The first-ever Indigenous woman to be crowned as Miss MMIWG for Manitoba is from Opaskwayak Cree Nation. Jennelle Moore was crowned as Miss MMIWG for Manitoba earlier this past spring.
Moore’s cousin was one of the women who was found in the Prairie Green Landfill Site, Marcedes Myran, and because of this tragedy, it was one of the main reasons why she chose to run in this pageant. Having a family member who was a victim of MMIWG, has led to Moore wanting to create more awareness and advocate for change.

The Swan Valley Fire Department (SVFD) has a recruit who has recently joined their ranks and broke the traditional stereotype associated with it being a male profession. Kristin Linnick is currently the only female firefighter in the SVFD but hasn’t been the first female to join.
“The department has had female firefighters from 2011 until 2022,” said SVFD Fire Chief Darren Fedorchuk. “The last female firefighter in the department relocated in 2022, and is now in the Selkirk Fire Department.”
When she was a child, Linnick was drawn to the world of emergency services and firefighting by watching her father help out with the local fire department.
“My dad had joined the local fire department in the small town that I grew up in when I was about six years old,” said Linnick. “I grew up watching him as a role model and knowing that someday I wanted to become a firefighter just like him.
“Back then, if we were home alone with him when a call came in, we used to respond with him, sometimes still barefoot in our pyjamas. Because when that pager went off, he just had to drop what he was doing and go. A member would stay behind to dispatch at the hall so there were usually several kids in the meeting room waiting while their dads went out to help someone in need.
“I only just joined the Swan River department in the last couple of weeks and haven’t trained at all with their department as of yet,” said Linnick. “I did, however, join the Pine River department about two and a half years ago and have attended training nights with them. I recently completed my class 4A drivers, so I’m able to drive a fire truck.”
Linnick has found the call to serve a very rewarding one and is learning to balance her work and home life, with being an emergency responder.
“You never really know what you are going to encounter when a call comes in, or even when the call might come in,” said Linnick. “So far I find the most challenging to be preparing for what you are about to encounter along with juggling the need to respond with the other family and work-related commitments that I have.
“It’s great to be able to give back to the community. I have three young children and being able to show them how to give back and help others is important to me. I hope as they grow they’ll be able to be proud that their parents are firefighters and can help people in need, just like I had felt looking up to my dad.”
Linnick encourages other women who are interested in joining the local fire department to come out and take a chance on it. They just might find this a very fulfilling and rewarding way to serve the community.
“Everyone has been very welcoming and they’ve all made me feel very included in joining their family,” said Linnick. “I am proud to be able to encourage other young girls that they could be a firefighter one day too, or anything else they dream of being.
“I would tell other women who are interested in joining, that it’s a very rewarding job and that if they put their mind to it, it’s possible for them to do too. I also coach gymnastics in town, so I haven’t a chance to sometimes hear about their dreams for the future. They are all generally surprised to learn that I am a firefighter, so I hope that helps encourage them to believe that they can work towards their dreams even if they don’t look like who you would typically expect to fill a certain job.”
“As with all firefighters, there is a different perspective,” said Fedorchuk. “Every incident is different and at times it requires firefighters with a different view to reach a successful conclusion, but not only in responses, having a different view is important when it comes to other facets in the fire service like training and equipment purchasing.
“The female firefighters we have had in the department in the past, all have excelled as firefighters and were an integral part of the team. Their dedication to providing service to the Valley was not surpassed. Female firefighters are indispensable for the department to flourish and must be able to meet any future demands that may be required of us. SVFD is open to all who are interested and meet the pre-requirements.”
When it comes to women interested in joining the fire department, they go through the same procedures and requirements that any member joining the department would.
“Our process is the same for any firefighter,” said Fedorchuk. “It starts with an application to join which includes submitting a criminal record, Manitoba Child Abuse checks along with a driver abstract. Once the interview process is complete and if an applicant is successful the applicant begins service.
“In the cases where applications are received but staffing does not allow for hiring at that time the applications are kept on file for future reference in the case of an opening within the department.
“Those interested in firefighting and have any questions can stop by the firehall or are welcome to attend our training sessions which are held on the first and third Wednesday of the month from September to July,” said Fedorchuk. “They can also contact me at the office at 204-734-4403 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..”

