On October 24th, Winkler’s small business community gathered to forge connections and share inspiring words over a meal.
The luncheon, which was hosted by the Winkler Chamber of Commerce, sought to be a meeting of the heart of the community.
Inspiring one another
For Tanya Chateauneuf, the executive director of the host organization, the event is always encouraging.
“I always just leave feeling so inspired, and I love seeing all the ways that our community comes together and networks and helps each other,” she says. “Many stories tie into each other and that sense of community is one of my favourite things.”
Chateauneuf says that the luncheon is a good opportunity to connect with the small businesses in the area and profile one’s own business — it's a chance to learn from others and offer insights to strengthen the community overall.
A spotlight on a local non-profit organization
At this year’s annual luncheon, Kevin Hildebrand of The Bunker and Dave Kasdorf of Choice Realty gave speeches that emphasized community bonds. Kasdorf’s speech featured an encomium of The Bunker.
Chateauneuf says the tribute was unplanned, but that doesn't mean it surprised her.
“We had no idea that that was going to work out the way it did,” she says. “It’s just a great way to show how so many businesses are intertwined. They're so passionate about working together and supporting each other, and that's really what our Winkler business community is about.”
“I just want to say thank you to the entire community. Thank you to our amazing members for just always stepping up and coming out and supporting the Chamber and supporting each other. We are just so grateful to have such a wonderful business community." -Tanya Chateauneuf, executive director of Winkler's Chamber of Commerce.
Kasdorf, a realtor and a managing partner of Choice, was also pleased with the luncheon.
“I think it went well,” he says. “We've got a vibrant business community. The Chamber of Commerce always does a great job in holding these events, so we're happy to attend.”
A call to the community
Kevin Hildebrand’s speech at the luncheon was one of the inspiring periods of the day. He spoke about a concept that is sometimes easier to think about than to practice: love.
“If I want to wrap it all up, I'd say the biggest thing would be to love people always. Try to love them unconditionally, regardless of where their life has been [and] where you think their life is at,” he says. “Every one of us [needs] grace, we need to have hope, and we need to be loved.”
In his powerful speech, Hildebrand (whose career is centred around supporting and encouraging youth as the executive director of The Bunker) said that if the community embraced caring for each other in the ways he outlined, he would be out of a job. He also issues a challenge to the region.
“We already have the great benefit of a very loving, compassionate community,” he says. “I just think we maybe need to step up our game a little bit more and instead of [resting] on our laurels of . . . believing how great we are, know that we could still do a lot better.”
Hank Froese, chair of Winkler’s Chamber of Commerce, says that Hildebrand’s message caught the audience's attention.
“I think the presentations were really well done,” he says. “I think they were well received. From what I saw, the attendees were engaged.”
Froese says that while The Bunker is a non-profit and not a business, Hildebrand was invited to speak because of the organization’s role in the community and its relationship with local businesses.
“The Bunker is an important piece of the Winkler community and many of the businesses in the room are supporters of [it],” he says. “They believe in the work that The Bunker does, so it was a good platform for Kevin to give everybody an update.”
Another representative from The Bunker at the luncheon was Hailey Fehr, who has recently joined the organization as the girls’ ministry director. Fehr’s favourite part of Hildebrand’s speech was the encouragement.
“I mean, we all need it, but to be able to share what we're doing [and] also [how] we can all make that impact around town — how . . . we all get to spread grace and love and hope — that was amazing,” she says.
A beneficial point of contact
To Chair Froese, events like the business luncheon are important for the Winkler Chamber to organize. Not only do they facilitate networking, but they also provide a chance to “build on the spirit of entrepreneurship and friendship.”
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Echoing this sentiment was Morden-Winkler MLA Carrie Hiebert, who also attended. For Hiebert, the luncheon hits all the right notes year after year.
“The meal is always great. Great food. The company is always wonderful. It's just nice to sit around a table and talk about the community and eat together,” she says. “This is really important for the community. Just to sit together, discuss, and listen to these different speakers [and] different organizations.”
MLA Hiebert says the luncheon offers useful insights on what’s happening in Winkler.
“We get such a good perspective on, for example, The Bunker. [It’s] really great to hear what kind of things they do in the community to help with our youth, and we had Choice Realty. [Both are] important businesses that contribute to our community and . . . the quality of life that we all have,” she says. “It's important for us to get together.”
To attendees, the business luncheon was a microcosm of how Winkler businesses work together to improve the community. The theme of the afternoon was collaboration, the extent of which renders Chateauneuf speechless.
“I can't even tell you how proud I am to come from a business community that is competitive in healthy ways and collaborative in the best ways,” she says.
In the end, the small business luncheon was a success.
Stay connected with Winkler & District’s Chamber of Commerce through their website.
~With files from Alexander Peters and Connie Bailey~
