January 26, 2024 by Rivers Banner

Friday, January 26, 2024 • Vol.116 No. 20 • Rivers, Manitoba IN STOCK or CUSTOM ORDER

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Skip Derwyn Hammond, 3rd Brian English, 2nd Ron Taylor and lead Gordon Hammond. Curling club president Charley Beever presented the trophy to the winners of the Rivers Men’s Bonspiel.

Submitted By T. Waite The 2024 edition of the Rivers Men’s curling bonspiel was held on January 19 to 21. We had teams travel from Minnedosa, Brandon, Kenton and Hamiota to compete against six local teams. Twelve teams for a total of 48 competitors. The bonspiel had a round robin format which ranked the teams into the top three events for playoffs. The A Event Finals saw two local teams, the Chris Bridges team face off against the Derwyn Hammond team. This was a nail biter as the Hammond team was one up without hammer coming home. Hammond was able to sneak a rock into the front of the house to steal another point and secure the win. Continued on page 6...

PHOTO BY JESSICA COULTER

Gordon Hammond, Brian English and Ron Taylor playing in their winning game.

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2 Rivers Banner January 26, 2024

PC Party names new Interim Leader

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Submitted Rivers Banner January 18th, 2024 – Today the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Caucus has named Wayne Ewasko, MLA for Lac du Bonnet, as Interim Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba and Leader of the Official Opposition. Ewasko has been an MLA since 2011 and previously served as Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, as well as Minister of Advanced Education and Training. MLA for Spruce Woods Grant Jackson says, “I have worked with Wayne for a number of years and have faith that his strong leadership skills will serve the party well while we undergo the Leadership Election process. Wayne is a dedicated, generous, and thoughtful individual who has the experience to fulfill the important duties of Party Leader and Leader of the Official Opposition, having served in several senior roles, including on the Party’s Board of Directors and as Chair of the Manitoba PC Caucus. Most importantly, MLA Ewasko is a unifier who brings people together. I sincerely look forward to working with him as our Interim Leader.” Ewasko will serve as Leader until a new leader is chosen by the PC Party membership later this year.

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The Amaryllis

Submitted By Patricia Hanbidge

Amaryllis belladonna is originally from South Africa’s Cape region. There it is commonly called the Cape Belladonna, the Belladonna Lily and the Naked Lady. In South Africa you will see showy bold, strappy foliage in fall and winter. By early summer, the foliage dies down and bare scapes (flower stalks) emerge about six weeks later. In bloom, it appears that these leafless stalks are growing right out of the soil. These “naked ladies” are topped with a cluster of up to 12 sweet-smelling, trumpetshaped blooms. The Amaryllis we commonly grow here is actually a generic name for Hippeastrum spp. It is also a flowering bulb that is native to the Caribbean, Mexico and South America and is often sold as an indoor flowering plant during the holiday season. The genus (part of the botanical name) of this plant used to be Amaryllis, but in 1987 it was ruled in the 14th International Botanical Congress that the name Amaryllis belonged to the South African genus while the tropical America natives were transferred to the genus Hippeastrum. Most commercial Hippeastrum hybrids are derived from just six species. We do have much choice when it comes to choosing an amaryllis to grow. They come in various shades of red, white, pink, salmon and orange as well as many striped and multi-coloured varieties. There are even double amaryllis that are now available in the Double Galaxy group of plants. These beautiful amaryllis produce a flower within

a flower but grow much the same as the single types and bloom approximately eight weeks after planting. One of the best things about the bulb with the commonnameofAmaryllis we grow here is that this is not a one-and-done flower. Once they have finished blooming – do not throw them out! It is extremely easy to get these amazing plants to bloom again the following year and actually for many years if you take just a little bit of extra care. Due to their country of origin, these plants do not undergo true dormancy. In cooler climates, plants go into a dormant state or into dormancy as the climatic conditions are not favourable for regular plant growth. Instead, these bulbs go through a rest period after flowering which allows the plant to rest, recover and then bloom again. After the plant is finished blooming, it does keep growing. This is essential as the continued growth of leaves allows photosynthesis to occur, which allows the plant to store energy in the bulb for future leaf growth and flowers. In the natural world, around December, the leaves will yellow and drop off and the plant will stop growing. After the rest period, the amaryllis will again begin growing – first leaves and if there is enough energy stored in the

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bulb, another flower stalk will appear. For your amaryllis, after the bloom has faded, cut off the flower stalk as low as possible. Continue to water and fertilize for the next five or six months, allowing the leaves to continue to develop and grow. In early fall, the leaves will begin to yellow so reduce the watering and cut the leaves back to about 2 inches above the top of the bulb. The bulb can be removed from the soil and stored in a cool, dark place (at about 10°C) for six to eight weeks. After this time, pot up with the shoulders of the bulb above the media, place in a bright space and give the bulb a good drink of water.

