CRP Organizes 1st Purple Thursday

Thursday, October 20^th will be recognized as the Canadian Royal Purple's first annual Purple Thursday.

Angie Smith, president of the Dauphin Royal Purple Lodge and the Manitoba Royal Purple Association, says that it's a campaign held on the third Thursday of October which recognizes the intersection of interpersonal violence and brain injuries.

"We are connecting all the... lodges across Canada to women's shelters. We are collecting self-care items and putting them in purple care bags and on Purple Thursday... we will be donating those bags to every shelter across Canada," she adds.

Smith went on to say that they'll be right outside the Walmart at the Dauphin Market Place Mall to collect self-care items, such as feminine hygiene products, toiletries, shampoo and toothpaste, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 15^th.

Angie Smith says that the cause means a lot to her because she is a survivor of interpersonal violence.

"We are trying to draw... awareness because I think there is a lot of talk about brain injuries, which is the Canadian [Royal] Purple's main cause. We talk about sports injuries, but nobody ever talks about the intersection between brain injuries caused by interpersonal violence... I really think that we need to draw awareness and stop the violence," she adds.

According to Smith, anyone going through any kind of domestic violence can reach out to the Parkland Crisis Centre for support at 204-638-9484.

Those who are seeking information regarding brain injuries can contact the Dauphin Royal Purple Lodge by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

They can visit the Canadian Royal Purple's national website as well.

Details: Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos; Published: Oct 15, 2022 - 6:19 am

Manitoba Health expanded eligibility for the bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine to include anyone aged 12 or older and appointments can be booked starting today.

They say that adults may receive either a Moderna or a Pfizer bivalent booster dose and that children aged 12 to 17 will receive the Pfizer bivalent vaccine because it is the only one approved for that age group.

The province expects to receive the new Pfizer bivalent vaccine by the end of this week and will then ship them to clinics, pharmacies and vaccine sites across Manitoba.

They note that delivery dates may vary, so while it may be available in vaccine sites earlier, the Pfizer bivalent vaccine is expected to be at most vaccine locations by Monday, October 24^th.

Appointments can be booked using the online booking tool, by calling the vaccine call centre at 1-844-626-8222 or by calling medical clinics and pharmacies directly.

The provincial government recommends making an appointment for the week of October 24^th to ensure the appropriate vaccine will be in stock.

The original vaccine continues to be available as a fall booster for children aged five to 11 and individuals who do not wish to receive the bivalent vaccine.

Details: Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos; Published: Oct 14, 2022 - 11:47 am

At the request of Minegoziibe Anishinabe (Pine Creek First Nation) community leaders, the Manitoba RCMP has opened an investigation into the ground anomalies detected beneath a church on the first nation.

A ground search was conducted by a private contractor in May, and they found a number of anomalies. In August this year, a meeting was held at Manitoba RCMP headquarters between senior RCMP officers and representatives from Pine Creek First Nation, where the RCMP was asked to investigate the anomalies.

Chief Derek Nepinak says they are working to identify and share their difficult truth.

“The Minegoziibe Anishinabe have ventured down a pathway towards identifying and sharing our difficult truth. We do this for the future well-being of our children. In this effort, we are looking at establishing relationships of respect and collaboration but ever mindful of the difficulties we have survived through.”

Manitoba RCMP Superintendent Rob Lasson says it's the RCMP's job to provide answers.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that a thorough, methodical and culturally sensitive investigation takes place. It is the RCMP’s role to collect evidence in order to provide the answers sought by the community.”

Community delegates will be working closely with the RCMP during their investigation, and a community liaison will ensure ongoing and open communication between the community and the RCMP. The full Manitoba RCMP Press Release about the meeting and investigation can be found here.

Details: Contributed by Sam Brownell; Published: Oct 14, 2022 - 10:06 am

The Grandview Fall Harvest Craft and Trade Show will be held at the Grandview Kinsmen Community Centre on Saturday, October 15^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Event Organizer Lisa Boughton says that there will be over 50 tables of vendors showing off their goods and services.

