Minto will soon be losing its financial institution.
Sunrise Credit Union recently announced it would be closing the doors at their branch in the town. The decision was made in August, and according to Sunrise President and CEO Tim Klassen, changes in technology played a major role.
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The school experience will be a little different to start for both staff and students in Boissevain School this fall.
With classes starting on Wednesday, September 5, everyone will have to work their way around the ongoing construction. Crews started work on the building last spring on a project that included siding and windows on the east side of the building and a new heating system. As predicted, there is still ongoing construction on both the in and outside. According to Boissevain Principal Stephanie Emberly, the seeming chaos in much of the building is no cause for concern.
Harvest has started during a hot, dry and smoky summer that is not looking to provide much relief.
Summer is usually a warm time, but this year has been a bit much for many people. Warm temperatures started mid-May, but most recently have gotten out of hand. By the beginning of August, heat over the 30 degree Celsius range had become pretty commonplace, with temperatures reaching as high as 40 degrees on the weekend of August 10-12. Strangely, the summer has also had some below normal temperatures as well. Overnights in particular have been difficult to figure out. One night will not cool down below 20 degrees, but another hot day will produce lows that dip to single digits (like the morning of August 14), almost threatening frost. Overall, the heat keeps coming.
Duane Latimer of Boissevain proved his mettle in Whistler, British Columbia on July 29. He participated in the Ironman Canada race, starting at 6:20 am and not finishing until 10:51 pm. The race included swimming, biking and running, and it was a challenge to say the least. The temperature was a burning 34 degrees and many people did not finish due to heat exhaustion. There were 2,000 people signed up and only 1,190 completing the race, with Latimer saying he saw many people passed out on the side of the road for the bike/run portion.
A lot has changed since the International Peace Garden was dedicated in 1932, but the basic premise of peace between two nations has not changed.
The Garden celebrated its 85th anniversary on July 14 and 15. According to CEO Tim Chapman, the events over the two days were well attended.
“I think it went really well,” Chapman said. “There were a lot of visitors who were not here for many years.”
Although the weather looked ominous during different parts of the day, and did interfere with one or two events, Boissevain’s celebration of the national birthday went on more or less as planned.
A spot of rain and a few rumbles in the sky could have impacted Canada Day more than it did. According to coordinator Christina Ducharme, overall the event was successful.
As they say goodbye to their second home for the last thirteen years, the Class of 2018 found school was not a scary place after all.
The latest graduating class of 27 took their last look at Boissevain School as students on a warm day on June 27. With family, friends and teachers looking on, and the fire bell tolling an unmistakable tribute, they were able to reflect on what is a lifetime of memories.
Mother Nature reminded us that she could be very cruel on Thursday, June 14.
After a muggy and at times rainy afternoon, the skies turned black and the wind got up around 6:00pm. Those in Boissevain heard thunder and got a little rain. Those north of town and in other areas were not so lucky.
A line of dangerous thunderstorms moved in from Saskatchewan, and while many local areas fell under a tornado watch, the storm struck full force, picking up steam in the Hartney area and travelling all the way to Morden/Winkler, with heavy winds and devastating hail. According to Andrew Ayre of Southern Seed north of Minto, it started to get ugly around 6:00pm, striking a little later.
A large crowd came out to celebrate Boissevain’s past baseball heroes while cheering on the next generation.
On Friday, June 8, Boissevain Minor Ball held its celebration of Baseball Manitoba’s 50th anniversary. Each minor ball association in the province was asked to note this major birthday and in Boissevain, they decided to honour some of the town’s Hall of Fame inductees before the Centennials’ home opener against the Souris Cardinals. According to Minor Ball’s Crystal Fluker, it could not have gone over better.
“It was awesome,” Fluker stated. “It was a really good turnout.”
Once again Boissevain-Morton is getting behind locals who are suffering a personal tragedy.