January 26, 2024 Rivers Banner 3

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Rivers Banner 204-328-7494 ~ info@riversbanner.com From last weeks front page A

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FAITHFULLY YOURS Neil Strohschein

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his may be one of the most important columns I will ever write. Researching and writing it has been an eye-opening experience for me; and I hope it will at least create awareness of an issue that, in my view at least, we do not discuss nearly enough. I have always been intrigued by a statement King David made many years ago. His people were in trouble. A devastating plague had hit their land, taking many lives. David, at God’s command, made his way to a threshing f loor owned by a man named Araunah. He was to build an altar on that site and offer sacrifices to end the plague. Araunah was honored that David would choose his property for this significant event. He offered David free use of his land and unlimited access to his f locks and herds. David could have whatever he wanted at no charge. But David refused. “I will not,” he said, “offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24) After reading that statement, I thought I would try to estimate the true value of donations people make to churches, service clubs, and other charitable organizations. Here’s what I discovered. Let’s suppose that you work at a job that pays you $20 an hour; and that you decide to donate $200 to help fund your community’s food bank. At $20 per hour, you will start by giving 10 hours of your time to earn that $200. But to keep that $200, you will have to work extra hours to pay taxes and other payroll deductions on that $200. How many extra hours? This may surprise you. If you are in the lowest tax bracket (making less than $53,395 per year) your federal income tax rate is 15 per cent. This adds 1.5 hours to the time required to earn your $200 donation. Manitoba’s provincial income tax rate is 10.8 per cent-add 1.1 hours to the total. You will also pay 5.9 per cent for Canada Pension Plan contributions-add 0.6 hours to the total. And you will be assessed 1.63 per cent for Employment Insurance premiums-add 0.2 hours to the total. In all, to take home the $200 you wish to donate to the food bank, you will have to work 13.5 hours (almost two full days). That is a significant time investment. Along with the time, you are contributing the talent, energy, knowledge, training and skills you possess that enable you to work effectively. To that, we must add one more item. To ma ke t hat donat ion, you sacr i f ice it s purchasing power. Once you give it away, it’s gone. You can’t use it to buy food or clothing, pay housing costs, put fuel in your vehicle, take a holiday or save up for major purchases you may need to make in the future. The funds to cover those expenses will have to come from other sources. These three things-time, talent and loss of purchasing power-all help us calculate the true value of every donation that we make. When we put our offerings into the basket at church, or mail our cheques to organizations we support, we are giving more than money. We are investing all that we are in those who receive our donation.

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4 Rivers Banner January 26, 2024

Tundra

Perspectives Homebodies

By Chad Carpenter

Rita Friesen

Observations from the hospital bed

ver the past several years, I have been in hospital five times and at the ER several times. My wife has been in hospital at least five times and had several visits to the ER. The hospitals include HSC Winnipeg, St. Boniface, Brandon, Neepawa, University of Kentucky, Cameron, Missouri and North Kansas City. I guess you could say we are a somewhat sickly pair but we have come through it all with thankful hearts and a lot of respect for the health care system, in general, and a lot more respect for most staff. As a matter of update, I am in good health now and Christine is now at home recovering from major surgery after being 14 days in HSC. She had been feeling sickly for months and in November was diagnosed with severe gall bladder issues. She only had one typical gall bladder attack but the situation had apparently been lurking for quite a while. With observing and participating in the services of so many hospitals, I have some observations. 1. Most staff are very good to excellent. 2. There are big differences between various hospitals. 3. The American system is very much faster than the Canadian system. 4. American hospitals appear costly but I think we, as Canadians, are lulled into complacency about how expensive our hospitals are. I doubt that anyone really knows what surgeries and procedures cost in Manitoba. I know my five day stay at North Kansas City was over $10,000 per day and that didn’t involve any surgery. Currently some Manitobans are outraged at the amount of money that was spent on reducing Manitoba’s surgical backlog by using U.S. hospitals. I doubt anyone will calculate the comparative costs under each system, but they should. 5. Most people hate hospital food and in most cases it wasn’t great in my neepawa

