‘As long as you are doing what you love’

As World Baton Twirling Day approaches — it is celebrated April 10 — a key figure in the local baton community is reflecting on how the sport has created so many connections for her through the years.

East Kildonan resident Tammy de Jong — a Sport Manitoba coach-of-the-year nominee this year — is the head coach of Sakura Baton Twirlers, which offers classes for boys and girls aged four and older at a number of locations across the city, including at Champlain, Glenwood and Linden Woods community centres, and at Hampstead, Harold Hatcher and Bison Run schools.

Last year’s team highlights included a trip to Europe in August, when several members of Sakura qualified to represent Canada in Turin, Italy, at the Nations Cup, after qualifying at a Nations Cup event earlier in the year.

The contingent that went to Italy included coaches de Jong, her daughter Caitlyn, and Yonatan Orlov; as well as duet twirlers Hailey Tsitrin and Danika Huff, along with teammate Kyle Doherty. Gennie Muller of Aerial Fusion, another Winnipeg-based club, was also part of the team.

Ukrainian Winnipeg – from A to Z

Whether you’re a Ukrainian entrepreneur looking to promote your business, or a consumer looking to experience Ukrainian culture or support Ukrainian-owned businesses, the Ukrainian Guide to Winnipeg website is for you. The site showcases more than 140 businesses across 28 categories, including handmade food, home improvement and cleaning services.

Creator Mila Shykota, who works for the provincial government, said she got the idea about a year ago from a cultural project at work in which employees took turns describing the food and culture of their countries of origin.

“When I was preparing my own presentation about Ukraine, I thought it would be great to collect all Ukrainian restaurants and cafes into one booklet so my colleagues can buy Ukrainian food and souvenirs,” Shykota said.

As she began to collect the information, Shykota expanded the project to include the many talented, self-employed people making ends meet as tradespeople, crafters and making food. She then added companies and organizations that sell Ukrainian food and gifts or showcase Ukrainian culture.

Growing opportunity

Although they may be a little late in coming, the signs of spring are undeniably here.

Look no further than the work already going into preparing for the Glenelm Neighbourhood Association (GeNA)’s seventh annual Sweets & Seeds — a bake sale, seed and sprout swap, and maker’s market — which takes place on the Saturday of May long weekend each year.

“We have people from the neighbourhood get together to sell things they’ve created, as well as a plan and seed swap and bake sale,” said GeNA co-chair Rod Kennish. “It’s a really fun community-based event, entirely done by volunteers. It’s important to be working towards the neighbourhood you want to see.”

This year’s event, which takes place on May 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will also feature the Glenelm Sprouts kids’ market, which made its debut last year and is already looking to be bigger and better this time around.

Better care coming to Kirkfield Park

Spring’s on the way – if you’re an optimist like me. I’m counting down the days until the warm weather, sunshine, and those first flowers poking through the snow. February and March get a rough reputation around here, and honestly, they’ve earned it. But there’s still plenty happening in these months to feel good about.

February holds a special place for me though. Sure, I love Festival du Voyageur and those last weeks of winter fun, but I Love To Read Month? That’s what makes February stand out. This year, I had the chance to read with young people across Kirkfield Park – at Strathmillan, Sansome, Athlone, École Bannatyne, and the YMCA/YWCA Childcare Centre. While we were there, we also made sure our school libraries are stocked with quality, in-demand books from Canadian authors, such as On the Trapline, by David A. Robertson and Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams, by Shari Green.

Grace Hospital has some real momentum building right now. It’s launching a new surgery clinic that will bring seven surgeons under one roof – a game-changer for reducing wait times, improving access to care, and freeing up our emergency departments to focus on the most urgent cases.

Speaking of health-care improvements, I had the privilege of joining Premier Wab Kinew, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority CEO Jane Curtis at Grace Hospital last week for an exciting announcement. A record number of ICU nurses are finishing their training and filling vacancies across Winnipeg hospitals, including the Grace. Better staffing means shorter waits and better care when you need it most.

Meet a wonderful bundle of energy

Mr. Aker Wilde Musto is a four-year-old preschooler who is causing quite a stir in the academic and athletic world.

“Preschool is going great! I really like reading time. The teachers pick my favourite books to read. I really like outside time, too, where I can run around really fast,” he told me.

“I play on snow mountains too!”

There is no doubt as to how serious Aker (Wilde Man) Musto is as an athlete when, at just four years old, the young fella is already training on snow mountains.

Learning about supports for seniors

I can now buy seniors bus tickets and have recently filled out all my pension paperwork. How did it come to this? I really don’t feel my age until I look in the mirror.

Lately I have been watching a few too many YouTube videos of stern-looking women in their 80s and 90s somberly recounting things they wish they had learned about aging earlier in life. One would probably have been enough to absorb the useful but cautionary warnings.

Screen legend Bette Davis obviously agreed that getting older is no place for sissies as she famously had a pillow embroidered with the saying.

