Some former Valley residents are taking advantage of a summer student opportunity that allows them to work in their home community and gain experience in their field of study. Discover Health Careers Manitoba offers term positions to students in the healthcare field to provide a hands-on experience in clinical, hospital or healthcare environments.
Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) offered 26 positions in the region in areas of pharmacy, primary care, mental health, therapy services, acute care, public health and nutrition. PMH and Shared Health cost share the initiative.
At the Primary Care Clinic in Swan River, two local students, Brittan Yaschyshyn and Abby Facundo, have been participants working through the initiative since May of this year.
“I grew up in the valley and love coming home every summer to my family and friends. My parents, Tom and Tracey, grew up here as well,” said Yaschyshyn. “After graduating in 2022 and moving to the city, I missed being in a small town and getting to participate in community events and groups that I had become so accustomed to.
“I study Midwifery at Mount Royal University in Calgary. I chose it after learning about its unique scope of practice and clinically based teaching style. After graduating, I will have spent over 24 months in practicums outside of the time spent in the classroom. I chose this area of healthcare because it is such an exciting and critical moment in people’s lives and I look forward to being able to support others through it.
“I moved to Swan River from the Philippines and have lived in the Valley since 2017,” said Facundo. “My parents are Ivy and Allan Facundo. My dad works at AG Shield in Benito and my mom works as a health care aide at the Swan Valley Lodge. I graduated from the Swan Valley Regional Secondary School in 2024. During my time in the valley, I enjoyed spending time at the lake, being with friends, and being part of the Filipino community.
“I’ve always loved taking care of others, especially my little cousins and great-grandparents, whether it was babysitting, helping with everyday tasks, or keeping them company. Additionally, I worked at the healthcare facility where my mom works, which gave me firsthand experience and opened the door to pursuing a career in healthcare.
“I’m currently studying for my Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Calgary,” said Facundo. “After I graduate, I plan to become a registered nurse and hope to work in labour and delivery or pediatrics.”
Yaschyshyn is a midwife student and has been working in the clinic’s front administration area. She has been attending to patient care, booking appointments, dealing with tasks and making specialist appointments. She has also been able to pair up with physicians and help with history and physicals for prenatal care, as well as update prenatal records and sit in on prenatal care with the physicians.
“My role this summer has been supporting the admin staff and working with the providers for prenatal and postpartum assessments,” said Yaschyshyn. “My learning experience so far has been exciting.
“When I started here three years ago, I hadn’t begun midwifery school yet and the doctors were filling me in on everything. This was super beneficial for me when I started in my program. Now I am grateful to feel like I can bring the skills I have learned at school and utilize them even when I’m on break. It keeps me fresh and brings a new perspective about working in rural areas.”
Facundo is a nursing student and has been shadowing the LPN at the clinic. She has been undertaking tasks like rooming patients, taking vitals and updating electronic medical records.
“This summer, I’m working in a vitals position where I’m responsible for taking patients’ vital signs,” said Facundo. “The role allows me to work with diverse people and collaborate with different healthcare professionals as part of the team.
“So far, this has been a really valuable learning experience. I’ve had the chance to see what different healthcare professionals do and how they work together, which is helping me expand my understanding of the various paths in healthcare. I’m trying to absorb as much as I can and keep my options open, especially with what I can apply to my future in nursing.”
Yaschyshyn and Facundo will complete their terms this month and return to university in the fall. Having this opportunity to work and learn in their home community has had so many benefits for both women as they return to school and consider their options for the future.
“This experience has brought me invaluable learning opportunities and I am so grateful for the pregnant people who have welcomed me into their care,” said Yaschyshyn. “Unfortunately, without a delivering hospital, a midwife couldn’t work in Swan River right now. However, this experience has brought me an appreciation for rural care and I do plan to practice in rural areas.”
“As of right now, I’m not entirely sure what the future holds, but I’m open to gaining experience in other communities as well,” said Facundo. “This experience has definitely made me appreciate the value of working in my home community, but I also want to explore different environments to continue learning and growing in my career.
“What I’ve enjoyed most about this experience is getting to shadow and talk to some of the nurses. It’s been really helpful to see what their roles look like day to day and to hear their perspectives and advice. It’s given me a clearer idea of what to expect in the profession and what kind of nurse I want to become.

Residents at the Swan Valley Personal Care Home (SVPCH) have another beautiful view to enjoy thanks to the talents of local artist Melanie Bird and the financial donation from the Swan Valley Credit Union. This is the second mural that Bird has painted at the care home, with the first one being a scenic farm setting.
“Last summer, I painted a wall for the residents on the north end of the building and so the PCH approached me about doing another mural for the residents on the south end of the building to enjoy,” said Melanie Bird.