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Right in the Centre Ken Waddell experience, but it is okay, unless you are sick. There is very little coordination between the kitchens and the needs of a recovering person. After surgery, and my wife and I now have each had one, the clear fluids diets have been OK but the step-up to solid foods has been a disaster. A person can’t just go from juice and Jello to solid foods. With my surgery, they tried to take me from juice for a day or two to a hamburger and fries. With Chris it was a similar jump. It was a disaster in both cases. 6. In Manitoba, we are told that food, at least at the big hospitals, is prepared far away and reheated at the hospital. I would estimate one-third to one half of the food trays go back relatively untouched. The waste of time, money and food appears to be huge. 7. The food at North Kansas City is handled much differently. Each patient has a dial pad at their bedside and orders off a menu. If you want tea, you get tea, if you want pudding, you get pudding. If you want chicken or beef, you get chicken or beef. It makes a huge difference to a recovering sick person when you can attempt to eat what you want once solid foods are allowed. 8. If you are waiting for a bath at St. Boniface or HSC, you can wait a long time. Christine was in for 14 days and no bath. One day, an aide dropped off towels, a gown and a basin of water and she was supposed to bathe herself. She was in no condition to do so and nobody ever offered to help. Brandon and Neepawa offers a shower and a bath once in a while. North Kanas City had

a shower in each room. 9. Space is extremely limited in most hospitals. HSC and St. B are really bad, with four people to a room. And to many peoples’ surprise, the rooms are for men and women combined. Maybe that’s the best they can do, but overcrowding leads to that situation. 10. North Kansas City is a large and relatively new hospital and, in my mind, they do many things right. The rooms I saw are one patient to a room. There is a bed, a window, a sink, toilet and walk-in-shower. Our experience has been four to a room at St.B. four at HSC and two per room at Neepawa and Brandon. It costs money for space but the level of care is better when there is one to a room and enough room for the staff to actually work. 11. In the Canadian hospitals, there is a strong union shadow hanging over the staff. Staff have to walk away from a bed pan or dirt on the floor if the right job designated person isn’t around. Some staff will ignore the “rules” and will clean up, but I saw more masks, rubber gloves and syringe caps on the floor last week at HSC than I can imagine. Cleaning and tidying of rooms was minimal, but there is no space to move. The best room cleaning, in my experience, was at Brandon Hospital, but there were only two people in what had been a four patient room, so there was actually space to move around and work. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the writer’s personal views and are not to be taken as being the view of the Banner & Press staff.

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t is not unusual for jig saw puzzles to be part of a gift exchange at Christmas. The most common ones I have received have been one thousand piece, interlocking, farming scenes or cottagey scenes. And I have enjoyed them all- vast skies, fall foliage, expansive sand or snow. I do not enjoy the circular or shaped puzzles, I am a straight line thinker! Once again I was gifted with puzzles. One was a set of three Van Gogh paintings- Starry Night, Sunflowers, and Irises. The kicker here is that the finished work measures 10 x 15 cms! And it takes 150 pieces to complete the puzzle. I’m talking tiny pieces, and with that scale you are out of one colour before you are properly in it. I have no idea why I left the Irises for the last, it is by far the most challenging. The up side is that all the pieces fit comfortably on an eight by eleven paper, which fits, with space to spare, in the smaller cookie sheet. I sit there in my recliner, feet up, and puzzle on the go. Getting more difficult for these old fingers to select and place such minuscule pieces, never mind eyestrain. It was a wonderful creative gift from my daughter-in-law. The other gift wasn’t so much a puzzle as a project. Do you now what all Lego makes these days? It’s not all space ships and pirate gear, housing projects or working models of you name its. One can construct a golden retriever, a dachshund, almost any animal of choice, and bouquets of flowers. I received the wildflower bouquet. Seventeen stems- three fern, two Queen Anne’s lace, two Welsh poppy, two cornflowers, two lavender, two lupins, a larkspur, and two gerbera daisies. 939 pieces! Thankfully the flowers were grouped in packages of two or three and so I never needed to go through the nine hundred and thirty nine pieces to find the one I needed. I have yearsdecades!- of Lego experience so I was able to follow the pictorial instructions quite well. Only had to disassemble one stem, not bad for old hands and eyes! It was a wonderfully creative gift from a cherished young man. I admit that as I was unwrapping these gifts I was somewhat taken aback. I’m not an avid gift giver and usually avoid gifting at all. For so much thought to be put into a gift for me, was humbling. I love Van Gogh’s work, and I love wildflowers. As I unwrapped the Lego, the youngest generation, not yet teens- were awed that an old lady received Lego, and impressed that the old lady was thrilled with the gift. That was certainly a part of the joy of the day. So, two projects completed. They have been wonderful stall tactics for so many other projects. I thoughtlessly ran my finger along the edge of the pattern on the kitchen cabinets, and I would have seriously failed a white glove inspection. I have great plans to create one more quilt- before spring- so I see that clock ticking. Oh, and now someone shared another regular jigsaw puzzle with me– puppies!