"We have our returning vendors, but we also have a lot of new vendors," she adds.

Boughton went on to say that they will have a lot of handmade stuff for purchase this year.

"We've got your normal Tupperware and Fifth Avenue and all the other direct sales groups, but we also have a lot of artisan work with their handmade goods, anything from sewing, to Ukrainian Easter eggs, to jewellery. We even have a honey lady coming in with a large variety of different flavours of honey," she adds.

According to Lisa Boughton, they will also be serving a lunch put on by the Grandview Drop-In Centre.

"There's going to be a lunch counter that will be serving soup and sandwiches... We also have several tables of... [baked goods] and preserves and we also have a guy coming in that is selling beef jerky and garlic sausage," she adds.

Boughton says that admission will cost $3 for most people with those 12 and under getting in for free.

"The money will be going back into the community. [In]... past years, we've donated money to the fire department to get new turnout gear, we've donated back into the hall to replace tables and add more tables... We usually decide that after the sale. It depends on how much money we make from our auction... and admission fee once expenses are taken out," she adds.

Since the last trade and craft show was held in 2019, Lisa Boughton is pleased to be able to host the event this year.

"It's just nice to know that we are getting back to normal and life is continuing on. We're more cautious, obviously, but it's just good to be out there and seeing people back in the community getting together and shopping locally and supporting their local vendors," she adds.

More information can be found on their Facebook page.

Details: Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos; Published: Oct 14, 2022 - 6:35 am

The Kin Club of Dauphin announced Thursday that they are donating $6,674.72 to the Dauphin & District Community Foundation (DDCF).

President Nicole Gulenchin says that money came from the last draw held by the former Kinette Club.

"After the Kinette Club and the Kinsmen Club merged into the Kin Club, it was around the same time that Iona had passed away... We decided that in her memory, we would donate the leftover funds that the Kinette Club had raised at the last wine draw to the fund that was already created for her husband, who was also a Kinsmen," she adds.

Gulenchin went on to say that they renamed the fund to "The Jim & Iona Tarrant Memorial Fund" and donated the proceeds there to increase it, adding that all of the fund's proceeds go towards helping youth in the community.

Details: Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos; Published: Oct 14, 2022 - 6:11 am

The Kin Club of Dauphin announced Thursday that they are donating $6,325.50 to the Dauphin & District Community Food Bank.

President Nicole Gulenchin says that she's pleased that they were able to raise that much money for the food bank.

"It's great that so many people in the community can use it, especially with things being the way they are these days with grocery bills, etc.," she adds

Gulenchin says that the money was raised from the Gone Fishing & Smoker Raffle they held back in 2021.

"We as a group collectively decided that the food bank would benefit the most and it was the best way to give back to the community as a whole," she adds.

According to Nicole Gulenchin, the newly-formed Kin Club was the result of a merger between the former Kinsmen and Kinette clubs.

Details: Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos; Published: Oct 14, 2022 - 6:05 am

Bull Riding's back at the Eriksdale Rec Centre this weekend, as the 24th edition of the Boneyard General Repair Boyz and Bullz makes its return on Saturday.

It's going to be a highly competitive event as it's Bull Riders Canada's last stop of the regular season, and first place is still up for grabs. Event Producer Ben Kinkead says they're expecting some really exciting action.

"We've got the top two bull riders in the national standing in a back-and-forth battle for the season leader, or number one position. We've also got the rookie of the year race that's being highly contested by two or three up-and-coming bull riders. As well, the bubble bull riders who are working to get into the top 20 for the Sylvan Lake Alberta Finals which are in mid-November."

This year's event might look a bit different than the past, as Kinkead says they have a new layout at the rink.

"We've actually got a new layout planned for the event, within the ice surface of the arena, allowing us some new features and additions. One of those is gonna be the first time for the Party in the Dirt following the bull riding."

