Submitted by: Jenniffer León Centeno | Minitonas First Baptist Church held a Family Life Conference from April 20 to 22, 2018 as part of the celebrations for its 90th Anniversary. The Conference consisted of 4 sessions: one focused on parents with small children. The second one was directed to how to build healthy relationships with […]

Submitted by: Jakki Lumax | The SVRSS gymnasium was filled with tumbles and cheers as the Swan Valley Cheetah’s hosted their Beginner Invitational on Friday, April 20, 2018 and the 2018 Manitoba Gymnastics Provincials on Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22. In the Pre Provincial Comp, Jada Kujanpaa came in second with Sierra Makasoff […]

Submitted by: Dee-Ann Clarkson | On Friday April 20, 2018 the SVRSS Geography students held a Soup and Sandwich lunch to help fund raise money for their Banff Geo Trip in May. The students will leave Swan River May 17th and return May 27th. During this trip the students will enjoy many different experiences such […]

Submitted by: Sandy Ellingson |Residents of Swan River Valley gathered together on Sunday, April 22 at 3pm in the Centennial Arena to pay tribute to the lives lost and to pray for all those impacted by the Humboldt Broncos bus accident tragedy. Stampeder Chaplain Chris Staniland welcomed everyone to the service. Cramer Coulthart, Swan Valley […]

Submitted by: Edgar Yacyshyn | On Sunday April 22, 2018, All Saints Ukrainian Catholic Parish held their first annual Perogy and Sausage supper. Thanks to the professional catering of Y Not Johnny’s the meal was hot and delicious. All the volunteer help we received made the first time event a success. A huge thanks to […]

Submitted by: Lesley Betcher | Wellman Lake Bible Camp (WLBC) held their annual camp kickoff April 15,2018 which consisted of a hamburger bbq supper followed by a pie auction. There were over 100 people in attendance who learned about the various camp projects and was introduced to the 2018 camp staff. At the end of […]

Submitted by: Donna Burghart | The Valley was ready for barbecue season and a great weekend of barbecues was held in support of the Class of 2018 graduates on April 14 and 16, 2018. Key Auto Group truly showed the meaning of community support with their generosity towards the graduating class of 2018! A huge […]

Submitted by: Lyle Malley | A great time was had by all that attended the Elvis tribute concert on April 13, 2018 at the Birch River Legion Hall. The evening started out with a few Merle Haggard songs before Elvis took the stage. It didn’t take long for people to hit the floor and dance […]

Prairie Mountain Health Update | The Swan Valley Primary Care Centre (SVPCC) continues to review and implement ways to enhance services to residents of the Swan River Valley area. The SVPCC is a collaborative care clinic. Collaborative care is an approach that is used so patients/clients can see a physician —or other health-care professional —like […]

Submitted by: Austen Anderson | The Swan River Valley Ag Society hosted the Farmer’s Appreciation Gala on the evening of Friday the 13, 2018 to great success. Close to 150 guests met at the Swan Valley Historical Museum to enjoy a fantastic roast beef meal catered by Why Not Johnny’s followed by a entertaining live […]

Submitted by: Lloyd Gilchrist | The Valley Stage Players presented three very successful performances of the audience interactive play, “Café Murder” written by Nathan Hartswick under the direction of Denis Beaudoin on April 13, 14 and 15, 2018. Friday and Saturday night performances were dinner theatres with the audience enjoying a very delicious salad and […]

Swan Valley Co-op Media Release | Swan Valley Co-op is investing in an anhydrous ammonia (NH3) fertilizer storage facility at its Benito Ag Site. The facility will store approximately 800 metric tons of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer to supply to agricultural producers throughout the Swan Valley area. The capacity of this facility is 4.5 times the […]

Pictured above: Community Foundation of Swan Valley Grant Recipients | Submitted Story | The Community Foundation of Swan Valley (CFSV) held a granting night on April 12, 2018. A total of $15,000 in new grants were awarded to local community projects along with an additional $2,500 granted by the SVRSS Youth in Philanthropy group. While […]

