Friday, December 20, 2019 • Vol.112 No. 20 • Rivers, Manitoba
RiveRs BanneR Micah Waddell
Cell: 204-573-0702 Office: 204-328-7494 Email: info@riversbanner.com Box 70 - 529 2nd Ave. Rivers, MB R0K 1X0
Rivers Banner
Gazette -R eporter
Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 112 years
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Gazette-Reporter
Local addictions program gives women hope
Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 109 years
March 30, 2018
By Kira Paterson Rivers Banner
Struggling with addiction can make one feel worthless and alone. There is an organization in Brandon that is working to help reverse those feelings while also dealing with individuals’ addictions. The Brandon Women’s Centre, of the Adult & Teen Challenge of Central Canada (ATC), is a 12 month residence program, where women can escape from their current situation and receive counseling and support to overcome addictions of any kind. ATC is a Christian organization, so part of its programming is also Christian discipleship. Counselors teach the enroled individuals about Biblical principles and the love and forgiveness of God, which is extended to everyone, regardless of what they have done in their life. Seeing a need and filling it The Brandon Women’s Centre is a home that can accommodate up to 20 students at a time. ATC has had a presence in Brandon since 2008, but the women’s residence first opened in 2012. “Originally, it started as a men’s centre, which is kind of an offshoot of the Winnipeg centre, giving another location. But then in the fall of 2011, the ministry really felt like we needed to recognize the fact that there’s a lot of women who struggle with addiction,” explained Kim Lowes, the Brandon women’s centre director. “So in 2011, right
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near Christmas, we moved around our giant table there. the men that were here That is one thing that we living in the old house to try really hard to do is be Winnipeg and prepared to a family, because some of open it as a women’s centre. these girls, they haven’t So Jan. 3, 2012 we opened really ever experienced that. our doors and brought in our And so that’s definitely what first student at the women’s we want the heartbeat of Back row L/R: Meghan this house to be,” explained centre.” Knelsen, Erich Schmidt, Lowes. Since it started, the BranThom Heijmans, Heather Gray,has Liliane Dupuis. AfterFront breakfast, the day don Women’s Centre L/R: Minami Kijima, Haile continues with work therapy. helped hundreds ofrow women Hubbard, Chassidy Payette, TheBryce Super Thrift store in get through theirMorgan addic-Ramsay, Summers, Hrabok.which ATC also Brandon, tions. At first, they could Quinn only accommodate six to owns and operates, is where eight women at a time. In the ladies all go to work. 2016, ATC built a brand “They have the opportunPHOTO BY KIRA PATERSON new home that can accom- ity to work there every day Pictured is the Brandon Women’s Centre residence which is located in the modate 16 first-year students from 9:00 to 5:00... And it RM of Riverdale. The residence is equipped with a variety of rooms to suit on the second floor and really is a blessing to the the needs of the program participants. four second year students girls in many ways, because in the basement, along with it gives them a confidence room for live-in staff. “It that they often haven’t had; “They would do a group to really help them to learn here? I should probably go,’” was birthed out of a need, it helps them to see, ‘You study where they sit around how to live within a healthy explained Lowes, adding, by Sheila Runions because the need is so great. know what, I can actually the table with a teacher and confines and healthy box “More oftenPhoto than not, the People would call me, each get up and go to work every talk about different aspects that we just slowly open as girls would say, ‘You know and every day and look for day and make a difference’; of life, like, ‘How do I have the year goes along, to help what, being busy right off the help,” Lowes noted, explain- and they learn things like a good attitude?’ ‘What do them to learn how to do it bat is actually really good ing that it was very difficult customer service... basic I do with my temper?’’