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Jenn Shields conducts an outdoor mindfulness instruction.

Coming to your Senses

Erin DeBooy 8 minute read Thursday, Sep. 27, 2018

The smell of sage fills the air, as the calm tones of a singing bowl ring out.

“Gently close your eyes. Check in with yourself, noticing the breath. Not changing anything about the breathing, not judging,” said Jenn Shields of Open Hearts Wellness.

A group of six women have gathered for an outdoor mindfulness session, with a goal of pressing the pause button on life and fully experiencing the present moment.

Participants are encouraged to focus on the smells and sounds around them, and take slow inhales and exhales.

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Growing the Game

Melissa Verge 8 minute read Thursday, Sep. 27, 2018

Diego Rodriguez has dedicated many hours to soccer, from playing on a field in Colombia where he grew up, all the way to his current home in Brandon.

Rodriguez stood on a soccer field in the city on a warm summer afternoon, wearing matching white shorts and a shirt with “Fly Emirates” across the chest. He absentmindenly pushed the curly hair from his forehead as he spoke.

In Colombia, soccer was the major sport, Rodriguez said.

“As soon as you learn to walk you have a ball by your feet, and you just kick it around whenever you get a chance,” he said.

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Thursday, Sep. 27, 2018

Matt Goerzen / The Brandon Sun
Diego Rodriguez, originally from Colombia, vies for the ball with a teammate during an afternoon practice session with the Brandon University Bobcats men's team.

Musseling In

Michael Lee 9 minute read Preview

Musseling In

Michael Lee 9 minute read Friday, Sep. 28, 2018

Christian Tremblay stepped out from his white Parks Canada pickup truck and walked several paces towards the locked entranceway that stood before us.

As the large metal bar swung open, Tremblay motioned for me to move my car forward before locking the gate behind us and leading me to a grassy clearing up ahead, to the shores of Whirlpool Lake.

Normally open to visitors this time of year, Whirlpool Lake was eerily quiet that mid-August day. Fireplaces lay vacant as wisps of grass poked through the narrow slits of a wooden dock that had been pulled ashore and left to dry.

Near the southwest tip of the lake, a marsh-like patch had emerged where the water had receded, creating a thick mud that swallowed our boots.

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Friday, Sep. 28, 2018

Whirlpool Lake was closed last year as a precautionary measure after zebra mussel environmental DNA was discovered in the summer and fall. While no live mussels or larvae have been found, researchers continue to test the waters to confirm if zebra mussels are in fact present and reproducing.

Beautiful Burgers

Erin DeBooy 5 minute read Preview

Beautiful Burgers

Erin DeBooy 5 minute read Thursday, Sep. 27, 2018

Whether you like to keep it simple or load it to the max, there’s a burger that will please just about anyone.

From a basic beef burger, chicken, salmon or black bean patties, Culinary Arts instructor with Assiniboine Community College Bryan Hendricks knows what goes into making every bite memorable — no matter the trend.

“People are going back to a more basic (burger),” Hendricks said. “It used to be that everybody would throw a bunch of spices and herbs into their ground beef and add some eggs and other fillers. Now, we’re going back to… really good, flavourful cuts of beef and simple salt and pepper.”

Once you have a good base, Hendricks said, it can be all about the condiments that go with it.

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Thursday, Sep. 27, 2018

Turning Pro

Perry Bergson 18 minute read Preview

Turning Pro

Perry Bergson 18 minute read Thursday, Sep. 27, 2018

As National Hockey League debuts go, Zach Whitecloud certainly drew the short straw on April 5.

In his one and only NHL game so far, he lined up with the Vegas Golden Knights against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

“I was line matched against McDavid and (Milan) Lucic and (Ryan Strome) the entire game,” Whitecloud recalled recently as fellow Brandon professional hockey players Matt Calvert, Micheal Ferland and Ryan White listened. “That guy came to my side every time. Defending him is like nothing else.”

Welcome to the NHL, kid.

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Thursday, Sep. 27, 2018

The Comeback Camp

Tyler Clarke 8 minute read Preview

The Comeback Camp

Tyler Clarke 8 minute read Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

Immersed in nature year-round, Camp Wannakumbac’s new leadership is only a few months in, but they already consider their new roles as being a culmination of their life’s journey to now.

Mitch Gustal grew up at the camp, which his parents Darren and Janet managed from 1992 to Darren’s death in 2014 and Janet passing the torch to her son and daughter-in-law on Jan. 1.

This daughter-in-law, Sarah-Anne, married Mitch during a ceremony held at the camp site two years ago. While her Camp Wannakumbac roots aren’t as deep as Mitch’s, they’re nonetheless passionate.

