COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge – Roll-call at Rosengard School #2168

There was a time, during the 1940s when my sister Anne answered “present” when her name was called in the morning, and again in the afternoon during roll-call at the Rosengard School. The school was closed in due course, which means, of course, that calling the roll was no longer part of the daily routine. Anne, however, never stopped learning during the 90 years of her life.

Anne was born in her parental home in Rosengard on Jan. 13, 1936, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, which according to Britannica, “… was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world, …”. Needless to say, my family, arriving in Canada in 1929, felt keenly the astronomical effects of this worldwide state of affairs. They had already experienced numerous setbacks before leaving the Mennonite village of Schoeneberg, now Smolyane, in Ukraine in December, 1928. These challenges included the First World War, the Russian Revolution, civil war, and anarchy, along with famine and epidemics, followed by being robbed on the train enroute to Moscow. A new life in Canada beckoned them.

Our mother, Katarina Falk always had many household and family activities to which she needed to respond daily. I think our mother had learned early in her life that in order to achieve what needed to be done, she had to be organized, and perhaps equally importantly, she needed to evaluate how to do what needed doing, and at the same time remain composed. It was within that scenario that our sister Anne, and we her siblings, heard from our mother the stories of her early life. Our mother was, all the while, darning socks or possibly knitting a new pair, or mending clothing.

My sister lived in Rosengard during her early life, and even though she no longer attended the Rosengard School, some of those classmates remained her lifelong friends. So too did numerous friends and co-workers she came to know over the years. Anne was kind and considerate throughout the 90 years of her life, and had a unique capacity for working under a range of circumstances. It can truly be said of her that those who associated with her, be it in a work environment, or in a serving capacity in her church, as well as in neighbourly interaction, came to view Anne as a friend.

Niverville Force MMSL team folds

After five years of rising through the ranks of amateur soccer in Manitoba, the Niverville Force are no more.

The team, founded in 2021, started in Division 4 of the Manitoba Major Soccer League and got all the way to Division 1, just one step below the Premier Division, the top level of soccer in Manitoba.

“After five enjoyable seasons, our men’s soccer team has decided to conclude our journey,” a statement from team management reads.

“Together, we created a community of friendship, teamwork and passion for the game. It’s been a wonderful experience, and now it’s time for everyone to pursue new opportunities. We appreciate all the support from our players, families, and fans throughout the years.”

Steinbach Pistons forward Paronuzzi commits to Windsor

Connor Paronuzzi has announced his commitment to play hockey at the collegiate level.

The Steinbach Pistons forward will suit up for the University of Windsor Lancers at the USports level.

Paronuzzi had a historic season in Steinbach last year, setting new all-time single season records and becoming the first Piston to be recognized as the league’s most valuable player. He scored 93 points in 58 games last season, setting the single-season assists record for Steinbach.

Paronuzzi started the season with the Brooks Bandits in the B.C. Hockey League, returning to Steinbach just before the January roster freeze.

‘I see hope’: RRC Polytech health care aide program on First Nation sees 8 students graduate

As Sydney Murdock crossed the stage to receive his diploma, he was flooded with emotion and filled with hope.

The 32-year-old and seven other Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation students graduated from RRC Polytech’s health-care aide program on March 22. The five-month program was run on the southeastern Manitoba reserve, a first for health-care aide education in Canada.

“When I see Indigenous people graduating, when I see them pushing their hardest to get somewhere outside the rez, I see hope,” Murdock told The Carillon.

Murdock grew up off-reserve and returned to the community with little money after he struggled to pay rent in Winnipeg. When he arrived back home in August 2025, he saw a RRC Polytech trailer outside the band office and grew curious. After sitting in on a few classes, he officially enrolled in the program.

SPORTS FLASHBACK 2011: Wrestling club makes its mark

Competing in just its third year, the Niverville Wrestling Club has made quite a name for itself, not only provincially, but nationally as well.

Under the guidance of founder and head instructor Adrian Bruce, the wrestling club has grown from six students in its first year to 22 the next year and then mushroomed to 53 students this year.

The younger wrestlers, as young as five, train twice a week, while the older club members train three times a week.

In addition to attracting some elite young athletes from Niverville and beyond,who have come to train with Bruce, the club is producing some of its own elite wrestlers. One of these is 15-year-old Rachel Alder of Oakbank, who won a silver medal at the recent Cadet/Juvenile National Wrestling Championships at Windsor, Ontario.

Springfield rec centre to break ground this summer

The long-awaited Springfield Community Recreation Centre project is moving ahead with construction expected to start this summer.

The project has been 32 years in the making, according to Mayor Patrick Therrien, who said the $30 million project will be done in two phases.

“We’re just going with phase one, which is the complex itself with the large gym, our walking track, plus a meeting room in the front,” he said. “The second phase will be the soccer turf, the area there that could be utilized for soccer, football, baseball - the field house.”

Council has budgeted $20.6 million for the first phase and $10 million for the second phase.

AS I SEE IT COLUMN: PWHL delivers pure joy, along with societal change

I hope you were one of the 15,000 plus fans that got to experience the PWHL game last Sunday in person.

Not only was it a rare opportunity to welcome home local legend Jocelyn Larocque, sporting fans in attendance got to experience, first-hand, a completely different kind of hockey game.

When you watch a PWHL game on TV and see young girls, many of them wearing jerseys from the hockey teams they play for, you get a sense that what you are watching is completely unique, but when you are in the building, you can actually feel it.

Call it vibes or atmosphere, a PWHL hockey game is unlike any men’s hockey game.

Manitoba launches Ste Anne Hospital regionalization working group

A working group to explore designating the Ste Anne Hospital as a regional health care centre has formed and will hold its first meeting later this month.

The province, in a March 20 news release, said the 18-member group will look at the hospital’s infrastructure, staffing and long-term sustainability. It will also assess its service capacity and consider expanding the health care provided. The working group was first created in September 2025

Ste Anne Mayor Yvan St. Vincent and Southern Health’s chief medical officer Dr. Aly Dhala will co-chair the group.

Its members include Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities president Ivan Normandeau, La Broquerie’s deputy reeve Laurent Tetrault and Tyler Blashko, NDP MLA for Lagimodière. Health care officials from Southern Health and Shared Health will also have seats as members.

Taking the polar plunge for Special Olympics

Volunteers lined up on the ice at Falcon Lake on March 21, to take turns jumping or cannonballing into the icy water, all to raise funds for Special Olympics Manitoba.

Adell Gauthier, senior director of fund development, said 17 people made the plunge, raising more than $23,000 combined.

“When you look at how many people were involved those are just extremely successful results,” she said. “We’re just so grateful for everybody that fundraised and shared the word on their social networks and told their friends and families to get involved.”

“We’re just blown away by these results,” she added.

Training day in Steinbach

RCMP dog Sega took time to hone his skills with handlers on Tuesday, scouring the area near The Carillon office on Industrial Drive as part of a drill.