Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Ste. Agathe Enjoys Cheyenne Summer Fest
Spectators line the streets of St. Agathe for the annual parade.
By Marianne Curtis Families looking for a fun family weekend flocked to Ste. Agathe on July 19 and 20 for this year’s Cheyenne Summer Fest. This year Cheyenne Summer Fest celebrated 30 years. It kicked off with a great parade, delicious pancake breakfast, live musical performances, a family baseball tournament, tons of family fun and kids activities. Friday night was jam packed with laughs and good times as The Chey-
Parade float.
enne Pioneer Games made its reappearance. The night was capped off with fireworks and music with Nic Messner. On Saturday there was a community pancake break-
Submitted photos
fast, followed by tons of children’s and family activities, a chicken BBQ hosted by Lucky Lucs, and a Hawaiian themed social and dance.
August 2019
Piney Woman Survives Four Days Lost in the Bush Mary Byman, 84, from Piney went missing while out picking blueberries with her friend near Menisino on the afternoon of July 24th. Family, friends, volunteers and search and rescue personnel spent four days searching through thick forest and dense brush for Byman. RCMP said planes and helicopters were also used in the search. On Sunday July 28th around 6 pm the Office of the Fire Commissioner officially called off the search and told family they were assuming her deceased. While the majority of the searchers left in disappointment and defeat, one group from Dauphin that had arrived earlier in the day decided to stay to search into the evening. At approximately 9:00 pm, Mary Byman was found in an area approximately 2 kms southwest of where she was reported missing. RCMP said a group of searchers fired a gunshot in the air and heard a faint cry for help in response. They fired again and heard another cry, giving them a direction to search in. After about 40 minutes, they were able to find Byman in thick bush. She was cold, dehydrated and tired but talking with the volunteers and in good spirits. Local firefighters spent more than two hours clearing a path to reach her. She was transported to Steinbach hospital where she was treated for dehydration. Byman’s granddaughter, Rachel Geurts told the media that finding her grandmother was a huge relief, especially after being told the search was over, and that if Byman was found she would likely be deceased. “I saw that my brother was calling, and I wasn’t going to answer, because I was having a hard time dealing with things myself,” said Geurts. “I answered the phone… and he’s crying, and he just says, ‘she’s alive. They found her and she’s alive.’ I just jumped out of bed and I kind of started screaming.” Geurts added that the help searchers received from RCMP and volunteers was invaluable, and urged anyone going through a similar situation to keep pushing forward and to do whatever they can to get the message out there.