The two have taken over as managers of the Riding Mountain Conference Centre and its Camp Wannakumbac summer program, situated at the southwestern edge of Riding Mountain National Park.

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Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

The campfire circle is pictured at Camp Wannakumbac. Managers Mitch and Sarah-Anne Gustal said that it is the summer camp’s most popular feature. (Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun)

Going With the Flow

Jillian Austin 6 minute read Preview

Going With the Flow

Jillian Austin 6 minute read Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

Brandon’s new partnership with the Assiniboine River

When developing the Back to the River master plan, the notion that “Mother Nature always wins” was a central focus.

Working with the river, rather than against it, was top-of-mind and shaped the entire 20-year vision for the Assiniboine River corridor.

“Sometimes we forget … that the Assiniboine River now is just a tiny ribbon of water through the huge flood plain…and it used to be a (much wider),” said Lois MacDonald, former general manager of Brandon Riverbank Inc. “It’s just been reduced down to this tiny channel — but it reminds us every now and again, that it’s still in charge.”

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Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

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Lois MacDonald, General Manager of the Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

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Pampering Pets with Pizzazz

Erin DeBooy 5 minute read Preview

Pampering Pets with Pizzazz

Erin DeBooy 5 minute read Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

If anyone ever calls Crystal Smitzniuk a crazy cat lady, she said she takes it as a compliment.

A mom of two “fur babies” — a female cat named Misty and a male named Stormy — Smitzniuk said the nickname is kind of accurate since she loves them both like crazy.

“We love having cats in our house … both of them have their own unique personalities. They’re funny at times, they’re annoying at times, but they’re always around, and you miss them if they’re not,” Smitzniuk said. “They’re part of our family. My husband and I don’t have kids, so we have two fur babies that are our cats and our kids, in a way. I do believe pets become family — you love them just as much.”

Misty came into Smitzniuk’s life approximately 12 years ago, she said, when her and her husband took Misty in from a family member.

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Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

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Kayla Knowles, a groomer at Grassroots Grooming on Rosser Avenue, grooms a dog for a client alongside co-workers. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Business is Buzzing in Roblin

Tyler Clarke 9 minute read Preview

Business is Buzzing in Roblin

Tyler Clarke 9 minute read Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

Aglobal enterprise with direct links to the Asian marketplace and a new packaging facility slated to open in Roblin, Wendell Estate Honey is keeping up with the times.

The company is comprised of more than 4,000 hives spread between approximately 120 locations between Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which require owner Tim Wendell to work some long hours; particularly during this time of year.

The days might be long, but Wendell said that it doesn’t feel like work most of time time, particularly the hours he spends with his tiny little buzzing bosses.

“I’m not the boss, the girls are the bosses,” he said of his bees, after capping off another 12-plus hour work day in late May, during which he took care of both the business side of things as well as his bees.

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Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

Wendell Honey employee Edwin Villanueva shows off a hive of bees between Roblin and Russell. (Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun)

From the Ground Up

Michael Lee 5 minute read Preview

From the Ground Up

Michael Lee 5 minute read Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

For as long as he has been in the business, Terry Durham has always wanted to do things the way nature intended it.

Hidden away on his 10-acre plot of land just north of Holland, Durham, the owner of Sandy Hills Chicken Run, doesn’t spray any chemical on his vegetables, or give his free-range chickens and turkeys any antibiotics or growth hormones.

This stands out as a point of pride for the self-described hobby farmer, who has set aside a quarter of his property to grow everything from asparagus, radishes, peas, carrots, beans, garlic, potatoes, corn, chili peppers, strawberries, or anything else he decides to try his hand at throughout the year.

Over the next several months, Durham hopes his all-natural methods will serve him well as he gets ready for the summer season at the Brandon Farmer’s Market.

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Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

Terry Durham holds a pair of newly-hatched Narragansett turkeys at his hobby farm near Holland. (Michael Lee/The Brandon Sun)

Your Summertime Ice Cream Guide

Jillian Austin 9 minute read Preview

Your Summertime Ice Cream Guide

Jillian Austin 9 minute read Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

As Manitoba’s temperatures soar, there’s no better way to cool off than with a delicious frozen treat. Ice cream is the quintessential summer indulgence, bringing people together after a baseball game, on the way to the lake or simply a way to enjoy a warm summer evening.

Trending magazine scoured Western Manitoba for the best ice cream parlours, so take note and head out on the highway for your next road trip!

Mad Dog Ice Cream — Forrest

For more than two decades, Mad Dog Ice Cream has been a popular stop for travellers on Highway 10. The old Brandon city bus has been converted into a colourful ice cream shop.