David M. Neufeld and Maggie Andres lost their home southwest of Boissevain in the early morning hours of Friday, June 1. According to the Boissevain-Morton Fire Department, they were called in at 1:00am. Although the exact cause of the blaze is unknown, it started on the south side where they had a small greenhouse attached to the domicile. David’s sister Vicky said there was nothing plugged in and no fire lit, so they are thinking it was electrical.
Boissevain Minor Ball will be looking to the past in order to promote the future.
On June 8, before the Centennials home opener, the organization will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Baseball Manitoba. According to Crystal Fluker of Minor Ball, the provincial group gave the event it’s beginning.
“Baseball Manitoba got in contact with every Manitoba association they work with to ask them to mark their anniversary,” Fluker explained. “We decided to recognize our guys who are in the Baseball Hall of Fame in a celebration night at the home opener of the Centennials.”
More than 20 years on, the Connections Fair still gives students the opportunity to put their education to a practical use.
The event, in which high school students connect a project to a couple of their classes, was held on Thursday, May 24 at the educational institution. Both gyms were full of projects as was the south parking lot. According to teacher/organizer Keith Forsyth, the idea has been around for a while.
Those involved in the long day of lobbying in the provincial capital on May 9 are hoping it will have an impact on a couple of health care fronts.
Members of Boissevain-Morton Council and a hard-working committee visited the Legislature to meet with the Minister of Health and members of his team for the whole day. The purpose, according to Mayor David Stead, was to present some concerns on a couple of community topics.
“We had quite a few meetings there,” Stead explained. “The main point was to talk about losing the ambulance and trying to keep that.”
Although seeding has started in the area, there is a definite need for precipitation.
Farmers have hit the land, and one thing they do not have to worry about is drying their fields. In fact, a little rain soon would be very helpful. This was a year of very little snow, and so far, almost no rain – although there were reports of precipitation south at Lake George and southwest in the Lake Metigoshe area. This is a combination that makes for dry land.
Tim Chapman is hoping his new position at the International Peace Garden will be one for a lifetime.
Chapman arrived at the Garden and his new CEO position on Thursday, April 26, and he is getting settled in.
“It’s going really well,” said Chapman, who replaces Garry Enns. “I was at the first annual meeting, and it was really informative. Everything is going in a good direction and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
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With a space to call his own in his old home, Hunter Ferguson can now look toward a new future and moving ahead with the next phase of his life.
In March, after a long stay in Crocus Hill Estates in Boissevain, the young man was finally able to get back into his home on Cook Street, in an addition paid for by Workman’s Compensation. Nearly two years since his life changing workplace accident, he was happy to get back.
Two years after she proved what love and courage could do, Kristen Hiebert of Boissevain is looking to the future.
The mother, who kept her daughter alive overnight in sub-zero temperatures after a car accident, is moving forward and continuing to heal. Her story, so amazing before, continues onward.
“I’m doing good,” Hiebert said recently. “I had another surgery on February 2 and I am still healing from that.”
Health care in Boissevain is not broken, so it does not need to be fixed but instead supported, said those involved in a health care meeting in the community last weekend.
River Heights MLA Jon Gerrard, the former Manitoba Liberal leader and current Health Critic, was in town for a health care check up on Saturday, April 14. A small but engaged crowd showed up for the meeting, including four Boissevain-Morton councillors, to share their concerns about the Pallister government’s plans for health care in the province and what they could do about it.
Although it happened on a highway a province away, the tragedy of the Humboldt Broncos hit hearts across the entire country, including here in Boissevain.
On April 6, the hockey team was on its way to Nipawin, SK for a playoff game. However, they never made it. Their bus was involved in a deadly crash with a semi trailer, claiming the lives of the bus driver, head coach, team broadcaster, trainer and several young players. The number at present, 16. There were also 13 injured, several very seriously. For the families, friends, small community of Humboldt, it is a tragedy beyond compare. For those outside, especially in the hockey community, it hit home in a big way.