Luckily, there are wonderful supports in our city that can ease the stresses of the often-challenging golden years.

High-flying squad wins gold in Houston

A team of local cheerleaders recently brought home gold medals from an international cheer competition.

The Icons team from Winnipeg’s Central Cheer, won in the U16 Level 2 Small category at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) competition in Houston, Tex., on March 1, facing teams from across the United States and Australia.

“As coaches, all we can really say is we are so proud of them,” said coach Lexa Moorhouse. “They represented Central Cheer in such a positive way.”

“Going down, we kind of knew the competition was going to be fierce and hard,” coach Joan McNeilly said. “It was an emotional moment as coaches, to see that the hard the work they have been doing for the past seven months paid off.”

Elmwood Giants registration slated for March 28, 29

Elmwood Giants Baseball Club will be holding in-person registrations for girls and boys born between 2011 and 2022 on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 from noon to 3 p.m. both days at Chalmers Community Centre (480 Chalmers Ave.), in the main floor meeting room.

Registration is for the Learn to Play program, which ranges ages four to seven, as well as for the 9U, 11U, 13U and 15U age groups, organizers say.

The baseball club is also looking for anyone interested in helping coach one of these age groups.

For more information, call Al Kinley at 204-338-9603.

Trojans recapture provincial AAAA hockey title

The Vincent Massey Trojans captured their second straight Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association boys’ AAAA hockey championship on March 16, with a 4-1 victory over the Oak Park Raiders at Seven Oaks Arena.

The Trojans held a 3-0 lead after two periods, through first-period goals from Aiden Dilay and Will Bader and a second-period marker from Carter Kaczmarz. Oak Park’s Karsten Ross pulled one back for the Raiders before Dilay iced the game with an empty-netter.

The goal by Ross was the first allowed by Massey in four provincial tournament games. Trojans goalie Noah Barnes was named to the tournament all-star team beside teammates Bader, Dilay and Trevor Johnstone, as well as the Raiders’ Ross and David Sudoski.

‘Yes, and…’ for caregivers

For Rachel E. Smith, all the world’s a stage.

“My passion is theatre,” said Smith, who started taking acting classes at Prairie Theatre Exchange when she was an eight year old, living in Fort Garry. She followed her passion to the University of Winnipeg, earning a bachelor of arts with honours in theatre and film before pursuing a master’s in theatre and performance from the University of Manchester, in England.

“Now, I work professionally in theatre, I act and direct and write.”

While she has worked with PTE, Manitoba Theatre for Young People, and other arts organizations in the city, Smith mostly works independently these days, providing theatre-based education for all ages.

Wolverines win big

West Kildonan Collegiate has a new championship banner to hang in its halls.

On March 12, the West Kildonan Wolverines won the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s Price Division championship, securing a two games to one series victory over the Collège Lorette Collegiate Scorpions.

“It went well,” said volunteer coach Jamie Leach. “We had pretty good buy-in from most everybody. We just kind of caught fire in the playoffs, winning the first five games. We had an unbelievable final. The boys played great. That all comes from the buy-in all year long.”

The Wolverines struck first in the best-of-three final, winning the opening game 3-2 over Lorette at the Seven Oaks Sportsplex on March 9. The Scorpions evened the series with a 4-2 win on March 11 to force a deciding game the next day. In the deciding match, West K proved victorious, earning a 3-2 win to bring the championship banner home.

The art of creating community

Creating works of art can be a solitary pursuit, at times, with artists often spending countless hours with just their canvasses for company. However, the solitary pursuit doesn’t have to mean solitary confinement — groups such as St. Vital Art Group provide members with a like-minded community that shares ideas and support.

St. Vital Art Group members meet on Wednesday mornings at the United Church in Meadowood (1111 Dakota St.), and are preparing to hold their annual show and sale at the church on Friday, April 17 from 2 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More than 25 artists will showcase their work at the event, which will also feature a raffle, door prizes and a bake sale. The canteen will be open on the Saturday and admission is free.

Nikki Braun, the group’s co-chair, said many members live in the south end of the city.

Building opportunities and celebrating learning

It is always a privilege to represent Winnipeg West and to see first-hand the work happening across our community. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the chance to take part in initiatives that reflect what makes our area such a great place to live: strong partnerships, a commitment to learning, and neighbours supporting one another.

At the end of February, I was pleased to announce a $10 million federal investment through Prairies Economic Development Canada to support the development of 127 acres of direct-access runway lands at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport. I was proud to make the announcement on behalf of the Eleanor Olszewski, the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada.

This investment will support the West Lands development project, helping prepare these lands for future development. It will create new opportunities for companies in aerospace, defence, and advanced manufacturing to locate and grow here in Winnipeg West.

Projects such as this help attract investment, create jobs, and strengthen Manitoba’s role in national and global supply chains. They also support long-term economic growth for families and businesses in our community.