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Lon Schwartz (Chief of Police) Rivers Police Service 1. Phone Scam Alert: A concerned couple reported a week-long series of calls soliciting money and/or gift cards in exchange for a substantial cash prize. The scammers initially directed them to Walmart or Canadian Tire in Brandon but later settled on a meeting at the Rivers Coop. After police investigation, it was confirmed as a scam. The couple was advised to decline future calls and avoid the Co-op for meetings. Thankfully, no money exchanged hands, and no substantial offence occurred. The Rivers Police Service emphasizes the increasing complexity of scams and reminds citizens that legitimate transactions never involve gift cards as a form of payment. 2. Domestic Incident: Police responded to a domestic violence episode with no evidence of physical harm or offences. The couple voluntarily separated for the night to allow a cooling-off period. 3. Mandatory Alcohol Screening: A Manitoba driver was stopped, and a mandatory alcohol screening revealed a warning. Consequently, the driver received a 3-day license suspension, and the vehicle was towed. 4. Fraud Investigation: Police received a report of a fraud over $5000 an elderly man was the victim. The matter is currently under investigation. 5. Missing Person Report Resolved: A person sought police assistance in locating their missing brother, whom they hadn’t contacted since September. However, recent interactions with the police revealed that the brother is not missing.

6. Careless Driving Citation: A taxi driver received a ticket for careless driving. He was traveling far too fast for road conditions and following another vehicle too closely. A serious offence notice was also issued. 7. Unwanted Guests Removed: Police attended a residence to remove two unwanted guests without incident, providing them transportation to a safe and warm shelter in Brandon. 8. Dispute Over Banning Notice: A citizen approached the police disputing a business’s banning notice. As it was a civil matter, police did not intervene, but they clarified that any disobedience of a banning notice could result in a trespassing ticket of $672. 9. Grandparent Scam Warning: Another “Grandparent scam” was reported, involving a phone call requesting bail money for a grandchild’s alleged charge. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant against such scams. 10. Assistance to Fallen Individual: Police assisted a man who had fallen outside, helping him to his feet and escorting him inside. The man was uninjured and grateful

Italian Wedding Soup This lovely Italian wedding soup recipe is a combination of homemade meatballs with sliced escarole, carrots, and orzo pasta in a flavorsome broth. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese. Ingredients 1/2 pd ground beef 2 tbsps dry breadcrumbs 1/2 tsp dried basil 5 3/4 c chicken broth 1 c uncooked pasta (orzo)

1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp onion powder 2 c thinly sliced spinach 1/2 c Chopped carrot

Directions: 1) Combine ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and onion powder in a bowl. 2) Shape beef mixture into 3/4-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined tray. 3) Heat broth in a large pot over medium-high heat until boiling. Stir in spinach, orzo, carrot, and meatballs and return to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook at slow boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. 4) Serve hot and enjoy!

for the police’s aid. 11. Missing Block Heater Cord: A Rivers resident reported a missing block heater cord. 12. Speeding Ticket Issued: A $561 ticket was issued to a Manitoba driver for traveling at 141 KM/H in a posted 100 KM/H zone. For additional information or to report any suspicious activities, please contact the Rivers Police Service. Public cooperation is essential for community safety.

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6 Rivers Banner January 26, 2024 Continued from page 1

Curling Club President congratulates Jeff White, Scott Beever, John Christiansen and Brendan Brown as the B-Event winners.

Extra special win for this team as they were the runner up to last year’s bonspiel, and the lead, Gordon Hammond who will be celebrating his 90th birthday this May, is our most senior member of the men’s league every Monday night. Gordon hasn’t slowed down much this year as he curls three days a week and takes in a few bonspiels throughout the winter. The B-Event final had another two local teams hit the ice. This game ended a little early as the Jeff White team took a big lead on the Myles Wotton team, that ended up being too big to overcome. The C-Event final was two teams from Hamiota. The game was back and forth, but after the final rock was thrown, the Brian Tolton team defeated the Jason McTavish foursome in a great curling game. For the first time the bonspiel banquet was served by CJ’s on Ice. The meal was enjoyed by everyone. The bonspiel ended with some fellowship in the Behlen lounge. It could not have been such a success without the great group of local volunteers who prepared the ice, and served at the lounge. Thanks to everyone for a great weekend!

PHOTO BY JESSICA COULTER

President Charley Beever congratulates the Hamiota rink of Brian Tolton, Wes Gregory, Tim Weber and Neil Gregory for winning the C-Event

Brendan Brown sending skipping in the final match to become B-event winners of the Rivers Men’s Bonspiel.

