Ayesha Badiola

As outside hitter Sienna Driedger went up for the kill that would go down in Steinbach Sabres history, she says she felt the pressure but was fired up all at once.  

Earlier this month, the SRSS Sabres captured their first Provincial AAAA Girls Varsity Girls Volleyball Championship in school history. They knocked off the Lord Selkirk Royals in five sets. 

Captain Driedger says the moment they were named champions felt surreal.  

It was a year of hitting milestones, seeing growth and making connections for the Pat Porter Active Living Centre (PPALC). Executive director Audrey Harder highlights the memorable events from the last year. 

They hit 500 members, which Harder says has never happened before. Their members aren’t just seniors. Their youngest member is seven years old, and the oldest is in their 90s, as there is no age requirement to becoming a member.  

The program director of Eastman Immigrant Services (EIS) looks back on their year of serving hundreds of new families and newcomers in the community. 

Program director Gwen Reimer says in 2023, they welcomed around 700 newcomers to their office and helped them with settlement needs.  

One of many families’ needs is the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program.  

From restorations to memorable events, MHV (Mennonite Heritage Village) executive director Gary Dyck looks back on their 2023.  

Dyck says it has been a good year for attendance with approximately 50,000 visitors this year. Ten thousand visitors came from outside Canada—mainly from the U.S. and Europe—which makes up 20 per cent of the group. 

“It's really neat to mingle and connect with [them], and I know our volunteers love connecting with people from international and hearing their story and perspectives,” Dyck says. 

All hands are on deck in Niverville during the holiday season. 

Larissa Sandulak of Niverville Helping Hands says she is grateful for how the 88 Christmas hampers came together with the community's help.  

Sandaluk thanks community members for sponsoring the hampers and helping fill their needs. 

Ms. Frizzle and the Magic School Bus may only be a cartoon to many, but a former Hanover School Division bus driver brought them to life on the last day of school before Christmas break.  

Kelly Penner has been a bus driver for 14 years and is moving on from her role to become a pharmacy technician.  

Questions about waste and recycling come up as we head into the holidays. Does Christmas wrapping paper go in the recycling bin? Where should live trees go?  

The City of Steinbach’s solid waste manager Eldon Wallman says a list of recycling dos and don’ts is on the City of Steinbach website year round.  

Wallman says wrapping paper is generally not recyclable—with a few exceptions.  

Niverville hosted the Development Plan and Zoning Bylaw Open House on Tuesday evening at the Community Resource & Recreation Centre. Urban Systems presented Niverville’s development and bylaw plans to the public. 

Niverville mayor Myron Dyck says they hired Urban Systems through the request for proposal process. They provided council with a development plan renewal for the next five years. 

The Steinbach Pistons aren't going anywhere, but they will be sporting a different jersey to celebrate La Broquerie hockey this weekend.  

Marketing manager Jamie Roy says the Pistons are hosting Habs Jersey Nights to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the La Broquerie Habs. They will celebrate with brand-new dark blue jerseys designed by Tyson Kehler that feature the Habs logo and red and white stripes. 

Community members from southeast Manitoba and beyond welcomed fall at the Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) on the September long weekend. 

The annual Fall on the Farm festival returned with demonstrations, activities, food and live entertainment. Executive Director Gary Dyck says they host the event as it allows learning and improves “well-being.”