Steinbach’s Band of Colours and Heartberry Café host makeup and wig workshop

A makeup and wig workshop was hosted in Steinbach thanks to Band of Colours, a 2SLGBTQ+ resource centre and the Heartberry Café on Aug. 21.

Just days before the Heartberry Café had its formal commercial opening, Band of Colours facilitated the workshop, the first of its kind in Steinbach, led by 25-year-old Salem Scythe, who goes under the name “Pretty Boy” when in drag, as the leader of the tutorial.

“It’s such a fun art form to do. The shape shifting of it all, the transformation. You use so many skills from traditional art and painting and apply them onto your face. It’s very fun,” said Scythe.

The art form of drag has a long history, and one marked by several distinct phases ranging from the theatres of ancient Greece to Vaudeville to its present Pride invocation, along with the fame brought by actors like Marlene Dietrich which has moved the art ever closer to the mainstream.

Rempel enters race for RM of Piney reeve

A 15-year RM of Piney resident with roots that go back well over 100 years in the community is adding his name to the ballot to run for reeve.

Vance Rempel has never served on council or run for a council position before, but the retired poultry processing plant operator said it’s time to step forward.

“I’m very familiar with what’s going on on council, and I think I can make a difference,” he said.

Rempel is the third to put his name forward for reeve.

Hanover trustee puts his views on gender identity, race on social media

A current Hanover School Division trustee and candidate in the next school board election has voiced his views on sex, gender, race, role of teachers, the how students should be treated, along with other points of view, in a social media post.

Trustee Jeff Friesen wrote in a Facebook post last Thursday his views on such matters after receiving a set of seven questions from fellow HSD trustee and current City of Steinbach council candidate Brad Unger. Unger sent his questions last week to all trustee candidates, with the intent to post their answers online.

“I believe these principles because they are consistent with Scripture, the natural family structure, biological reality, parental responsibility, child-safety principles, and the proper role of public education. At the same time, I believe every person – including people with whom I profoundly disagree (with) – should be treated with dignity, respect and compassion,” Friesen wrote in his Facebook post.

Unger’s questions are as follows with the question of “What do you believe?” following: I believe that sex and gender are the same thing and that there are only two; I do not believe that a boy can become a girl or a girl can become a boy; I do not believe that an adult should ever ask a child to keep something secret from their parents; I do not believe a teacher should ever ask a child for their pronouns or their sexual preference; I believe that the only flags that should be in the classroom are the Canadian and Manitoba flag; I believe that a child should never be made to feel guilty for being white; and I believe that no adults have a greater love for a child than that child’s parents.

1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Realtor and builder join forces to build 600 affordable homes

Realtor Waldo Neustaedter and builder Len Neufeld forged a partnership in 2002 that has been instrumental in supplying affordable housing for over 600 property owners in the Steinbach area. Reflecting on the success of their efforts over the past two decades, Neustaedter says it’s not all about the selling, but rather the opportunity to make a contribution to the betterment of the community along the way.

“It’s about giving back to the community my parents came to. My dad was born in 1909 and came to Canada at age 15, after the Russian Revolution. He worked as a linotype operator at Derksen Printers until he had to leave the job due to health issues. My mom sewed children’s clothes at home and sold them at Reimer’s Dress Shop.“

Neufeld of Three Way Builders, Neustaedter’s partner in the ongoing, affordable housing projects, feels the same way.

His first commercial building was the Dairy Queen in 1987. He’s done many major commercial projects since, as well as the Bethesda Primary Care Health Centre and a couple of Steinbach church buildings along the way.

New play structure chosen by kids in Ile des Chenes

A new play structure officially opened in Ile des Chenes on Aug. 21, was chosen by children from the community.

Located at Parc D’Auteuil Park, the new structure was unveiled as part of Rec on the Road celebrations featuring games, crafting and sports.

RM of Ritchot director of recreation Melissa Larter said the new structure replaces a dirt hill and an old wood climbing structure.

She said it’s important to Ile des Chenes.

Grenier bringing dodgeball league to SEC

Nick Grenier is hoping to turn dodgeball into the region’s biggest new sport.

The Ile des Chenes resident owns Dodgeball Winnipeg. The organization is setting up a rec league inside Southeast Event Centre this year, with signups underway.

