The Southeast Event Centre is hosting a Halloween food drive and carnival on Oct. 31.

The SCU Halloween for Hunger event in Steinbach will see families from across the Southeast enjoying games and Halloween based activities. Although this is a free event, organizers are encouraging visitors to donate a non-perishable food item that will go to South East Helping Hands.

“The whole point of Halloween for Hunger is to scare away that hunger for the fall. So, fill up the food bank before this chilly weather settles in as much as we can,” said catering and hospitality manager Nadja Gowland.

Gowland chose South East Helping Hands because they are local, they do a lot with the Pistons, and they are always in need of food. In 1986, when the organization officially became what it is today, it was serving 10 to 15 families bi-weekly, today it serves 400 bi-weekly. As South East Helping Hands is independently run, it relies on donations.

“God’s purpose is now to show the rulers and powers in the heavens the many different varieties of his wisdom through the church.” - Ephesians 3:10

One of the most beautiful truths about the Church is that God never intended it to be a gathering of people who all look alike, think alike, vote alike, worship alike, or come from the same background. His plan was always much bigger than uniformity. God’s vision is unity with diversity.

In Ephesians 3:10, Apostle Paul uses the fascinating Greek word ‘polupoikilos’ which means many-sided, richly varied, multi-faceted, infinitely diverse. It describes something so complex and beautiful that it cannot be understood from a single angle. Like the story of the six blind men describing an elephant based on what they feel with their hands. A large snake says one, a wall says another, a spear says the third, a pillar says the fourth and finally the one at the end says it feels like a rope. Each believed that he knew just how the animal looked and they quarrelled ever after.

God’s wisdom is not monochrome. It is a masterpiece of countless colors, perspectives, stories, gifts, cultures, personalities, and experiences woven together into something glorious. And according to Paul, that wisdom is displayed through the church.

Some of you may know the story of Canadian entrepreneur Tobi Lütke. A German-born immigrant, Tobi came to Canada to pursue a software development apprenticeship. In the early 2000s, he started an online snowboard shop. Frustrated by the lack of e-commerce software, he created his own platform. Shopify was founded in 2006 and is now widely regarded as one of the world’s leading e-commerce platforms.

A society that encourages new business, innovation, and entrepreneurial creativity benefits. Customer choice increases as more businesses enter the market. New businesses can develop creative solutions to local problems, introduce new products, services, and technologies. Small businesses often reflect local culture, values, and traditions. Supporting entrepreneurship encourages initiative, skill development, and opportunities. What’s more, small businesses create new jobs, generate new wealth, and build economic resilience.

A country that discourages entrepreneurship and business growth has the opposite effect.

In a survey, Canadian businesses responded to the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses survey identifying the high cost of doing business in Canada as the biggest deterrent for not starting a business. High costs, taxes and red tape discourage entrepreneurship.

Imagine a young woman attending a university law class. How do you think she will feel when she suddenly learns that the man sitting beside her in class for the last few weeks is a convicted murderer?

This isn’t a hypothetical scenario. For the entire month of September and part of October, a convicted murderer attended law classes at McGill University. The law student in question is Jeffrey George Ewert, a man convicted over 40 years ago of second-degree murder and attempted murder.

In 1984, when he was in his 20s, Ewert sexually assaulted a young woman and strangled her to death. Six weeks later, he attacked a fifteen-year-old girl who rejected his advances. After severely beating and choking her, he dumped her body in a ditch. While the girl survived the assault, she was left blind and paralyzed.

For these heinous crimes, Ewert received a life sentence. However, a life sentence in Canada doesn’t necessarily mean life behind bars. Even the most heinous criminals can apply for parole after enough time has passed. In Ewert’s case, the parole board granted him day parole last year. This made it possible for Ewert to attend law classes at McGill.

A healthy equestrian community takes more than good riding skills. It depends on understanding our horses, supporting one another, managing stress and creating barn and competition environments where everyone feels safe and respected.

On Nov. 7, equine owners, riders, coaches, boarders, parents and others in Manitoba’s horse community are invited to Elevating the Equestrian at Sport Manitoba in Winnipeg. This special event combines an afternoon of expert presentations with an evening keynote and celebration, offering practical knowledge to improve both equestrian experiences and community culture.

The afternoon program runs from 12:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. and covers topics including recognizing toxic barn culture, preparing for infectious disease outbreaks, communicating more effectively with horses, navigating perimenopause and managing nerves and emotions.

Presenters bring expertise in equine behaviour, veterinary medicine, sport psychology and stress management. Speakers include equine behaviour specialist and judge Lindsay Grice; veterinarian and equine surgeon Dr. Chris Bell; veterinary behaviour specialist Dr. Karen Machin; psychologist and performance expert Dr. Lindsay Arnal Wishnowski; and somatic practitioner Joy Onyschak.