COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge – Finding means of keeping in touch

Memories of my early childhood highlight the importance, and indeed the absolute necessity of finding ways of being in contact with others. Such communication might well be by means of conveying a message from one person to another individual by means of an intermediary, or a third party.

My husband and I recently attended a conference hosted by The Centre for Transnational Mennonite Studies at the University of Winnipeg, with the title of “Long-Distance Relationships Communication and the Mennonite Diaspora”. We decided to attend the conference by means of online streaming. It was a very practical arrangement for us at the time.

For me personally, the significance of the efforts my parents, Cornelius and Katarina Falk put into retaining contact with members of our own family, as well as with our parents’ extended families came to mind as we listened to the various presentations given during the conference. These presentations focused on both historical methods of long distance communication, as well as those of more recent times.

When our parents and their three eldest children arrived in Canada in 1929, the children, Katie, Ben and Margaret were ages 5, 3 and 1 years of age respectively. Our respective biological grandparents were no longer alive at the time. However, we have photographs of our biological extended families, and these serve, in their own right, as a means of connection. Some of our classmates at the Rosengard School seemed to have plenty of extended family members nearby. This was the case because their ancestors had arrived in Canada in the 1870s, some 50 years before my family and others of our Rosengard community had left their Mennonite villages in Ukraine during the 1920s and into the early 1930s. In our case, our family celebrated festive occasions in various ways by the eldest members of the family coming home, as they were able, from their respective places of work in Winnipeg, or at other nearby locations. It was only at a much later time that I began to realize the enormous degree of loneliness and anxiety our parents must have felt when they were new Canadians. Those feelings must surely have been intensified as news from those who had remained in the Mennonite villages in Ukraine were never uplifting, but often very disturbing. Hopes of ever seeing anyone of them again, became more and more faint.

PHOTO GALLERY: Crowded house for Halloween Spooktacular at Clearspring Centre

New Hall Gallery exhibit a love letter to Manitoba

Artist Dawn Schmidt has an eye for light. She has the ability to look at a scene in nature or a Winnipeg street and see the way the sun hits the bows of trees or reflects in the brick work of an Exchange District building to capture a moment.

Now, people in the Southeast can get a view of Schmidt’s artwork as she is currently showing at the Steinbach Cultural Arts Centre.

“(The scene) definitely has to speak to me,” said Schmidt. “When I’m looking at nature, and you’ll see through all of my work, that (what is) particularly recognizable about my work is light, whether it’s sunlight breaking through, across the lake, or through the Prairie skies or reflections in the Winnipeg streets, or on the snow, I feel like people have recognized my work through light, through that lens.”

Schmidt’s 28-piece exhibit, Places that Stay with Us, is all about the impact certain places have in our lives and how they become a part of “our story,” according to the artist.

Trustees Friesen, Barkman head Hanover School Division board

It was the first board meeting of the newly elected trustees on Tuesday, which saw trustee Jeff Friesen elected to serve his third year in a leadership position with the board.

Friesen was elected as chair beating newly elected trustees Erin Williams, Jeremy Neufeld, and Jenn Elliot. All ballots were secret and head positions were decided by a majority of 50 percent plus one. No abstentions were permitted.

“I’m quite happy to serve the community and serve our division like this. Bring a little bit of experience and I’m hoping that again, like I was last time, that somebody will take up the reins and move into chair for next year. But I believe that a good board runs with multiple chairs and multiple experience levels,” said Friesen, adding he is happy to help new trustees by showing them the way things are done.

Elected as vice-chair was trustee Shayne Barkman. It is Barkman’s first time heading council. He beat Tess Doerksen, Cheryl Froese, Neufeld, and Williams.

PHOTO GALLERY: SEC hosts Halloween for Hunger

Saint Joachim Church closer to $1.4 million goal for renovations

Saint Joachim Roman Catholic Church is closer than ever to its more than million dollar goal and renovations are progressing nicely as the church celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.