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January 26, 2024 Rivers Banner 7

Agriinsurance coverage Get your applications ready for the Heritage continues to provide stability for Manitoba farmers Grant programs Submitted Manitoba Government The Manitoba government is continuing to make investments in communities across the province, with more than $1.6 million in funding available for heritage sector initiatives, Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Glen Simard announced today. “ M a nitoba ns k now t h a t we s ho u l d b e proud to celebrate our past through heritage init iat ives, while our government continues to make investments for a brighter future,” said Simard. “By building and recognizing our past, we can chart a path for continued growth in our province and make life better for all Manitobans. I’m excited t hat our government is taking steps to ensure a bright future for our heritage initiatives that tell the stories of this province.” These applications will provide community groups and initiatives with the funds required to continue to preserve and promote the unique heritage sector in and across the province, noted the minister. There are several heritage grants available in 2024 including: • $240,000 available for Community Museum Project Support Program with an application deadline of Feb. 4. • $868,000 available for the Heritage Resources Conservation Grant with a deadline extended to March 1. • $395,300 available in total for the Heritage Grants Program with a first intake deadline of Jan. 31 and second intake deadline of June 1. • $163,000 available for the Military Memorials Conservation Grant with a deadline of Feb. 15. “I’m thrilled to work with Minister Simard and the entire team at Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism on initiatives such as these, which honour our brave service men and women,” said David Pankratz, special envoy for military affairs. “Programs like these align with our government’s commitment to support all Manitobans.” The Military Memorials Conservation Grant is available to any individual, organization or business including local governments who can commit to the long-term preservation of a memorial and who have appropriate authorizations from the memorial’s owner or community to carry out the work. “Our government is proud to continue to support the outstanding work of various heritage organizations across our province,” said Simard. “I want to thank all of the current and future applicants who have done such an incredible job telling and sharing the story of our province for generations to come.”

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A golden wheat field near Kenton Manitoba.

Submitted Manitoba Government B R A N D O N — M a n i t o b a ’ s AgriInsurance program is expected to provide f a r mer s w it h nea rl y $5 billion in coverage on an estimated 9.55 million acres for the upcoming crop year, fe der a l A g r i c u lt u r e and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced here today. “Ca nadia n farmers h ave ex p er ience d a cha llenging grow ing year, battling a range of ext reme weat her events from f loods to wildfires and drought,” s a id M ac A u l ay. “ We know the uncertainty this causes for the sector, and why access to flexible a nd a f ford able r i s k management tools are so vitally important. The AgriInsurance program covers over 80 different crop types and will help ensure our hardworking farmers in Manitoba are able to continue to produce the high-quality products they are known for.” The ministers released details indicating that 2 0 24 A g r i I ns u r a nce premiums will be lower than they were in 2023 for most crops insured in Manitoba. For annual crops, producers can

expect to pay an average premium of $16.21 per acre in 2024 compared to $19.21 per acre in 2023. Manitoba Agricultural Ser v ices Corporation (M A SC) ca lculates premium rates using methodologies that are reviewed and approved by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada. “Managing costs and risks will be critical for success as margins are projected to tighten,” said Kostyshyn. “We’re pleased to offer affordable and effective r isk ma nagement for Manitoba farmers t hrough t he A g r i I nsu r a nce program.” Continued volatility in global commodit y markets has impacted A griInsurance dollar v a lues for t he 2 0 24 s ea s on. S ome crop s s uch a s d r y b e a n s , forage seeds, potatoes, vegetables and forages will have higher dollar values. For the majority of crops, however, dollar values are lower than 2023. The A griInsurance program is a r isk management tool for M a nitoba fa r mers to protect aga inst production short falls and quality losses caused by natural perils. In t he ca se of ext reme weat her event s t hat i mpact pro duct ion

PHOTO BY JESSICA COULTER

s uch a s d rought or excess moisture, t he AgriInsurance program prov ides predict able coverage producers can depend on when planning for the upcoming growing season. The program is administered by MASC. M A S C i s f u r t her enhancing the AgriInsurance program by launching a pilot program for the upcomi ng crop yea r designed to meet the needs of sma ll - sca le veget able producers. The program will enable t he s e pr o du cer s t o bundle eligible crops to meet acreage minimums so they can adequately insure a variety of their vegetable crops. T he Sust a inable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable C A P) i s a f i ve - yea r $3.5-billion investment by C a nada’s federa l, provincial, and territorial governments that supports Canada’s a g r i - fo o d a nd a g r i products sectors. Under the Sustainable C A P, AgriInsurance premiums for most programs are shared 40 per cent by i nsured producers, 3 6 per cent by t he government of Canada and 24 per cent by the Manitoba government. Administrative expenses are shared 60 per cent by Canada and 40 per cent by Manitoba.

