Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc. – Service to Seniors

Hello to all, 88 people attended the three days of Coffee and a Chat this month. It was great to see you all again and meet the new people who came.

Donna Martin had a chat with us about the Community Foundation of Swan Valley, who they are, what they do and the services they provide to our community. They have a very good website that is easy to follow at: https://cfsv.ca

Their tag line is “Leave a lasting Legacy for the Swan Valley”. It is true, they have received donations from all areas of the valley in denominations as small as $20, and they provide financial support to Charities, qualified donees and non-profit groups through a twice a year grant intake. Special Event! Every gift made to a Manitoba community foundation’s unrestricted fund during the Endow Manitoba Giving Challenge is stretched by The Winnipeg Foundation and the Manitoba government this year is Nov 10-15, 2025.
Community Foundation of Swan Valley Inc.
P.O. Box 1509 Swan River, MB R0L 1Z0
ph: 204-734-9129

Deb Schulz led us through a presentation of the building blocks of well-being for Seniors in Birch River.

Don’t let aging take your enjoyment out of life!

“Collectively, community partners and government, are working together to help improve the factors that contribute to a person’s overall quality of life. A person’s health is not a stand-alone issue but is interconnected with a range of social, economic, and environmental factors-the social determinants of health.” Meal Planning and cooking your own food can aid you in eating a balanced diet, aim for at least 8 glasses of water daily (earlier in the day), 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, includes cooking, cleaning and yard work. Include exercises that improve balance and flexibility.

Keep your mind active by engaging in mentally stimulating activities and social connections. If you do need a Doctor and can not access one when needed you can use the following Virtual healthcare professional for Canadian residents with a provincial health card. https://qdoc.ca or https://gotodoctor.ca

Patti Hack gave us some of her musing on life, grief, joy and growing older (but not up) in Benito. Patti has family history in Benito area and was pleased to reconnect with families she hadn’ t seen in years. She says “I love writing, and it’s been my hobby for a long time. Not in an overly polished way, but in the quiet, comforting way you scribble in a notebook to figure out what you really think. This book didn’t come together overnight. Some of these essays have been waiting on my computer for years. This isn’t a book of life advice. This is simply a looking-back book. A pause to reflect, to laugh and sometimes wince. We all play the game better when we look back at how we played.”

“Preparation Paralysis-Have you ever spent so long getting ready to do something that you never actually did the thing? Welcome to preparation paralysis, that sneaky, sneaky trap where you convince yourself you’re being productive while doing everything but the thing you set out to do. Here’s the kicker-preparation feels good. It tricks the brain into thinking you are moving forward. And sure, there’s something to be said for being organized and thoughtful. But at some point, sharpening the pencil becomes an excuse not to write the sentence. But let me tell you something, I’ve learned the hard way, you will never feel 100% ready. Life doesn’t wait for a clean kitchen, and I’ve lived long enough to know that messy beginnings are better than perfect intentions. Start the thing!”

Mature Driver Refresher Presentation was cancelled on September 24, 2025 due to Safety Services double booking the date. Due to circumstances out of our control, we had no time to inform the community of the change. We thank the RCMP for sending constable Gabe to the Veterans Hall for 9:30 September 25, 2025, to fill in for the Mature Driver Refresher Presentation. Tim Hortons supplied coffee and donuts to our 64 guests. Upon Gabe’s arrival, we introduced the cancellation of the main event, but we would have Gabe do a question-and-answer session relating to driving,
transportation and in general, road rules. Gabe did a wonderful job of this impromptu session. He reacts well to the public, fielded questions with honest answers and sincere knowledge. He stayed a little over an hour answering the questions, sometimes with humour. The group felt very comfortable interacting with him. We are very happy to invite Gabe and his family into our community.

This month we would like to thank Swan Valley Insurance Group, Cook & Cooke Insurance Brokers, Swan Wood Shavings for their cash donations towards the rent of the Veterans Hall, Tim Hortons for the refreshments.

October sessions in Birch River will be Amy with Manitoba Emergency Management Organization and Deb Schulz with cancer awareness. Benito will be Amy with Manitoba Emergency Management Organization and Painting with Carla.

First time Swan River Senior Citizen Center will be hosting Geoff Van Mackelberg with Manitoba Alzheimer’s and Donna will present for Community Foundations of the Swan Valley. It sounds like an interesting lineup.
See you there!