Submitted by: Edgar Yacyshyn | Saturday April 14, 2018, at the Durban Community Hall, friends, neighbours and a lot of valley residents and businesses helped by supporting a pancake breakfast fundraiser for Roger Gauthier and family. With the amount of prizes that were donated for the auction it was nice to see all the businesses […]

Submitted by: Ione Anderson | It was sunny but cold on the morning of Saturday April 7, 2018, but that didn’t deter the Minitonas 4-H Beef Club from cooking up some grub and serving customers at Peavey Mart with a smile. Customers purchasing lunch were entered for a draw on the BBQ provided by Peavey […]

Submitted by: June Jamieson | Seventh-five attended the Spring Hymn Sing at the Seventh-day Adventist Church on Sunday April 8, 2018 to participate in the singing and to be blessed by the presentations of others. An attractive lunch was provided in the basement following the program. Many stayed to enjoy a time of refreshment and […]

Submitted by: David Ogram | On the evenings of March 28 and March 29, 2018 information Meetings were held in the 2nd Floor Boardroom at the Swan Valley Health Centre to explain the Diabetes Undone Program. Diabetes Undone is an International Program that has been held across Canada and the United States for the last […]

Submitted Photo: ValleyBiz Story | The Minitonas Middle Years School took some time during their morning assembly Monday, April 9, 2018 to show respect for the Humboldt Broncos team members who who lost their lives, those who were injured and all those affected by the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash. During the weekend many local […]

ValleyBiz Story | Rick Wowchuk, MLA for Swan River, was in Bowsman on April 6, 2018 to provide details on the Manitoba Government’s announcement of new early learning and child-care spaces. “This exciting announcement demonstrates our commitment to delivering quality childcare to Manitoba families,” said MLA Wowchuk. “I am pleased that we are creating new […]

ValleyBiz Story | Swan Valley Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) President Johnny Wintoniw and Vice President Warren Genik attended the March 20, 2018 Town of Swan River (Town) Council meeting to follow up on their request for $225,000 in funding over the next 3 years. Don’t Axe the Tax Says Chamber of Commerce After some review […]

Submitted by: Violet Plett | We had a great time this week (March 26 – March 28, 2018) with 3 Gospel concerts performed in Sapotaweyak, Barrows and Wuskwi Sipihk by Kene and Milly Jackson, from Alberta. In Barrows and Indian Birch, we also had addidtional local singers. They sang during the fundraising supper in Barrows, […]

Submitted by: Evelyn Bredin | Approximately 30 ladies met at Community Bible Fellowship for the annual Women of the Valley Conference on March 24, 2018. The day began with a Continental Breakfast / Social Time which led into the program of the day. Following an ice breaker by Myrna Zinkiew, Tobey Thiessen, Margaret Nemez, Michelle […]

Submitted by: Beverley Polon | Swan Valley Communities That Care has completed another cycle of both the Positive Parenting program (Triple P) and the Guiding Good Choices (GGC) parenting programs. Parents and caregivers participated in the programs, which ran from January 18 to March 22, 2018. These parent workshops were held at Taylor School. Triple […]

Pictured (L-R): Reeve Bill Galloway, Councillor Irwin Steen, Ken Sutherland ValleyBiz Story | On March 27, 2018 the Municipality of Swan Valley West (SVW) held a ceremony to dedicate a Commemorative Road Sign for Ken Sutherland Drive at Road 220 N on Hwy #10 in honour of Ken Sutherland’s contributions to the community. It was […]

Sample Playground Equipment: Source Minitonas Middle Years School ValleyBiz Story | The Swan Valley School Division (SVSD) has received formal approval from the Province of Manitoba to close Minitonas Early Years School and renovations to accommodate the students at Minitonas Middle Years School have already begun. While the students are out of the school for […]