“We are just shy of the $900,000 mark to date,” said Lucien Grenier, president of the 125 Committee of Saint-Joachim Parish. “We need $1.4 million. So, it’s in sight.”

As part of that fundraising, the committee is hosting a 1920s themed gala on Saturday.

“The gala is an elegant, really – we’re trying to do a high-class, very elegant, very chic gala. And we’re using the theme of the 1920s, so we’re trying to dress up in that style. People don’t need to dress up in that style, but that is the theme…since it goes good with the year of the church itself. So, really high-class, really elegant, really—in French, we would say chic,” said Grenier.

Warriors return to St Malo after year away

There may not have been any concessions, the bleachers were not installed and there is still work to be done inside the locker rooms, but the Capital Region Junior Hockey League’s St Malo Warriors are officially back in their home rink.

The Warriors spent all of last season away from St Malo as renovations were completed at the arena. The rink features a brand new concourse and spectator area.

The Warriors opened their new digs in style, defeating the Altona Maroons 7-1. Tyson Preteau’s backhand from in tight just 1:50 seconds into the game went down as the first goal inside the new arena.

It’s not just a season of transition in terms of infrastructure for the Warriors as long-time head coach Ralph Collette is finally taking a step back, opening the door for long-time assistant Patrick Trudeau to serve as the team’s new bench boss. Collette is staying on as general manger.

Providence striker takes back-to-back player of the year honours

Serena Negrich just has a knack for scoring goals.

The Providence Pilots striker from Burnaby, B.C., racked up 17 goals this season across 12 games, nabbing the scoring title and conference player of the year honours as well.

This is the second consecutive year Negrich was named the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference top women’s player.

“Serena is an elite competitor whose quality on the ball, 1v1 ability, and attacking instincts make her a special player. Leading the league in both goals and points is a testament to her ability to impact games, but what truly sets her apart is her fierceness, competitiveness, consistency and competitive desire to grow and be great,” Pilots coach Tory Walker said in an MCAC news release.

Providence Pilots return to MCAC soccer mountaintop

It was clear the Providence Pilots had been waiting a long time to hoist a Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference women’s soccer championship.

After three consecutive years of heartbreak in the finals, the Pilots finally captured their first championship in more than a decade, defeating St Boniface 3-0 in the finals, hosted on an unusually warm Nov. 1 in Otterburne, prompting emotional celebrations from the entire team.

The Pilots last won a Manitoba championship in 2013. For head coach Tory Walker, who joined the school in 2015, it’s the first time he’s gotten to hoist the MCAC trophy.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” Walker said after the win and a post-game water shower from his players.

COLUMN: Village News – Slowing down

“So, it must be slowing down for you these days,” is what I often hear, once October and November roll around. People are curious as to what we do in our ‘off season’ at Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV), and many are surprised when I say that it’s very busy, just a different kind of busy.

Outdoors

Once our village closes in October, visitors still keep arriving. The weather is often quite lovely, and people want to wander the grounds even if all the buildings have been closed up for winter. There are many monuments and informational signage throughout the village, plus the two indoor galleries are open for visiting. When the snow falls, our visitor’s drop off until our winter activities start. There is a skating rink and snowshoeing, kick-sleds and an amazing light display throughout the village. The back of the general store is open as a warming hut and the place you pick up the skates or sled’s you have rented. With the twinkling lights, the bonfire roaring and the horse-drawn sleighs, the atmosphere is magical. Preparing for this keeps us very busy: lights to hang, ice to make, sleigh rides to arrange, streets and trails to groom.

Indoors

Carillon Sports Second Shots: Oct. 29th edition

Featuring an SRSS junior varsity football game, Zone 13 volleyball in Ste Anne and a U18 AAA game in Steinbach Oct. 21, a Springfield Sabres football game Oct. 22 and Providence Pilots volleyball matches Oct. 24.