“The PCH wanted paintings that reflected the beautiful Valley in which we live. Since many wonderful lakes surround our valley, they decided to choose a lake/wildlife scene for this painting. The painting isn’t necessarily Wellman Lake specifically. It was intended to represent the lakes that surround our Valley in general.
“However, since we have a family cabin at Wellman Lake, the scenes are definitely inspired by that lake,” said Bird. “I tried to incorporate a variety of wildlife that we would typically see at any one of our lakes in the area, including deer with fawn, a mallard duck pair with some ducklings, geese, moose, rabbit and a loon.
“I’m hoping that each resident, no matter which lake they most often visited, will feel a connection to the painting.”
Bird was able to complete the mural from start to finish in just under two weeks, as there were many components to finalizing the mural and ensuring its longevity.
“I started the painting on July 3 and finished it on July 14,” said Bird. “I’m the type of artist who likes to stay focused on the painting until it is complete, so it was a relatively quick project. The actual painting took about four full days of painting and then it needed to cure for a few days before I put a couple of layers of protective coating on, so that it will be enjoyed for years to come.”
The response from the residents and visitors has been complimentary, as many enjoy the new view on the walls. Most viewers respond to the wildlife portrayed in the mural. Bird has enjoyed working on both murals for the care home and is open to doing more in the future.
“Everyone who walked by was always so happy to see the painting come to life,” said Bird. “Some residents really enjoyed commenting on the animals in particular, giving ideas of other animals for me to paint as well. I think they will really enjoy looking at this painting every time they walk by. Having the opportunity just to work at the PCH for those days was richly rewarding for me. I truly loved the interactions I had with both staff and residents.
“I would be more than happy to paint more murals at the PCH if they decide they would like it, but for now, no other plans are in place.”

The Benito Splash Park seems to have taken off with some full-force momentum. The project started as an idea, to raising almost half a million dollars, and now breaking ground for construction. There are still opportunities for people to donate or for local businesses to purchase naming rights.
“We broke ground on Monday, June 23, 2025,” said Benito Splash Park Committee Member Holly Kushniryk. “The ground base is currently being built and then they will move on to creating the mechanics of it all before pouring the cement.
“Construction is estimated to take just over one month, if everything goes smoothly. We are hoping to have the park open and running within the first couple of weeks of August, fingers crossed.
“A total of $420,000 has been raised so far, but we aren’t done yet, so we are asking people to please consider donating,” said Kushniryk. “Every amount helps and tax receipts will be issued. There are also options to have logos and names on water features, or naming the park itself is still up for grabs. Those interested can call, email or find us on Facebook for more information.”
The Benito Splash Park has an assortment of water features that are guaranteed to provide amusement and thrill to all those who use the facility. The splash park is also being made accessible in terms of entry, so that all may use it.
“There are nine main water features, along with several fountains and ground sprinklers,” said Kushniryk. “These features are great for all age ranges, toddlers to teens, and older, if you want to be adventurous.
“There will be a path directly to the splash pad, so anyone with mobility issues will have direct access to the pad and use of the features. This was one of the main motivators for deciding on a splash park when thinking of ways to attract families to the community.”
The support to bring this project to fruition has been remarkable. The community of Benito has been the driving force behind it, but Swan River and the surrounding Valley have also contributed to the success of its creation.
“There has been a ton of support from Benito and the Valley,” said Kushniryk. “Most people are excited to see something new and fun to do.
“Of course, there are always those few who maybe don’t quite fully understand the reasoning behind our decision to build a splash park. And for those people, we would like to say that this project was fully funded through fundraisers created to unite families in a safe, fun, engaging environment. To get kids and adults alike interactive in a world of screens and technology, and an affordable option for an outing for those who can’t necessarily go on a trip to the mountains or have a cabin to go to.
“There are so many proven benefits to splash parks,” said Kushniryk. “I couldn’t possibly list them all. My only regret is not doing this sooner while my kids were younger. I can’t wait to hear the laughter and joyful screams from the children playing in the spraying water!
“Benito is on a burst of growth right now. We’ve had a few new businesses open. We’ve seen some new families move in. And I truly believe that this splash park will be that one extra exciting amenity that will help families decide to settle in our community. More foot traffic from those passing by will also mean more shoppers for our local stores, which will be awesome. All in the plan of boosting the economy of our community.
“And where else will these families head but to the bigger center of Swan River, helping to boost the economy there too, again, which is all in our plan,” said Kushniryk. “It may seem silly to some, how would one little splash park have so much impact, but it’s proven, amenities attract people, people grow the economy and create jobs, and communities grow bigger and stronger. What’s the next big project?”