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Saturday is a busy day for graduations in the Parkland.
Besides the DRCSS, in Dauphin there are also graduations for Goose Lake in Roblin, Winnipegosis, McCreary and Alonsa.
Kirk Wilson is principal of Goose Lake in Roblin, which starts their ceremony at 2 pm at the school gymnasium.
He says the day is a big one for the entire community, and not just their 24 graduates
"It is a big celebration here, and our town goes all out for our grads. They do a lot of nice things, and it is a real class act with a lot of help from a lot of volunteers to make it the great day that it is. Following the ceremony there will be a parade, then we will have a banquet at the community hall, and then there is a safe grad that follows that."
Meanwhile, Winnipegosis grad begins at 11 am at the school, followed by a Safe Grad at the Mossey River Inn.
Principal Tabi Barsewsky says their nine graduates come from several communities in around Winnipegosis.
"Just seeing the diversity and representation of all the different communities that we serve having graduates on that stage, I think it is very special. When we look at the year that we had this year, we did have some people come in and out, some different leadership take over. So we had some change and some adversity that the students had to work through."
McCreary school, which has 11 grads this year, will hold their ceremonies at 3 pm Saturday at the hall, followed by a parade and supper.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Due to a leak being repaired, the Eclipse Water Coop has turned off their lines at the main meter. In an emailed statement to customers, they said they'll keep customers updated when they have more information.
Karlee Ready with Eclipse Water Coop said they expect the repair to be complete later today, but could continue into tomorrow morning. In the meantime, and when the water is turned back on, there is a boil water advisory in place until they can confirm the water's safety.
The Government of Canada says under a boil water advisory, people should bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute before any kind of consumption, including drinking, cooking, making infant formula, and brushing teeth.
UPDATE: Eclipse Water Coop has turned their water back on after repairing the leak. The boil water advisory is still in effect until they're able to ensure the water's safety.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
We all know and love Credit Union Place. It's more than just a hockey arena. It's an event centre, a marketplace, and so much more. And thanks to a renewed agreement with Fusion Credit Union, it'll be Credit Union Place for a while longer.
Mike Csversko, Brand and Business Development Manager, said when the CUP was originally built back in 2006, there wasn't any hesitation in supporting it.
"It's a really important staple in the community and the region, we didn't actually put much thought into it, we knew we were going to ahead with [the sponsorship] right from the beginning...there's plenty of minor sports that use the facility, obviously the home to the Dauphin Kings, and most recent events, stuff like PBR and Kate's Outlaw, a few years back we hosted the Centennial Cup, so with that said, we know the importance of it, and the branding and recognition that comes with it is just a bonus," said Csversko.
Csversko said the staff at Dauphin Rec and Credit Union Place have always been very easy to work with, especially with renewing their agreement.
"Going through this process of negotiating a new sponsorship agreement for 10 years, they were fabulous, it was easy, they were willing to work with us, and they do a great job maintaining the facility," said Csversko.
There are a lot of arenas in Canada that have Credit Union in the name along with the sponsor, but there are only 2 Credit Union Places. Csversko said they've been looking at renaming the CUP to something more Fusion-y, but that's not high on their list of priorities right now.
"We've batted that around for a while now, there's only 2 Credit Union Place arenas in Canada, so one is in Summerside, P.E.I. and the other one being in Dauphin, we did look at rebranding it, and that's still actually on the table, we're still looking at that...we will be talking to members, we will be talking to stakeholders at Credit Union Place, and if there's a value in changing over the name beyond Credit Union Place to something more Fusion, we'll definitely entertain that in the coming years," said Csversko.
Csversko especially understands the importance of the CUP. As a lifelong Dauphinite, he has a lot of memories that only happened because of the beloved arena.
"The week that the Centennial Cup was hosted at Credit Union Place, the lively facility, the games were fantastic," said Csversko.
Dauphin and the community can take a breath, knowing that one of our most important centres will be going strong for a few more years at least.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
The community of Shoal Lake is still in shock after a devastating fire earlier this week.
Just after 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, multiple fire departments responded to a blaze at Blades Pizzaria.