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Thursday, Jun. 28, 2018

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Morgan Ahmed and her daughter Zaara, 4, look out from their popular ice-cream spot, Mad Dog Ice Cream, in Forrest, Manitoba. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

From Prairie to Plate

Tyler Clarke 7 minute read Preview

From Prairie to Plate

Tyler Clarke 7 minute read Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

There was something about the resilient nature of bison that resonated with Trevor Gompf from a very young age.

A bison producer visited his Grade 4 classroom to talk about the animals, during which he presented students with a buffalo hide.

“I remember, right from there I fell in love with them,” Gompf said, adding; “That’s what I wanted to do, it was always in the back of my head.”

He achieved this dream at age 22, when he joined his family in securing 60 head of bison.

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Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

Digital Detox

Erin DeBooy 13 minute read Preview

Digital Detox

Erin DeBooy 13 minute read Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

Story by Erin DeBooy Photos by Matt Goerzen For the past three years from May until August, Nathan MacKrith has been taking a break from social media and his devices in order to reconnect with life off-screen.

“Summer is a beautiful time, and as Canadians we only have so long to enjoy the beautiful weather,” MacKrith said with a laugh. “I want to be out and about doing things, enjoying the weather rather than sitting inside — or even outside — on my phone … it’s just too much of a waste I find, to spend the whole summer on a phone when you could be spending time with actual people, doing all sorts of fun stuff.” MacKrith is one of many social media consumers reconsidering their relationship with the online platforms — as well as the device they use to access them.

Digital detoxing — taking a break from electronic devices and the online world in order to regain a balance in the real one — is becoming an increasing trend across North America.

A quick Google search, ironically enough, will produce a mix of day-to-day advice on how to effectively detox from technology, as well as tech-free or “off the grid” camps and retreats available around the world for those wanting to embark on a digital detox vacation.

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Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

Paving the Way Towards Rhythm

Michael Lee 7 minute read Preview

Paving the Way Towards Rhythm

Michael Lee 7 minute read Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

Michelle Paddock lay cuddled inside a cushioned, black chair, a tambourine in hand, and stared up as the guitar strings showered her with music.

As Courtney Kjaldgaard leaned her guitar in closer, Paddock looked back and a large smile crept across her face.

Paddock, known to her friends simply as Shelly, is unable to speak. But the smiles and laughter that come from Shelly when the music starts is unmistakable to those around her.

“It’s great, it’s wonderful. I’m saying that because I see the benefits,” said Brian Chaboyer, a support worker with Family Visions, a non-profit organization that supports adults with intellectual disabilities. “It’s very therapeutic for somebody like Shelly.”

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Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

Twenty-one-month old Rider Gray and eight other kids give their shakers back to music therapist Courtney Kjaldgaard near the end of their class at Knox United Church. (Michael Lee/The Brandon Sun)

Me and Mini Me Yoga

Jillian Austin 7 minute read Preview

Me and Mini Me Yoga

Jillian Austin 7 minute read Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

Welcoming a baby into the world is a joyous time as new parents adjust to life with a little one. Along with the heartwarming milestones — the first smile, giggle, or crawl — comes lack of sleep, many questions and at times, feelings of isolation.

More and more parents are taking part in postnatal yoga, which enthusiasts say not only helped them get back into shape physically, but also offered profound emotional and social benefits.

“It is so important to be a part of a community during this time of tremendous change in their life,” said Shawna Philpott, founder of Brandon City Yoga. “We often speak of all the joys of motherhood/becoming a new parent as this blissful time, but change is really, really hard.”

As a society, Philpott says, we are spending less time with friends and more time on social media “where everything is filtered and nothing is real. It is impossible not to compare your world to the ‘highlight reel’ of our friends, families or social media stars, leaving us feeling inadequate or like our life is not enough.”

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Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

Braden Whiting visits with his ten-month-old daughter Kynlee during a Me and Mini Me yoga class at Baby Bump on 18th Street.
(Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

The Yellow House, a colourful experience!

Michael Lee 8 minute read Preview

The Yellow House, a colourful experience!

Michael Lee 8 minute read Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

With an historically low vacancy rate, landing a room or an apartment that’s not only available, but affordable, can be a challenge for many.

But in certain circles, students have banded together to create their very own housing communities a trend picked up by students at Brandon University’s School of Music.

When Winnipeger Abby Ziprick first came across the Yellow House on 18th Street three years ago, it wasn’t really known by its common moniker at that point. Named after the iconic yellow paint-job that decorates the living room, Ziprick helped popularize the nickname throughout her time there.

Today, the Yellow House stands as one of the longest-running music homes in the city.

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Thursday, Mar. 29, 2018

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