8 Rivers Banner January 26, 2024

Fostering children’s love of cooking Children may start their culinary careers crafting mud pies in their backyards, but that creativity and imagination soon may translate into foods they can actually eat. Many kids love cooking because it can be fun and messy, which are two qualities that children find hard to resist. Parents can foster their children’s love of cooking and help them along the way with these tips. · Be patient. Going into the cooking experience knowing there will be a mess, typically when young children are involved, can help you prepare. Toddlers have not yet mastered manual dexterity, so they’re bound to spill and drop. Put a plastic tablecloth under the work area and on the floor to help catch what falls. Also, cooking with youngsters likely will take more time than it normally would, so set aside extra preparation and cooking time. · Teach kids good hygiene. Hygiene is important and can prevent foodborne illnesses. Make sure everyone involved in cooking, including children, washes his or her hands before cooking begins and continues to do so after handling foods, particularly raw meat and poultry. Hair should be tied back, and separate prep surfaces should be designated for produce and meats. · Assign age-appropriate tasks. Consider age and maturity levels when assigning tasks in the kitchen. Even children as young as 3-years-old can chop food if they are provided a serrated butter knife with a rounded point and soft vegetables or fruits. This helps teach knife skills that kids can develop more thoroughly in the future. Children can mix and add ingredients as well. As kids get older, parents can decide the right time to let them use the stove. · Experiment with dough. Kids can have a blast with dough, particularly rolling out pie crusts and pasta. They also can make dumplings and then fill them with vegetables. Many cookware retailers sell small rolling pins that are easy for kids to handle. · Practice measuring together. Let children read the recipes and be in charge of portioning out ingredients. This reinforces classroom lessons about temperature, ratios and fractions. · Move on to more sophisticated tasks. Around age eight or nine, children can take on jobs like opening cans, scooping batter, pounding poultry, proofing yeast, skewering kabobs, and slicing bread, according to cooking educator Julie Negrin. Negrin notes Submitted By Metro Creative

PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE

that children between the ages of 10 and 12 can start working independently in the kitchen so long as an adult is in the home. Ultimately, children can cook without close supervision. Children also can be involved in cooking by helping to draft shopping lists and taking trips to the supermarket. This shows kids the complete process of gathering ingredients for meals, what they cost and how they are made before foods make it to the dinner table.

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CLASSIFIEDS Obituary

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Manitoba Community Newspaper Association Province Wide Classifieds NOTICES Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Manitoba Community Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.mcna.com.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION 2024-2025 Kindergarten Registration for the Rolling River School Division will be held during February 5th - February 9th, 2024 from 9:00-11:30am and 1:30-3:00pm. Children who will be 5 years of age on or before December 31, 2024 are eligible for Kindergarten. Please register at the following catchment area schools: SCHOOL PHONE NO. Douglas Elementary 204-763-4480 Erickson Elementary 204-636-2266 Forrest Elementary 204-728-7674 Oak River Elementary 204-566-2167 Onanole Elementary 204-848-2402 Rapid City Elementary 204-826-2824 Rivers Elementary 204-328-7416 Tanner’s Crossing Elementary 204-867-2591 *Parents are required to present their child’s birth certificate and medical number at time of registration. *Please contact the School Division Office (204-867-2754 Ext. 0) if unsure of your catchment area school.

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Hall Sveistrup, born in 1931, kicked off his incredible journey in Lundar MB, where his childhood mixed hard farm work with a love for family, sports, and nature, setting the stage for a truly remarkable life. As a lifelong educator, Hal embarked on a teaching career at the tender age of 19 in Wapaph, MB, nurturing and inspiring generations of children over his 35-year tenure. In 1964, Hal married the love of his life Barbara, and together they created a beautiful family of four children, 11 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild, making family first more than just a saying - it was a way of life. Family was the most important cornerstone in dad’s life. He was never happier than when he was surrounded by his family, laughing, singing, playing games, and sharing stories. Dad’s love and wisdom will continue to guide and inspire us throughout our lives. “Just do your best” was his guiding principle. Rivers MB, and briefly Eriksdale and Gimli, became the backdrop to Hal’s community superhero persona. Engaged in everything from Rivers United Church to coaching hockey, he was a proud member of countless clubs and organizations, leaving an impact that echoes through the Riverdale Community and beyond. His love for fishing, hunting, trapping, dancing, and gardening painted a vivid canvas of adventures. He was predeceased by two younger brothers and both parents. His fantastic storytelling will live on through his wife Barbara, daughter Marie (John -Hanna, Grace, Will, Cameron), Hali (Derek-Jessica (Lainey) Jaime), Tara (Darren-Jena (Marseu), Jeremy), and son Rodi (Tarah-Ben, Josh, Piper), siblings Marvin (Mary) and Ann (Barry), and countless friends and relatives. We are so grateful to the army of angels that have supported Dad and our family over these past years. Dr. Mandeep Dhaliwal gave us so many more years with Dad and we are so grateful for his expertise and compassion. Thank you also to Drs Nowasad and Vermaak, Dad’s home care nurses, his “lab girls”, and the caring staff of Hamiota Health Centre, Carberry Health Centre, and Riverdale Health Centre, where he passed away peacefully, lovingly surrounded by his wife and four children. A celebration of his life awaits in June 2024, promising laughter, stories, and a heartfelt tribute to a remarkable man who truly made every moment count. May your spirit soar even as you rest in peace. In lieu of flowers, we would be so grateful for donations to be made to Riverdale Municipality, Box 520, Rivers MB, R0K 1X0, Designated to the Riverdale Community Centre; or Rivers and Area Community Foundation, Box 714, Rivers MB, R0K 1X0, or a charity of one’s choice.

