Adi Loewen

“Quiet and respectful” That is Principal Penny Alcock’s description of the graduating class at Vita Shevchenko.

She adds that in a year that was marked by many achievements and community spirit, the 19 students in the class of 2024 made a significant impact on the school.

Alcock notes that, this year, there was a real emphasis and commitment to wellness and creativity.

Well known for her career in volleyball as player and coach, Michelle Sawatzky-Koop was honoured by being inducted into the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame Wednesday evening in Ottawa.

Michelle Sawatzky-Koop says the anticipation coming up to the event was very special, while the evening itself was amazing.

It’s been exactly three months and 16 days since the re-opening of the Catholic Church in Vita, Manitoba.

The 100-year-old Saint Isidor church had sat empty for many years, and then last fall, Steinbach resident and member of the Catholic Church in Steinbach took steps to open its doors in order to give local parishioners a place to worship.

A Steinbach Christian School student represented Manitoba last weekend at MusicFest 2024 Canada in Toronto.  

Benjamin Hiebert from Blumenort is in Grade 11 at SCS, and has been singing since he was eight years old. His mother Dana says he was looking for a way to challenge himself and so he auditioned for the national choir competition.  

The Steinbach and Area Ministerial Association, along with Southern Health, are excited to announce the hiring of a new interim Spiritual Care Provider at Bethesda Regional Health Centre.

Gary Dyck will take over from Lydia Summerville-Dueck who will be on maternity leave until 2025.

The Southeast Community Services Co-op recently unveiled the design plans of a 20-room Timberline Community Assisted Living housing project.

The Economic Development Manager for Sunrise Corner, Monique Chenier, shares the history of the housing project.

With the arrival of spring comes a busier time of year for Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre, and their Executive Director says they are getting ready for the rush.

The Vita Food Bank moved to a new location in January 2024. They are still based in Vita but not the visitation shelter as one would have expected.

Food Coordinator, Jane Roman says, “Well, we never did move into that. We never got that far.” She continues noting that one of their Board Members had an idea to move the Vita Food Bank into an empty building in Vita.

Highway construction crews have been working along Hwy 201 between Stuartburn and Hwy 59 in southern Manitoba in recent weeks.

Reeve for the RM of Stuartburn, Michelle Gawronsky says, “I was very excited to see the signs going up, telling us that there was going to be culvert work done. And it's the intermunicipal road between Emerson-Franklin and the RM of Stuartburn.” Gawronsky adds, “This is long time in coming.”

The church bells at San Isidore Catholic Church in Vita were heard ringing once again last week Saturday afternoon, and the pews were filled with parishioners, because of one member of the Filipino community in Steinbach.