Submitted by: Shayne Yaschyshyn |The Swan Valley Splash Park (SVSP) committee was struck by a number of individuals develop a Splash Park at the old Kinsmen Pool site on 9th Avenue North. This committees intent was to raise all of the capital money needed to develop the park. Early in the discussions with the Town […]

Pictured above: 1st Event Sponsored by Rogers, Winners Darlene Beck, Joanne Hart, Shelly Jersak, Fran Argue Submitted by: Marilyn Peters | The Swan River Ladies Curling Club held its 90th annual bonspiel March 16 to 18, 2018 with 28 teams participating. The luck of the Irish was with some while not so much with others […]

Submitted by: Michele Poole | The Swan School of Dance held their annual recital on Wednesday March 21, 2018 in front of a full and appreciative crowd. Dance disciplines including Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop and Ballet were show cased during the evening. The show concluded with a very special number featuring our Tap Teacher, Teri […]

Submitted Story: Photos by Doug Watson, Dale Nobel, Brett Church | The Swan Valley Lions want to sincerely thank all the people that came out to enjoy the 21st annual Billy Beal Ice Fishing Derby at Whitefish Lake on March 17, 2018. Over 600 people that came out enjoyed the beautiful weather and great food. […]

Submitted by: Debbie Soloway | On Sunday March 11, 2018 the Pine River Community Centre opened its doors to 130 guests anticipating a delicious supper and with the aroma of baked chicken in the air it made their mouth water. The supper consisted of breaded chicken drumsticks and thighs, sweet and sour pork strips served […]

Submitted by: Jessica Bergen | The second Everything’s a Quarter sale put on by the Parent Pack was a huge success! With donations accepted from the public, the Elbert Chartrand Friendship Centre was filled with many new and gently used items for sale. With absolutely everything for sale at only 25 cents, things moved quickly! […]

Submitted by : Jessica Lacasse | Mike Scott presented his story to a group of students and community members in Swan River on March 13, 2018. Over 200 people came out to hear Mike share his experience with child welfare, addictions and resilience. It was an inspiring event in which everyone was challenged to be […]

Submitted by: Prairie Mountain Health | The severity of the recent Town of Swan River water supply system issue at the end of January had Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) on high alert. As potable water is a necessity in the provision of health care services, the Swan River incident proved that having emergency planning and […]

Pictured above: Front Row: Owen Martyniuk, 2nd Row: Damien Leask, Trace Langan, Matt Zamzow, Caleb Rooks, Payton Thompson, Dade Werbicki, 3rd Row: Christian Hart, Grace Kirk, Maddix Eisner, Tyrell Leaske, Alex Campbell, Tucker Thompson, Tavyn BoychukBack Row: Coaches Jason Eisner, Blaine Campbell, Chris Zamzow Submitted by: Blaine Campbell | The Atom A Stampeders earned a […]

Submitted by St. Andrew’s United Church Women | The annual World Day of Prayer service was held Friday March 2, 2018 and was hosted by St. Andrew’s United Church. The theme being “All God’s Creation Is Very Good” focusing on the environment. Seven local denominations took part featuring the Country of Suriname. We read and […]

Star & Times Photos submitted by Jessica Bergen | The Swan River Skating Club held their annual carnival on Monday, March 12, 2018. The ‘Under the Sea’ theme was a big splash, and audience members were thrilled with the skill each skater showed. A big thank you to all who helped make it a success […]

Submitted Story | The Swan Valley Peewee A Stampeders were victorious at the Hockey Manitoba Provincial Championships in La Broquiere on March 2-5 by capturing the Peewee A Provincial title. In the Championship game, the Peewee Stamps again faced a strong Mitchell Mohawks, a team that desperately wanted revenge for an overtime loss in the […]