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10 Rivers Banner January 26, 2024

RM of Elton meeting minutes - draft regular meeting of council

January 9, 2024 Submitted Rivers Banner Present: Reeve Bollman; Councillors, Waldner, Paterson, Pankratz, Hales and Bromley; Chief Administrative Officer, Shawna Paulsen; and Administrative Assistant, Jennifer Sutherland Absent: Councillor Campbell Others Present: Shaun Samels, MWM Environmental; Neil Zalluski, Central Assiniboine Watershed District BOARD OF REVISION MINUTES Paterson/Waldner-BE IT RESOLVED that Council of the Rural Municipality of Elton hereby approves the minutes of the Board of Revision Meeting held on November 14, 2023. CARRIED Hales/Waldner-BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipality of Elton hereby ratifies the execution of

the CAO Employment Agreement with CAO Shawna Paulsen dated December 29, 2023, which contains certain terms and provisions that regulate the employment relationship; AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that Reeve Bollman and Deputy Reeve Bromley be authorized to sign the agreement. CARRIED Pankratz/Bromley-BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Elton ratifies the approval of a wage increase for the Chief Administrative Officer, Shawna Paulsen, to an annual amount of $90,000; AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the increase be effective as of July 31, 2023, as recommended by the Personnel Committee. CARRIED DELEGATIONS SHAUN SAMELS, MWM ENVIRONMENTAL (MWM) attended as a delegation to discuss the options of curb side pickup for garbage and recycling services in the Villages of Forrest and Douglas. Administration will send out a survey to the citizens in the Villages to

Information Sessions ǁŝƚŚ ĞŶƚƌĂů ƐƐŝŶŝďŽŝŶĞ tĂƚĞƌƐŚĞĚ ŝƐƚƌŝĐƚ Monday &ĞďƌƵĂƌǇ

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Come join us as we discuss what programming Central Assiniboine Watershed District can offer! >ĞŐƵŵĞƐ н ŽǀĞƌ ƌŽƉƉŝŶŐ EŝƚƌŽŐĞŶ DĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ

Tuesday &ĞďƌƵĂƌǇ

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Wednesday &ĞďƌƵĂƌǇ

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Thursday &ĞďƌƵĂƌǇ

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get feedback. NEIL ZALLUSKI, MANAGER, CENTRAL ASSINIBOINE WATERSHED DISTRICT-Neil Zalluski attended as a delegation to discuss programming options for citizens in Elton through the Central Assiniboine Watershed District. Program examples: Rotational Grazing, Well Establishment, Small Dams, Machinery Crossings, Erosion Control, Beaver Deceivers, Shelterbelts (yard sites as well as crops). Council approved accounts in the amount of $134,769.92; and Direct Withdrawals in the amount of $65,844.54 for a total of $200,614.46. Bromley/Waldner-BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Elton hereby enter into a First Right of Refusal agreement with Scott Moore for future gravel supply on W 1/2 27-13-19 WPM; AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that Reeve Bollman and CAO Shawna Paulsen are authorized to execute the agreement. CARRIED Hales/Waldner-BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Elton hereby approve the quote dated January 2, 2024, from NNC Consulting for financial services on three-month term. CARRIED VACATION PAY REIMBURSEMENT 2024-013 Pankratz/Paterson-WHEREAS an error was determined in the calculation of the vacation days granted to Administrative Assistant, Christy Burdeniuk, dating back to 2011; AND WHEREAS Council has reviewed the calculations; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council of the Rural Municipality of Elton hereby approves a vacation pay reimbursement for Administrative Assistant Christy Burdeniuk;AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that this reimbursement includes additional 2.5 days added to the 2023 vacation accrued calculation and $3,825.18 for the remaining owed days covering the period from 2011 to 2022. CARRIED WARD, REEVE & ADMINISTRATION REPORTS Councillor Waldner reported that the streets and sidewalk in Douglas will need to be cleared if more snow arrives. PankratzWaldner-BE IT RESOLVED that Council of the Rural Municipality of Elton hereby have no concerns with the proposed Manitoba Hydro Line Replacement on 7-12-17 WPM as presented. CARRIED ADMINISTRATION REPORT CAO Shawna Paulsen discussed with Council the renewal of the By-law Service Agreement with Commissionaires Manitoba for 2024. Council has expressed that they are not wanting to proceed with finalizing the commitment for the year 2024 and intends to reevaluate in 2025. There was a discussion about Grader #1, which experienced a fuel leak on January 9, 2024. Fortunately, all parts are covered under warranty. Tormont has been in touch with Public Works, indicating that the new grader has arrived, and they are in the process of scheduling a time to switch components over. 15. COMMITTEE REPORTS CAO Paulsen informed Council that Mark Emrick, the Municipal Emergency Coordinator for Elton, has chosen not to extend his contract into 2024. Councillor Bromley communicated that the Employment Agreement for staff has been finalized and will be circulated to the Council for their review in the coming weeks. PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CAMPBELL/PATERSON) CAO Shawna Paulsen had met with Keystone Planning District, the Province and the City of Brandon regarding a draft Fringe Area Policy for the Keystone Planning District Development Plan. INTEGRATED WASTE (HALES/PANKRATZ) Councillor Hales reported that Evergreen Environmental will be increasing their fees for hog hair disposal. The gasifier remains non-operational currently. Alternatives include seeking an experienced operator or considering the option to sell it. The Delta Aquifer Management convened a meeting in late December to discuss the updating of Aquifer Management Plans, some of which date back 50 years. Reeve Bollman informed Council that the Western Caucus is scheduled to meet again on January 26, 2024.