Tickets get you into the bull riding and the Party in the Dirt. They're $30 dollars for adults, $20 for ages 13 - 17, $10 for ages 6 - 12, and Free for kids five and under. If you can't make it as there is a pay-per-view live stream of the event on CommStream. Event details, including the link to purchase the live stream, can be found here.

Details: Contributed by Sam Brownell; Published: Oct 14, 2022 - 6:00 am

Ken Shewchuk is aiming for a seat on the R.M. of Dauphin Council as he runs in the municipal election.

Shewchuk, who is originally from Garland, moved to the R.M. of Dauphin in 2016.

He says that people should vote for him because he's been on the R.M. of Ethelbert Council for 16 years.

"I have experience and I know what it's all about. I know how the roles play in council and reeves and what everybody's position is. I look forward to working with a group of people... I usually don't miss any meetings," he adds.

Shewchuk went on to say that he has been on the conservation board for twenty years and spent a number of years with the Ethelbert Fire Department as well.

He decided to run because he retired from farming and was looking for another way to contribute to the community.

"I had experience in Ethelbert, so I thought I'd bring it to Dauphin now and see how it works here," he adds.

If elected, Shewchuk would like to continue the waterline that has been brought into the R.M.

"Being... one of the first to have it brought into my yard, I see the potential and the benefit of having it in the area, to have good drinking water that's safe for everybody to use," he adds.

Ken Shewchuk says that his main priority is to continue the maintenance of all roads, especially the neglected ones.

"The area has well-kept main roads... but the secondary roads need some [attention]," he adds

When it comes to crime, Shewchuk says that it's a big problem in the area and that police don't seem to be able to keep up with what's going on.

"I think this problem should go to the AMM when they have their November meeting... [It should be] talked about there with the other R.M.s and get some stricter laws for what's happening... It's not safe. People's vehicles are getting stolen right out of the yard in daylight," he adds.

A complete list of candidates running for office in the City and R.M. of Dauphin can be found here.

Details: Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos; Published: Oct 13, 2022 - 6:11 am

Hoof N Holler days made its much-anticipated return to Ste. Rose over the October long weekend.

After not being able to hold the full event for the last couple of years due to the pandemic, and snow/ice storms causing issues in the two years leading up to it, Committee Chair Ashley Vandepoele says it was great to have the full event back.

"From a committee perspective we think it went really well, we had wonderful attendance and lots of positive feedback, so we have no complaints at all, it is so nice to see everyone out."

Vandepoele says all of their events were well attended, especially the carnival, which was overwhelming at times.

"All of the events were fairly well attended, the carnival was probably the busiest one, the most overwhelming one. Our Sunday was really well attended as well, where we had bouncy castles up for the kids, we had laser tag, we had nerf gun wars, we had a roping clinic and it was pretty well attended as well."

Details: Contributed by Sam Brownell; Published: Oct 13, 2022 - 6:00 am

New Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre named his Shadow Cabinet yesterday and Dan Mazier, the PM for Dauphin - Swan River - Neepawa, was named the Shadow Minister for Rural Economic Development and Connectivity.

"I've been very passionate about this file, on connectivity and rural development, since I first got elected in 2019, and our leader heard that loud and clear. It's up to me to carry on the torch and continue on to make sure that the good people of rural Canada and Dauphin, Swan River, Neepawa get the service they deserve, and what they're paying for."

One main issue that Mazier has focused on throughout his career is the lack of high-speed, quality internet in rural areas, and he says his new position will help him address that issue further.

"We all know our cell phone bills are extremely high, probably one of the highest in the world, and yet we're getting subpar service, and I think that needs to stop first and foremost. Then how do we move forward, how do we get beyond that, I really do think I have some ideas that I'm going to be exploring as far as looking at Manitoba infrastructure, and how do we as rural communities access that existing infrastructure and compliment it, instead of fighting against it."