Lisa Hogg, deputy mayor for the Yellowhead Municipality, says she feels for those affected and understands how much the restaurant meant to the community.
"It's a big loss for the community. We don't have many restaurants in town," said Hogg. "They are a big supporter of the AAA hockey teams that play out of Shoal Lake. It's a big loss. We now only have the hotel as a restaurant."
While serving gourmet pizza and other menu items, Blades Pizzaria was more than just a restaurant. It was a place for people to gather.
"I know a lot of the AAA parents would go there before games," added Hogg. "It's a meeting place for many in town. It's a place where many of our seniors would go for coffee. It's a major part of the community."
Hogg has heard the fire was electrical in nature and originated in the back storage area.
Half the roof and half the walls were destroyed in the blaze. There are holes everywhere, and the building is not salvageable.
The Hamiota, Shoal Lake, and Strathclair Fire Departments all responded to the blaze. It took crews roughly four hours to fully extinguish the blaze, but it was under control before that. The building was very old and many businesses had called it home in the past.
Hogg thanked the local departments for their efforts.
"Like it was an old repair shop at one time. That building is so old," ended Hogg. "Like it's quite amazing they saved as much as they did. I had walked by at 7:00 a.m. I couldn't believe the devastation. I also couldn't believe there were still walls standing."
In a post, Blades Pizzaria said they're very grateful for the community's support and kindness. They hope to do something else in the future.
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Three additional schools in the Parkloand will hold high school graduations on Friday.
In Ste Rose, principal Cara Zurzolo says 17 students will be walking across the stage this afternoon to receive their diplomas.
"Our graduation ceremony starts at 1:30 at the school. And then after that, there will be a parade at 4 pm through the town. And then later in the evening they will be celebrating with a dinner and dance at the Community Center."
Meanwhile, 16 students are set to graduate from Gilbert Plains Collegiate on Friday afternoon.
Their ceremonies start at 4 pm atthe school, with a parade, grand march and safe grad to follow.
For principal Renee Minshull, the day has added importance, as her daughter is part of this year's graduating class.
"It is kind of a little more emotional, but also it is her friends and her graduating class, so this one will be a little more special."
There will also be graduation ceremonies in Glenella, as two students graduate there.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
"Kupalo" is the term used to describe the Ukrainian tradition of welcoming the summer solstice.
A special Kupalo ceremony will be held Saturday night as part of Kupalofest in Garland.
The ceremony takes place before dusk near the airplane in Garland, but organizer Anastasya Fyk says there will be a number of workshops beginning today (Friday) and going throughout the weekend as part of the festival.
"Lots of crafting, such as belt weaving, herb gathering and making teas with the herbs. There will be singing, specifically Polyphonic singing, which is many voices coming together, as well as social dancing. And any musicians are welcome to bring their instruments, as there will be instrumental workshops as well as jaming."
There will also be a dance tonight (Friday), and a DJ after the Kupalo ceremony on Saturday.
The event wraps up with a pancake breakfast on Sunday, which is $15 to attend and not included in the weekend pass.
Weekend passes are $125, and are available at Ruff's Furniture in Dauphin, Old September in Gilbert Plains, LB's in Ethelbert, and Sheila's Lucky Dollar in Pine River, or online at Kupalofest.ca.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Erickson's Little Valley Jamboree kicks off today, and it's more than just a music festival. It's a way to bring people together to help make a difference for 2 Manitoba kids. It kicks off this evening at 6:00 PM and runs to midnight, then fires back up tomorrow at noon through midnight.
Toni Ferguson, Event Chairperson, said though it's a music festival on paper, there's a lot more than music this weekend.
"Our kids zone outside, bouncy castles, face painting, temporary tattoos, money mountain, all the favourites. Plus we have a silent auction that runs throughout both days, and a live auction on Saturday evening. Saturday afternoon is our meet the recipients, and our presentation to the families," said Ferguson.