... themselves,” Lowes noted. for me.’” Sheila Runions retail experience, which Or a class can sometimes to turn womenByaway when There’s more than just Banner Staff there was no room in the hopefully will help them look like they work on their Starting the routine that helps the to the schools. cans from the school foyer into and Chimo Beach areas for con- put away in the proper place on s r e p or twhen e d i n tthey’re he tiondone,” said personal studies, residence, especially when which is athe after- in the program newcomers. of the Pupils co-ordinated the entire the church basement tributions from the community. the shelving“One units. They were March 9 edition, the they were ready to admit Lowes. The Brandon Super very personalized contract With the full schedule cool things that we do is we very Grade 12 Interdisci- month-long promotion, which noon of March 21, where the When all was said and done, fantastic! We are very, Thrift branch opened a year that they food they needed help. workwas on,weighed whichand is sorted. and structured some partner a girl that’s been the scales atdays, Riverdale Harvest pleased.” plinary Studies in Science class culminated in a ceremonious a half and is one to 20 help in and reallywas aofsenthe noted newcomers feel “a in theElementary programschool for astaff while a total of can 434 pounds, mempresentation onofMarch to focus Although the project at Rivers Collegiateand planned a ago only two ATC Super Thrift Daily project life atfor Riverdale volunteer Riverdale Harvest president ior students en- fabulous amount,” Heather. Harvest. zero in on, what brainstorm, do they theoverwhelmed at first. Ifsays they withber/Harvest a brand new girl,Yvonne we stores in the central the women’s centre initiated a similarSo, camtirevery highspecifically, school was encouraged “Wehealth are so pleased theyto decided Heather Canada Gray and Liliane. Dubbed the Boat Load of Food, personally, need, for reasons, call Crouch her her big sister. It not Because only provides At the home, theresecured is a a chapter. help those serve. in her school. That threethe snow hadneed melted to participate. The collegiate students canoe from to work on,” explained have atocouple dayswejust to A lot you paign know, someone who’s times enough effort simply encouraged much, the canoe not hosted a poor boy floor hockey Rollingall River theDivision women sowith work ex- could set routine, which theSchool Lowes. relax orofstay inkids bed,don’t theygetare just week walked through the be itportaged across the street to tournament in which to play, credit but this group of students students to leave product in with an intent to perience, f ill it with but also generresidents follow. “We’re The weekends are a little allowed to do that, but quite doors is not going to have to (home of River- athletes had to pay with food for certainly deserves some praise. the canoe; 87 pounds of food non-perishables. the toZion ates funds helpChurch ATC pay definitely a faith based Although less structured. The resioften the staff will get them feel like they’re floundering dale Harvest). Rather, the teens the canoe. Some students also All students stayed behind to was collected from the younger campaignstart was fullyfor organized the services it provides, program, so mornings cancanvassed volunteerRivers, to work to get right intoexpiry the routine trying to on remember all the22. group Thursday, March garbage Oak River help check dates, sort and by that class, the original idea carried bags, boxes anddents off with a devotional time, as well as giving the students at Super Thrift if they want immediately. “Obviously, rules and all the things that came from a suggestion made so [the students] have some an opportunity to talk to the to. They can also have visits there’s a lot more grace for we’re doing, because they’ve by harvest volunteer Liliane time to read their Bible and public and showcase what with friends and family. On brand new girls, because got someone who literally Dupuis. is doing for them. to pray. And then“I weheard act very the ideaATC at a meetSundays there are church they need some time. But we walks with them every step Then at 5:00 p.m., the services in the morning and found that if we bring them of the way until they kind of much like a family, every- St. Augustine ing in Brandon. group will come home and the evening, but mornings in and we give them time to learn,” Lowes noted. body comes downstairs School hadand tried Fill a Canoe in conjunction the 10-day together to get supper they quite often will travel sort of think and sit in their there’s chores to be done...withwork in Winand clean up after to other churches to share bed and ponder what they’re whatever mightFestival need du to Voyaguer be ready Continued nipegtogether in February. they’ve It was veryeaten. Then the done, the girls work about the ministry of ATC. doing, that is actually not a on Page 11 successful and whenever I hearconsist of a couple evenings as a family. And then they “So it’s a very busy schedule. good thing, because it leaves food bank, my ears always perk sit down and have breakfast different kinds of classes. It’s very structured. It’s just them feeling like, ‘Why am I up!”
Can collections for canoes
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Rivers Banner will now enjoy a two week holiday. The next paper will be Friday, January 10. Deadline for that edition is Tuesday, January 7, at noon. She then brought the suggestion to Riverdale Harvest, which supported the idea and asked her to present the promo-
The canoe at Rivers Elementary School was adequately filled.
Photo by Heather Gray