Harvest is well under way in the Swan Valley, with farmers seeing the fruits of their efforts and nature’s fortune. Pictured here, Grant Blosha and George Russell combine Rod Blosha’s wheat field south of Durban.

Community filled the Edwards Ave. last Saturday, August 17th, to discover and support local businesses. There were a lot of shops and activities offered to different age groups that showcases number of cultures.

The Manitoba Summer Games, powered by Manitoba Hydro has come and gone and by all accounts it was a resounding success.

When all was said and done, it was Winnipeg Blue which topped the medal count with 103 in total, including 50 gold, 30 silver and 23 bronze.

Winnipeg Gold was second with 30 gold, 26 silver and 26 bronze for a total of 82. Team West was third with 78 medals on 15 gold, 30 silver and 33 bronze.

Team East was fourth, winning 24 gold, 22 silver and 22 bronze for a total of 68 medals, while Team South captured 15 gold, 16 silver and 14 bronze for 48 medals. Team North won a single bronze medal.

Based on feedback from athletes, coaches, spectators and Sport Manitoba, Games co-chair Carla Wolfenden said they are proud of Dauphin.

“It’s been a really great week,” she said.

Co-chair Clayton Swanton said the more than 700 volunteers helped to make the games such a success.

“Just so, so impressed with our volunteers. We know we live in a great community and that’s why we chose to host. We knew we could pull it off, because we know the people of Dauphin. But that was seven years ago when we chose to do that. And Dauphin is still Dauphin. Nothing changed and they came out in spades,” he said.

“And just to echo Carla’s comments, nothing but rave reviews from everybody from out of town about the hospitality in town and what a great week they’ve had. And we certainly had, too.”

It was the efforts of the volunteers which drove the success of the Games.

“We’ve had incredible volunteer support. Quality people every way you turn. Whether it’s in the kitchen or on the field of play, or at any of the venues. And it’s even people saying everyone in the stores in the different businesses have been very friendly and helpful and made them feel welcome,” Wolfenden said.

“So our volunteers are what made this event a success.”

It was pointed out during the VIP reception that many volunteers would work their scheduled shift and then go and lend a hand at other venues.

The local business community was also instrumental in the success of the Games. As Swanton noted, you can’t host an event of this magnitude or create the legacy of venues and projects without sponsors.

Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.

The Swan Valley Sport Fish Enhancement (SVSFE) ran another successful summer of youth fish camps. Several local youth gained angling knowledge and experience at local lakes surrounding the Valley.
“Our fish camp ran a total of 16 days facilitating somewhere between eight and 11 kids per day,” said SVSFE Fisheries Technician Brock Koutecky. “The first eight days were spent at the Red Deer River, while the final eight days were spent at Wellman Lake. Kids can attend each location one time, therefore most kids were able to come two days with one day at each location.
“Once camp registration was open, we were full within the first 48 hours and had kids on the waiting list. After getting a better grasp of demand, we were able to accommodate the kids on the waiting list by finding other volunteers and increasing daily capacity for a few days at each location. In the end, every registered kid was able to come at least one time, and in total, we facilitated a total of 88 different kids in 2024.”
Youth learned a variety of angling skills that they got to test out during the camp. Some of them experienced reeling in their very first catch Master Angler.
“The educational component focuses on all the aspects of sport fishing,” said Koutecky. “Topics include knot tying, safety, fish behaviour, fish anatomy/biology, fish ecology and seasonal movements, proper fish handling techniques, fishing ethics, and of course angling techniques, presentation and bait selection.
“There were so many individual highlights. Many of these include stories about a specific kid catching their first fish ever, or their first Master Angler ever, or their first bass ever for example. There were sure a lot of excited kids experiencing a first and the excitement that came with those moments.”
SVSFE is already planning for next year’s youth fish camps and determining what changes or improvements can be made.
“We are still in the process of making plans for 2025, but at this time we feel that we were able to accommodate demand and will probably make a few adjustments in future years,” said Koutecky. “I don’t think we will expand the program in terms of time, but will likely increase staff and volunteers which will therefore increase daily capacity.”
A lot of work went into planning and establishing the youth fish camps, from funding to volunteers.
“We would like to thank our program funders, The Manitoba Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund, and the Manitoba Government,” said Koutecky. “This program would not be possible without their support.
“Also, a huge thanks to Swan Valley Credit Union (SVCU), the Community Foundation of Swan Valley, and the Paul Olenick Memorial Fund for providing funds to assist with fish camp.
“A big shout out to all the businesses and volunteers who helped in various ways including The Elbert Chartrand FC, Mil’s Grill, Wellman Lake Lodge, 734 Custom Apparel & Promo Inc., Swan Valley Star and Times, Len Thompson Lures, Sticky’s Bait and Tackle, Mitch’s Jumbo Crawlers, Northern Lites Bait, Swan Lake Watershed District, Swan River Title Loans, Manitoba Wildfire Service, Westwood Inn Hotel and Indoor Waterpark, Valley Water, Matt Black, Bruce Taylor, Ursula Taylor, Duane Fleming, Elgin Barnett, Sheldon Branconnier, Jason Vill, Tyler Ashcroft, Norm Bruce, Brian Woloshyn, Todd Yakielashek, Phil Yakielashek, Tammy Webster, and Darren Webster,” said Koutecky.