“The goal is not to be competing at the highest level, it’s another activity people can play with their friends and get some exercise in,” he said.

“Over the winter months, when it gets cold and there’s less to do outside it’s a good opportunity to get some exercise indoors with some friends and play a game we used to play in gym class and everyone always enjoyed.”

CARILLON SPORTS SECOND SHOTS: Aug. 20th edition

Featuring photos from a Carillon Sultans WSBL home playoff game Aug. 12, the U13 AAA and 14U Girls Western Canada Baseball Championships in Ile des Chenes Aug. 14 and an Eastman Raiders Bantam game at A.D. Penner Aug. 15.

1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Being a veterinarian is no easy way to make a living

APRIL 11, 1973—Interviewing Dr. Steve Sonya in spurts between dozens of phone calls and interruptions, it becomes very apparent that being a veterinarian is no easy way to make a living.

On call 24 hours a day, the rural veterinarian is constantly harried. He is expected to make house calls, sometimes 80 miles away, and is constantly roused out of sleep to attend to emergencies, and called up without regard to weekends or holidays.

But that is the name of the game as far as a rural veterinary practise is concerned, and Sonya sees it as such.

In 1972, Sonya had been the Steinbach area’s only permanent vet for over 16 years, though there were temporary assistants and summer replacements, on occasion. The reason there was onlyone vet, Sonya said, was that his office at his Reimer Ave. residence. didn’t have room for a second one.

Outgoing councillor reflects on 20-year tenure

Steinbach City Councillor Jac Siemens brought numbers and memories to the floor as he delivered the opening during Tuesday’s meeting.

Councillors in Steinbach take turns offering an opening to their regular meetings, and for Siemens this was the 61st time he had that honour.

He used the time to reflect on his five terms on council. Siemens is one of two sitting councillors who will not run again.

He said he’s run in five election campaigns, purchased 40 election signs in the first election and used them through all five campaigns.

Ile-des-Chenes mother supporting women suffering from postpartum with fundraising walk

When Reese Dyck had her daughter two years ago, she felt joy but at the same time she had a lot of anxiety coupled with intrusive thoughts. She was chronically anxious about whether her daughter Sailor Jade would still be breathing in her crib when she slept. This led to Dyck sacrificing her own sleep to check on her daughter every 15 minutes.

She also would be anxious about leaving the house or letting anyone hold her firstborn thinking they might not hold her properly, make her ill, or worse drop her. This anxiety never truly subsided and was tied to severe suicidal depression when Dyck had her son Sonnet 11 months later.

“It was, without a doubt, the worst time in my life. It makes me sad to say that because, obviously, the newborn stage is something that you want to enjoy… I don’t remember a lot of the first year of his life because I was just in survival mode,” she shared.

Through all this, Dyck tried to get help through prescribed medication and the Steinbach Family Resource Centre, but she found there was still a lack of support for mothers suffering from postpartum.

First Gardenton Truck and Tractor Pull has heart at its center

Antique and modified tractors and trucks roared into action billowing thick smoke out of their stack pipes as the first Gardenton Truck and Tractor Pull revved into gear last weekend.

The event at Gardenton Museum and Park was founded by Tolstoi resident Jake Wiebe. Wiebe, a five-year puller who owns his own construction company, decided to hold the competition in Stuartburn a year ago. Initially, he wanted to have it in his hometown, but wasn’t able to so he asked the Gardenton Museum if he could hold it on their grounds.

“I’m very grateful for the park here that we have, that we can use these facilities here. It has been very nice,” he said.

In preparation, Wiebe mowed the exhibition grounds, removed the topsoil and laid down the clay for the track, and he installed safety measures for the event. He got sponsorships from businesses in Steinbach, Grunthal, Altona, and Gardenton to help with the grounds and equipment.

Eastman Flames heading to Southeast Event Centre

The Southeast Event Centre is the new home for the Eastman Flames Special Olympics track team.

The team had been training inside the hallways of Steinbach Regional Secondary School, but will now be using the SEC’s walking track every Monday evening starting in October.

“All of our athletes and coaches are so grateful for this opportunity,” Eastman Flames head coach Lisa Zdrill said in a SEC news release.

“We want to say a huge thank you to the Southeast Event Centre and surrounding community for making this possible. We cannot wait to start training in October and will see you on the track.”