Submitted by: Leigh Osatchuk | The Benito Vesselli Dance Club held their 36th Annual Concert on March 10, 2018. Family and friends, along with spectators from the community gathered in the Benito School Gym to enjoy the fantastic presentation put on by the dancers. The entire club kicked off the show with the Privyt – […]

Submitted photo: Manitoba Winter Games Gold Medal Winners! Presley Sagert, Skip; Madison Sagert, Lead; Bryn Zamzow, Second; Eden Betcher, Third ValleyBiz Story| The Manitoba Winter Games took place March 4-10, 2018 in Thompson, MB and several athletes from the Swan Valley made the trip to compete in the province’s largest ongoing multi-sport program. The Manitoba […]

Pictured above: Front Row: Jada Kujanpaa, Sydney Gilroy, Ireland Staples, Brenna Schure, Ali Kujanpaa, Brynlee Spencer Back Row: Coach: Lise Fraser, Sydney Fedorchuk, Lauren Klatt, Adria Bateman, Caitlyn Stewart, Erica Sembaluk-Hart, Jasmine Rose, Josie Black. Asst. Coach: Erica Forsyth, Manager: Jennifer Zamzow Submitted by: Lise Fraser | What a season it has been for the […]

A friendly reminder from ValleyBiz that Daylight Savings Time begins tonight. The official time to set your clocks ahead 1 hour is: 2:00 am Sunday, March 11, 2018 Set your clock to: 3:00 am Each year, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

Submitted by: Judy Kostyshyn | The NDP Spring Sale was held on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the Swan Valley Museum. A variety of home based businesses provided new and innovative products for shoppers to choose from. The event also included a lunch menu of homemade soups, pies & bunwiches, which were enjoyed by all […]

Submitted by: Leon Church | The second annual Mighty Bucks Loonie Toonie Tournament went on as planned in Bowsman on the weekend, Feb 23 & 24th, 2018. The host Bucks finished the weekend with a 3-1 record, but failing to reach the finals with a 2-1 loss to the SCN Braves in a semi final. […]

RM of Mountain Public Notice The RM of Mountain is pleased to announce Paige Larocque has been appointed Chief Administrative Officer for the Municipality effective March 5th, 2018. Paige has 7 years of municipal experience and graduated with a Certificate in Manitoba Municipal Administration. Council would like to thank our office staff; Kim, Paige & […]

SVSD Public Notice | The Swan Valley School Division has announced that due to hazardous winter conditions, all SVSD buses are cancelled for Tuesday, March 6, 2018.

Star & Times Photos submitted by: Jessica Bergen | The Minitonas Skating Club put on a great carnival on March 1, 2018 featuring 10 solos, 3 group numbers and 3 learn to skate groups, showcasing what they have learned this year. A big thank you to all who came out to support our club. We […]

Swan Valley School Division Public Notice March 5, 2018| Due to hazardous winter conditions all buses are cancelled. As well, schools in Benito, Birch River, Bowsman and Minitonas will be closed today. Schools in the Town of Swan River will remain open.

Media Release| On February 28, 2018, Rick Wowchuk, MLA for Swan River, announced that the Manitoba Government is making major investments to ensure local health care facilities are properly maintained. “I am pleased that our Progressive Conservative government is investing in health care facilities in our constituency,” said MLA Wowchuk “This investment will ensure that […]

Submitted by: Leigh Osatchuk |The Annual Benito Firemen’s Association Supper held at the Benito Rec Centre on Sunday Feb. 25, 2018 was a huge success. The volunteer firefighters and their families hosted the Swan Valley and surrounding area for a terrific meal. Community members showed their support by either cooking turkeys or donating supper items […]

Pictured above: 1st prize winner of the All Roads Lead to Bocce Lap Quilt, Darla Leslie along with her son Kolton Leslie of Minitonas. Submitted by: Shirley Todosichuk | Congratulations to the winners of the Special Olympics Parkland Region’s Fabulous Valentine Quilt Raffle. A total of $1750 was raised from the Russell, Swan River and […]