Strawberry picking season has been in full swing for weeks, with Sweet Acres still offering berries to pick. Cally Ledoux (left), Matthew Wilson (second from left), Passion Zong (second from right) and Charlotte Wilson (right) enjoy their afternoon picking strawberries.

The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) celebrated the grand opening of its MEDOCare Pharmacy in Dauphin with a ribbon cutting ceremony, Friday afternoon.

Vice-president of the Northwest Region and MMF Minister of Health and Wellness, and Early Learning and Child Care Frances Chartrand said the pharmacy has been in the works for several years

“Our Elders and seniors spoke about us having a pharmacy, having our own economic bills, our own economic development. And to also ensure that we provide programs and health services for them,” she said.

“So it’s a reality today.”

Funding, Chartrand said, was provided by the Red River Métis government.

“When we built the government’s office in the centre of the city of Dauphin, what we decided to do was the Elders and seniors talk about their prescriptions. We run a prescription drug program. So then we decided for it to be feasible to be one of our businesses that we would run directly out of our site,” she said.

Located at 422 Main Street South, the entrance to the pharmacy is on the south side of the building facing 5th Ave. SE. It is also wheelchair accessible via a ramp at the back of the building.

For now, the pharmacy is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“And we’re going to look at opening Saturdays or Sundays, but that will be down the road,” Chartrand said, adding the pharmacy is open to anyone in the Parkland.

“I’m so happy it’s in the City of Sunshine. I’m just excited. I just love making sure we have full support from the city. We have support from the RM and we have support from all the citizens in the City of Sunshine and the Parkland area,” Chartrand said.

Read the full story in this weeks Dauphin Herald.

A documentary featuring a true story about a woman’s journey through being adopted and reconnecting to her biological family has brought her to Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN). Kristal Parke has put together the documentary Because She’s Adopted, and shared her journey through adoption and reconnecting with her biological family.
“I’ve always known I was adopted,” said Parke. “It was important that my parents be open with me from the very beginning and something I was proud of.
“The narrative that my parents, particularly my adoptive mother imparted to me, was being adopted is a positive thing, that I was chosen, and that my biological mother loved me so much that she gave me a life that she wasn’t able to. It wasn’t until I was an adult and had my children, that I began to explore the challenging aspects of what it meant to not grow up with genetic mirroring, or connection to my biological family and culture.
“It wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I began to allow myself to see the ripple effects of relinquishment,” said Parke. “As a mother, it was difficult to reconcile someone being able to relinquish their child. I harbour no judgement, as I know there are many circumstances in which natural mothers feel they have no choice.

The Remembering Kendara Memorial Walk was held again this year on August 6, at 5 p.m., behind UCN. For this year’s memorial walk, the biggest change was the weather, as it rained towards the end of the event. Each year the Remembering Kendara Memorial Walk is held, it grows not only in capacity but in terms of the outreach it has.
“It was the fifth annual KB Memorial Walk this year and it was different than previous years,” said Gloria Ballantyne-Packo. “The biggest difference was that it rained. In the past, it was usually it is scorching hot out. The rain held off until the participants got to the park for the barbeque.