SPORTS

On Friday, January 19, 2024, the Huskies defeated Vincent Massey Vikings in Rivers with a score of 5 – 3 at the Hamiota Arena. The Huskies started the game off strong with three goals in the first and Vikings scored one. In the second, Huskies hit the back of the net with one more goal. The game finished with the Huskies final one goal in the third. The Vikings closed the gap with two more goals in the third. In the end, the Huskies held strong and won. The weekend held a second game for the Huskies on Sunday, January 21, 2024, against the Crocus Plains Plainsmen at 5pm in Rivers. The Huskies prevailed again with a score of 4 – 2. In the first, the Huskies put three goals in the net and one goal in the second. The Plainsmen put two goals in the second. Both teams fought hard in the third, both goalies held their own and did not let one goal in. On Tuesday, January 23, the Huskies played Major Pratt Trojans at the Hamiota arena at 8pm. The game was very back and forth. The Huskies scored two in the first and the Trojans scored one. The Trojans came back in the second with three goals and the Huskies only had one. Heading into the third the Trojans were in the lead with a score of 4 – 3. Then the Huskies came back with three more goals and the Trojans scored one more. The Huskies win again with a score of 6 – 5. This raises the H/R/E/S Huskies to fifth in the division. Their next game will be played on Friday, January 26 at 8pm against the GCB Wildcats in Hamiota, followed by a Sunday game in Glenboro against GCB Wildcats again at 2pm.

It was the story of two halves on January 20, as K illarney broke open a 2-1 game midway through the 2nd period in route to a 9-2 win over the Jets. Joben Smith and Tanner Nedohin were the goal scorers in the loss. Tickets for the February 3, 2024, social are available now. Next action is Saturday, January 27, in Pilot Mound against the Pilot Mound Pilots for a 7:30pm start

By Jessica Coulter Rivers Banner

Submitted Rivers Banner

Riley Lamb defends the net for the Rivers Jets.

January 26, 2024 Rivers Banner 11

PHOTOS BY JESSICA COULTER

On Sunday, January 21, Rivers U13 Basaraba played Roblin Stars. The Jets fought hard, but were defeated.

The best offence is a great defence. Keeping the puck away from the front of the net.

12 Rivers Banner January 26, 2024

Riverdale Harvest Food Bank says thank-you Submitted By Megan Lelonde Riverdale Harvest Food Bank meets the first Monday of each month. The food bank runs out of the Zion Church every Thursday from 9:30 – 11am. We had a g reat f a l l a nd Halloween. We worked with s t u d e nt s f r o m t he R i v e r s Collegiate Institute, coordinated by teacher Angela Roberts, and collected several nonperishable items. Lucky Break Ranch and tack collected food at their annual Haunted House, as well as monetary donations. CB Salon collected a large amount of food donations as well. It was greatly appreciated from all three of these organizations to collect for our food bank, as we are always in need of canned goods such as fruits and vegetables, school snacks, pastas, canned meats and more. At Christmas time, our group set up a table at the ‘Shop the Block’ event and at the Riverdale Recreation Centre the day of Rivers Christmas Parade. We held a

raffle and sold tickets at both events. We made $910 from the 50/50 which will be put towards buying items from our local co-op, such as meat, bread, and milk. Again, we appreciate the support from those that bought 50/50 tickets. Christmas hampers were distributed to those in

need just before Christmas. We will be meeting again in February. We will continue to keep donation bins at the local churches, the co-op, and Super Thrifty. Through your generosity we are able to continue to run the food bank and serve those in need.

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Contact us to help spread the news about your community event or fundraiser www.riversbanner.com Rivers Banner 204-328-7494 • info@riversbanner.com