixth flight.

The Dauphin Ag Heritage Club is proud to preserve the rich legacy of settlement and farming in the Parkland.

As part of Dauphin Consumers Co-op’s ongoing commitment to heritage preservation and community engagement, they recently announced $35,000 of in-kind support toward the construction of a new display facility at Selo Ukraina.

The funds will be used to create an agricultural heritage exhibit at the village site to house antique farm equipment. The project will cost approximately $232,000, about a quarter of which has been raised so far.

President of the Ukrainian Folk Arts Centre and Museum, Jim Perchaluk, said while they have applied for various grants, they are also looking for donations from businesses, and farmers in particular.

Part of the agriculture exhibit, he added, will include a pioneer log barn, which will be relocated to the village next year.

Among the grants already received is a $7,500 grant from the Dauphin and District Community Foundation.

Selo Ukraina is the centre for the preservation of Ukrainian culture and heritage in Manitoba.

“The proposed agricultural heritage exhibit aligns with the rich agricultural history deeply embedded within our community. As stewards of our heritage, it is essential to preserve and showcase the agricultural lifestyle of the pioneers who played a pivotal role in shaping the social and cultural fabric of Manitoba in the early 1900s,” Perchaluk said.

“The agricultural heritage exhibit will become a cornerstone attraction within the Ukrainian Heritage Village Museum at Selo Ukraina and serve as a dynamic platform for the public to engage with agricultural artifacts, fostering a deeper appreciation for our agricultural legacy.

“The financial contribution by Dauphin Consumers Co-op Ltd. will be a tremendous boost in the fund-raising by the Ukrainian Folk Arts Centre and Museum in making the agricultural heritage exhibit a reality in our community. We thank the Dauphin Consumers Co-op for their dedication to preserving our shared heritage.”

“At Dauphin Co-op, we believe in the power of history to inspire, educate and connect us,” said Lorne Eiffert, Dauphin Co-op general manager.

“It is a privilege to support a project that preserves our shared heritage for future generations. Contributing to the growth and vitality of our communities is at the heart of what we do - this project is a meaningful reflection of that commitment.”

The project, Eiffert added, reflects Co-op’s vision of keeping local history alive for future generations and creating a destination for education, storytelling, and community pride.

“We have walked alongside generations of farmers for over 85 years and we are proud to be able to support this important piece of history,” he said.

The Manitoba government has partnered with front-line health-care staff to form a Lower Wait Time and System Improvement Team.

The goal is to develop a strategy to reduce patient wait times in the emergency room.

The Lower Wait Time and System Improvement Team is led by Dr. Paul Ratana, provincial specialty lead of emergency medicine at Health Sciences Centre (HSC), and Dr. Kendiss Olafson, internal medicine and critical care at HSC Winnipeg, with physicians, nurses and allied health professionals specializing in emergency medicine, internal medicine, neurology, family medicine, anesthesiology and more.

The team is supported by experienced process engineers who specialize in streamlining systems to improve services.

“No one understands the delays in patient care better than those on the front lines of health care,” Olafson said.

“They face the daily frustration of a system that is often slow, fragmented and siloed. Our goal is to address some of the most challenging and discouraging aspects of care delivery, supporting the quality of front-line work without adding to workloads.”

The Manitoba government has released a Lower Wait Time Strategy, developed by the team, to improve timely patient access to high-quality emergency health care across the province.

The strategy outlines how to increase or add services that affect the timeliness of care at three main points of a patient’s experience – triage and admission if necessary, inpatient care and access to outpatient treatment to be able to return home safely.

Strategic initiatives include increasing the number of endoscopy procedures, including over the weekend, exploring models to shorten the wait time between triage and initial physician assessments, and expanding the community intravenous program to allow more patients to recover at home.

Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP are asking for assistance in locating a missing man.

On May 8, Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP received a report that 50-year-old Patrick Simmons was last heard from on Apr. 30, while he was Dauphin.

He told a family member that he was planning to travel to Somerset but never arrived.

Simmons is described as five feet, 11 inches tall, weighing approximately 200 pounds.

He is balding with brown/blonde hair on the sides.

He was wearing a black and grey hoodie and may be driving a red, 2017 Ford F150 with Manitoba license plate GZY 597.

RCMP and Simmons’ family are concerned for his well-being and are asking anyone with information to call the Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP at 204-447-3082, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or to submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP continue to investigate.