Cameron rink top seed in newly branded women’s provincial championship

Rocks are already flying in Pilot Mound, as the provincial curling schedule kicked off with Manitoba’s women’s championship Jan. 22.

New Bothwell’s Kate Cameron is the top seed, as both team Kaitlyn Lawes and Team Kerri Einarson have already locked up spots in the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Those two Manitoba-based teams earned spots at nationals thanks to their pre-season spots in the Canadian Team Ranking System (CRTS).

Team Chelsea Carey had also been granted a spot at nationals thanks to their strong results last year when the team was skipped by Jennifer Jones, but lost their automatic seeding when Karlee Burgess left the team to join the Einarson rink. At least three players need to return for a team to keep their qualifications.

Team Cameron will be bringing a newer look line-up to the provincial event, as usual second Brianna Cullen is representing Canada at the International University Sports Federation world games. The team is currently seventh in the CRTS, and the highest-seeded team at provincials.

Carillon Sports second shots: Jan. 16th edition

Featuring photos from an SRSS Sabres hockey game against Selkirk Jan. 8, two Steinbach Pistons/Niverville Nighthawks games Jan. 9 and Jan. 11 and a Steinbach Huskies game Jan. 10.

Kirkness explores pop country in new album

Jason Kirkness said his third album, What Got Me Here is drastically different than his first two. For the Kleefeld born and raised country musician it’s his first foray into what he calls pop country.

And since the album’s release in November, people have embraced his new approach to country music.

“People seem to really enjoy this particular brand of country music at the moment,” he said. “That’s always fun to connect with the crowd and certainly hearing them sing the words and being in the moment with you… that’s a special feeling.”

Nationally celebrated for his country sound, Kirkness was awarded Male Artist of the Year in 2023 at the Manitoba Country Music Awards. His single “Anywhere the Night Goes” spent 18 weeks on the Canadian Billboard Top 50.

Providence turns to de Jong to head cross-country team

A new sport means a new head coach at Providence College.

The school is aiming to enter a team in the National Christian Colleges Athletic Association’s cross-country championship in Indiana this fall.

The program will be led by Caleb de Jong, a Trinity Western University graduate, who competed in track and field at the USports level at University.

“It’s an exciting time,” de Jong said in a Providence news release.

Fire And Ice Banquet features Bomber great

The greatest receiver to play in the Canadian Football League will be entertaining the region’s sports fans at the Steinbach Pistons annual Fire and Ice Banquet.

The team announced Milt Stegall will be the guest speaker at their banquet earlier this month.

When he retired after the 2008 season, he was both the leagues all-time receiving yards leader and all-time touchdown leader, a record he still holds to this day. He was inducted into the Canadian football hall of fame after he finished playing.

What makes those accomplishments all the more impressive is Stegall spent all 14 seasons in Canada with the Blue Bombers.

School division misses out again on Jordan’s Principle funding

Hanover School Division has resubmitted their Jordan’s Principle funding applications after they were found to be missing information.

The school received a letter from Indigenous Services Canada recently that informed them that some of the applications were rejected based on substantive equality criteria, which is the legal principal that refers to the achievement of true equality in outcomes such as equal access and equal opportunities.

“The majority of these applications have been resubmitted by our school teams and student services with the additional information that they now require as per the updated criteria,” said superintendent Joe Thiessen.

“This is extremely disappointing for us obviously, we’ve observed first-hand the incredible impact that additional supports have had on our students so we’re committed to advocating for the necessary resources to continue this work…,” he noted.

‘A treasure and a pleasure,’ — Dreger retires after 40 years on the air

In late 1984, Clayton Dreger had little experience as a broadcaster. He had provided CFAM radio in Altona bonspiel reports as part of his role on the Morris Curling Club’s board of directors, but had yet to nab a position.

Those reports caught the ear of the station’s decision makers, who soon offered the then 24-year-old a job, which he has stayed in ever since.

“I had no idea where CFAM even was,” Dreger said with a laugh, noting Al Friesen, who was both the program director for CFAM and president of the Southern Manitoba Super Curling League heard his reports and was impressed enough to offer the job.

“I told him I was working construction in Winnipeg but I wanted to get into radio, I just don’t know how. He said, ‘we’re looking for somebody.’”

Comic books and drywall art showing at Hall Gallery

Indigenous cartoons that work on healing and reconciliation and drywall art designed to be inclusive are examples of two artists who will be featured at the Steinbach Arts Council’s Hall Gallery for the next 30 days.

Artists Jessie Jannuska and Natalie Svingen will display their art from Jan. 10 to Feb. 14.

“I was super excited to be approved for the show at first, then I started questioning my work and if I’m good enough. I really appreciate that the Steinbach Arts Council didn’t ever make me feel like I wasn’t as talented as some people that show. We all have to start somewhere and I think it’s very encouraging for new artists to be included,” said Svingen.

Jannuska, who is of Dakota, Ojibway, and settler ancestry, has had multiple showings of her work at various galleries and she said she wants her show to be about healing and reconciliation.

COLUMN: Village News – Featured exhibit offers migration exploration

“Mennonite Reflections: Arriving in Manitoba 150 Years Ago” is the exhibit currently featured in the Gerhard Ens Gallery. The following is the first in a series of articles highlighting each of the seven themes presented in this exhibit.

Theme 1 – Emigration: Leaving Imperial Russia

For centuries, Low-German Mennonites have migrated to various countries, their primary motivation being the maintaining of their faith and traditions. In the 1780s, Catherine the Great invited Mennonites in Prussia, among others, to settle in “South Russia” (now Ukraine). She promised special privileges, offering them an opportunity to live and worship as they desired.

By the mid-19th century, Imperial Russia, led by Czar Alexander II, aimed to modernize and Russify the empire following their defeat in the Crimean War. The Mennonites, previously living in relative isolation and under the guardianship committee which oversaw their day-to-day governance, were to be integrated into the Empire, which would mean significant changes to their way of life. One major change instituted across the empire was the abolition of the colonist category, which included the Mennonites. This loss of administrative rights meant that their unique integration of religious and secular administration was undermined, leading to concerns about maintaining their traditional way of life.

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback February 10, 1971 – At Red Rock Bible Camp they make fun of winter

Who ever said that a Manitoba winter was good for nothing but huddling close to a warm air register? Seventy-five fathers and sons recently demonstrated that winter camping can be just as much fun, or perhaps more fun, than traditional summer outings.

An overwhelming success was the most apt way of describing a two-day retreat for men and boys at Red Rock Lake Bible Camp in January.

According to camp director Al Hiebert, participants were enjoying themselves even more than summer campers and not a single boy said a thing about being bored on the weekend.

But, of course, there’s a catch to all this winter fun. Winter campers have to come dressed with a little more than just “long johns”. Proper sub-zero clothing is readily available and was sported by nearly all at the camp.