Brunch service with a side of drag queens

A sold-out event with over 90 people and five drag queens packed in a tight hall to celebrate the Drag Brunch’s third year at Steinbach’s United Church on June 21.

Leading up to the event, the location was kept private due to safety concerns for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The first Drag Brunch event had protestors outside of the building.

Drag is a performance art combining lip syncing, dancing, personas, and over-the-top clothing and makeup. Drag queens are performers who partake in drag, often with a specific persona and name.

Most of the queens are using their drag names to protect their identity and safety.

PHOTO GALLERY: Notre-Dame-de-Lorette anniversary celebrations

Tours of the Notre-dame-de-Lorette drew in people from as far as BC to the 125-year-old church. The parish saw its first residential priest 150 years ago and its first appointed missionary 160 years ago, marking the beginning of the community of Lorette as it is known today.

Carillon Sports: June 26th Second Shots

Featuring photos from a Hanover Strikers match in Steinbach June 17, a U17 AAA Eastman Wildcats game against Smitty's Terminators June 18, the St Malo Triathlon June 21 and games from the Prairie Basketball League spring league finals at Steinbach Christian School June 21.

Class of five celebrates grad in Sprague

A small graduating class allowed an intimate and personal ceremony for Ross L. Gray School in Sprague on June 20.

Principal Jared Baines and guest speaker Krystina Bouchard both were able to include personal addresses to each graduating student.

Forty percent of the graduating class was represented in their valedictorians who were Julia Van Osch and Mollie Zimmerman.

The close-knit graduating class has largely been together since kindergarten with four out of five graduates having made the entire education journey together.

Ste Anne Co-op grand opening includes new pharmacy delivery

The home of the co-op’s first gas station celebrated the home of its first brand new grocery store with a grand opening June 20.

It also touted some features added since the Ste Anne food store first opened its doors last October.

General manager Martin Trudeau acknowledged the history of Clearview Consumers Co-op, which got its start in Ste Anne 94 years ago and was soon called Ste Anne Co-op until 2018.

“This is more than just a building. It’s a long-term investment in the people in this community, an expansion of our promise to serve with quality, care and co-operative values,” said Trudeau, surrounded by co-op board members, store staff, dignitaries, and locals waiting to get their barbecued hotdogs, chips and Co-op brand drinks.

Connor Paronuzzi wins community award

Connor Paronuzzi’s impact on the Steinbach community continues to grow, and not just for what he contributed on the ice.

The 2005-born forward from Emeryville, Ont. re-wrote the Pistons single-season record book this year, posting new highs in points (93) and assists (64) while becoming the team’s first-ever league MVP.

He was also recognized as the team’s RBC Community Ambassador in recognition of his volunteer-work off the ice. While every team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League names an ambassador, Paronuzzi was given the league-wide RBC Community Award June 24.

“I’m glad I got the opportunities to give back to the community in Steinbach after everything the city does for the team,” Paronuzzi said in a MJHL news release.

Historic flag raising and commemoration celebrates the Métis in Ritchot

A small crowd gathered outside the RM of Ritchot municipal office to celebrate and acknowledge Métis history and culture.

“It’s been a long time coming for us to get our cart here. We’ve currently got a council that’s fully on board with this and I appreciate all the work that staff and everyone has done to make this happen for us,” said deputy mayor Shane Pelletier, who is also Métis and part of the Southeast Region St. Adolphe Local.

The crowd watched as the blue and white Métis flag was proudly raised up the flagpole and the Métis cart that sits outside the municipal office received its pergola. The Metis cart and pergola were built with a grant from the province for $25,000.

Vice-president of the Southeast Region St. Adolphe Local Gerry Lagasse said the day was very important for elders.

Off-leashed dogs, lilacs trampled, and maple trees plucked at Parc Carillon

A complainant informed council about kids plucking maple trees, ruffled lilacs, off-leashed dogs, and parents driving on baseball diamonds at the Parc Carillon on June 18.

The amount of dogs off-leashed were “out of control,” people are not cleaning after themselves, and the chain-link fence between the campground and parking, and campground to baseball diamonds are being removed, said Tina Bubenzer, chief administrative officer, reading the complainant’s email to council.

St Pierre refused to name the complainant.

Out of the six uprooted maple trees, four are dead, and two survived.

Western Canadian Hockey Development program expanding in 2nd year

Changes to how Western Canadian junior hockey teams can add players are continuing this year.

Teams and leagues across the West signed on to the Western Canadian Development Model (WCDM) last season, streamlining rules across the region.

Last season saw increased flexibility for 15/16-year-olds, allowing half-face shields and ensuring the rules stay the same between the Western Hockey League and junior A.

Five new changes are coming this season, with more flexibility offered for out-of-province Canadian players.

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback May 15, 2004 – Niverville selected as site for William Hespeler plaque

Hespeler Park in Niverville has been selected as the national site to recognize the historic significance of William Hespeler, an immigration official who helped settle the first Mennonites in Western Canada.

In his role as the Commissioner of Immigration and Agriculture in Winnipeg and German Counsel for Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, Hespeler recruited thousands of Mennonites and others of German origin to settle on the Canadian prairies.

The plaque commemorating his role helps to solidify Hespeler’s historical ties with Mennonite migrations to Canada and Manitoba.

It also solidifies the role the area played in providing temporary immigration sheds for the 7,000 Mennonite settlers who disembarked at the junction of the Red and Rat Rivers between 1874 and 1880, a site officially designated as the Mennonite Landing Memorial Site.

Steinbach Christian School celebrates growth, values, and 75th anniversary

Steinbach Christian School (SCS) is expanding its campus with five new classrooms opening in the end of July for their growing student population.

The five new classrooms will mostly be for high school students. Four classrooms were also added last year.

“Growth creates challenges,” said Thor Barkman, principal and CEO of SCS. “There are loads of work for new problems that you have to figure out. How are we going to find a classroom for this many students? Where will we find other teachers that we need to hire?”

SCS recently bought the shared campus from Steinbach Bible College (SBC). SBC will be relocating to a new facility on Loewen Boulevard in 2026.