Rural Roundup for Oct. 15, 2026

NEEPAWA

The Neepawa Salvation Army has received a donation of $31,000 in support of the charity’s goal to buy a new cargo van.

The donation was made by HyLife Foods. Amanda Naughton-Gale, Neepawa Community Ministries Centre (Salvation Army) director, said the van is on the road five days per week and has begun to show its age.

The van is rusted, Naughton-Gale said, the side door is broken, its back door needs to be jimmied to be opened and it has broken down on the road a couple of times.

“It looks terrible, and it really just does not portray the dignity and the integrity of the organization,” Naughton-Gale said.

The total cost of a new van that suits the Salvation Army’s needs year-round, after factoring in taxes, is around $80,000. Naughton-Gale said the goal is to have the van by the end of the year.

“We honestly could not do the things in the foodbank and for our clients without that van. So having a reliable, good vehicle that we trust is really important.”

Twice-monthly trips to McCreary in support of the foodbank there and a once per month trip to Brandon to pick up deliveries from Manitoba Harvest are just a couple of the tasks the Neepawa Community Ministries Centre uses its cargo van for.

The service provides fresh food to 110 families each month, she said. The donation was made using funds from Hylife’s Fun Days initiative.

» Neepawa Banner & Press

BOISSEVAIN

A talented Boissevain student athlete will be participating in a prestigious hockey coaching program this year.

In late September, Hockey Canada and U SPORTS announced the cohorts of 22 participants in the 2026-27 Creating Coaches Program. Grace Glover of the University of Alberta, a Boissevain native, is one of five Manitobans who will be take part.

The program will provide Glover and the others with mentorship, resources and a support system to make their coaching experiences positive. They will work with U13, U15 or U18 girls’ teams, attending a minimum of one practice per week and three games a month. The idea is to increase the number of women coaching hockey in Canada.

“As women’s and girls’ hockey in Canada continues to set participation records each season, expanding the Creating Coaches program is an important milestone to increase the number of women behind the bench and connect more girls in communities across the country with mentors who continue to compete in U SPORTS hockey,” said Marin Hickox, vice-president of women’s and girls’ hockey for Hockey Canada.

» The Boissevain Recorder

VIRDEN

Vandalism has delayed a fall art project at a useful town structure that’s also one of Virden’s historic sites.

A CP Underpass Community Art Project, a joint art project involving Border Regional Library, Arts Mosaic and the Town of Virden, was to bring new life and creativity to the historic railway underpass on Sixth Avenue South, near the CP Station this fall.

Members of the public and volunteers were to paint inside the underpass to make it more welcoming and discourage graffiti. Volunteers had completed important preparatory work inside the tunnel and Home Hardware had donated paint.

However, graffiti was painted over the prepared surfaces and light fixtures within the walkway. According to the Town of Virden, structural improvements may need to be made, the graffiti must be addressed and more preparation work would need to be done.

While the underpass is still in use, the vandalism has sparked a review that will determine the viability of the beautification project, weighing costs and the long-term use of the tunnel.

Council is considering this within the 2027 budget , and the art project may proceed in spring.

» Virden Empire Advance

DAUPHIN

A successful fundraising campaign has brought a community movie theatre back from the brink of financial disaster and has the organization excited about the future in Dauphin.

With customers slow to come back after the pandemic, Countryfest Community Cinema launched a plan to raise urgently-needed capital through a GoFundMe effort and a corporate fund-raising campaign. That raised about 80 per cent of its $100,000 goal, said board chair Ron Hedley.

Hedley said the theatre has paid off more than $1.4 million of its mortgage in the 15-plus years it has been open, however, pandemic restrictions meant the organization had to drain its reserves to stay afloat during COVID. Getting the crowds back to cover operating cost and rebuild those reserves has been difficult.

A new manager has been hired to help shepherd the organization through the rebuilding. Angelena Neely brings a wealth of experience in the service industry, with staffing and running businesses.

Hedley said the Countryfest Community Cinema is planning a membership drive, selling monthly subscriptions to the theatre.

“Ask people to step up. That won’t be any big fund-raising campaign, but more about the same way you pay for Netflix or Amazon or whatever. That would be $20 to $25 a month that goes to the theatre,” Hedley said, adding he would hope to sign up 200 to 300 people.

» The Dauphin Herald

KILLARNEY

The Killarney Guide and Discover Westman are teaming up to bring a Killarney Council Candidates Forum to the Shamrock Centre on Monday at 6:30 p.m. to help the community get to learn more about candicates for council and mayor.

There’s a full slate of candidates, 13 in total, vying to be part of the Killarney-Turtle Mountain council.

The forum will be held in the Shamrock Centre Hall amd run until 9 p.m., with questions for all the candidates and time limits for each question. Community members will get to ask candidates their own questions during a meet and greet from 9 to 9:30 p.m.

Mayor and incumbent Janice Smith is running for the top job again, with former Killarney mayor, MP, and MLA Merv Tweed running against her.

The race for council includes past long-time mayor and incumbent councillor Rick Pauls and former long-time councillor Gwen Tripp.

Jaret Box, who was chosen to fill a vacant seat after the last election in 2022, is running for council again.

Joining him in the race are newcomers Kyle Neufeld, Aaron King, Phil Neufeld, Katherine Carlisle, Julie Dyck, Timothy Freeman, Laurie Campbell and Matthew Nichol.

Councillors who are not seeking re-election are: Joan Kemp, Gary King, Greg Ericson and Jane Ireland.

The election is on Oct. 28, with voting held 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Shamrock Centre Hall, 725 Broadway Avenue, Killarney.

» The Killarney Guide

BALDUR

Phase 1 of an upgrade to the Baldur Rec Centre is about to begin.

The centre has developed a three-phase plan for upgrades to the building intended to let it last at least another 50 years.

When the first phase is complete, the facility will have a new wheelchair accessible entrance, a lift to move those with mobility issues from the main floor to the viewing lounge upstairs, a family/accessible washroom and a new larger men’s washroom.

Last month, the centre learned it will receive $80,000 through the province’s From the Ground up – Safe Healthy Communities for ALL Program. The grant money covers more than half of expected costs for the first phase.

The centre also plans to conduct its own fundraising, including an event being planned for April 10 at the Rec Centre.

Phase 2 will bring new dressing rooms, a referee room and a Zamboni shed built on the north side of the hockey rink; Phase 3 consists of installing artificial ice.

» The Baldur-Glenboro Gazette