Each year, the festival features 2 recipients of donations to help with medical care. This year's recipients are nothing short of extrordinary. Reese Sheane of Miniota, was recently diagnosed with Lennox Gastaut Syndrome, a very rare form of childhood epilepsy. Nathan Huhtala of Forrest lives with a CMV (Cytomegalovirus) diagnosis, and has been through several surgeries.
"They're both amazing little humans. They are from Forrest and Miniota, so both from different parts of the province, and small towns, so not a lot of resources for them to get to where they need to be for things...our families are amazing. And they put in the work too, they sell tickets, they get prizes, they get donations, they're there working alongside us," said Ferguson.
Ferguson has been invovled with the Little Valley Jamboree for around 5 years now, and she said it's been an honour.
"Everybody is there for a common reason, and you can feel it. And to me, that's what keeps it going, that's what makes it special," said Ferguson.
Tickets are $30 for the weekend, and $20 for individual days. Kids 17 and under are free. For more details about Erickson's Little Valley Jamboree, click here to visit their website.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
The Manitoba Youth Job Centre is hosting an open house in Dauphin on Friday, from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, at 135 2nd Ave NE.
Anna Nikkel, Manitoba Youth Job Centre Program Assistant, answered some questions about what the organization does in an emailed statement.
"The Manitoba Youth Job Centre operated by the Government of Manitoba, provides community-based summer youth employment skills throughout rural and northern Manitoba. This program operates from May throughout August. This year we are celebrating 50 years of our program's opening," part of the statement read.
The Dauphin Open House will feature resume and cover letter help, interview preparation, and career planning assistance. Considering some of the challenges youth face when entering the workforce, these services are a big help.
"According to Statistics Canada, Canada's youth unemployment rate has increased from roughly 11% before the pandemic to over 13% in 2025, with peaks nearing 15% — the highest non-pandemic levels seen in more than a decade. This has become a large barrier for youth looking to obtain their first job. That is where we can help. We can help youth strengthen their confidence by creating strong resumes, helping them develop transferable skills, and gain work-related experience," read part of the statement.
They will also have information about their Odd Job Squad at the open house, designed to get young teens more hands-on work and volunteer experience in the community.
"Our Odd Job Squad program is designed for youth ages 13 to 16 and provides supervised casual first work and volunteer experiences for young people looking to gain hands-on career-related skills and experience demanded by employers. Some examples of events we've had in the past include freezie sales, car washes, and donut drives," read part of the statement.
For more information, click here to visit their Facebook post about the Dauphin Open House.
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This year's largest graduating class in the Parkland is set to receive their diplomas on Friday.
337 students are graduating from Swan Valley Regional Secondary school.
Jacquie Mydynski-Arp is principal of the school.
"The staff and kids will come in, and they will take a picture outside on the football field. The ceremony then starts at 3 at the school. We will have our banquet at the curling centre, followed by the grand march, and then safe grad starting at 10, also at the curling rink."
Mydynski-Arp says this year's graduating class can best be described as resilient.
"They have gone through many things, life-changing events from losing parents to the current flooding. You name it, these kids are very resilient."
Mydynski-Arp also wanted to send a special thank you to her students for stepping up and helping others during the recovery efforts from the recent flooding in the area.
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Spots are filling up fast.
KidsPlay is back in Gilbert Plains, and the first day is right around the corner. Emma Steven runs the program Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding statutory holidays. It's open to kids aged 4 to 12, and it's $10 per full day.
You can book a single day for your child or as many as you would like. Your child needs to take a lunch for most days, but there are a few treats in store.
"We have a few days planned where the kids will make their own pizza," said Steven. "We also have some picnics with hot dogs planned."
Your child is also asked to pack an extra change of clothes. Also pack bug spray, hats, sunscreen, and bottled water for the days when activities are planned outside.
And speaking of activities, the docket is loaded.
"We have lots of splash park days in Gilbert down at the golf course, a few pool days in Grandview, and Dauphin," Steven ended. "Bake days and museum days. We also participate in two parades, the Grandview Mud Bog and the Gilbert Fair and Rodeo."
Limited spaces are available. If you want to register your child, call the Municipal Office in Gilbert Plains at 548-2326.
The first day is Thursday, July 2.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
