Marion Fulton of Birtle was a longtime member of the Manitoba Women’s Institute. Her passing, at the age of 92 on Nov. 4, is being mourned by fellow members who say she was an extraordinary friend, leader and mentor.

Active with her hometown chapter, Fulton also served as the institute’s president from 1965 to 1967, and later in the same role with the national Federated Women’s Institute of Canada.

She’ll be remembered for her strong leadership, honest and forthright manner, and unwavering belief what the institute could do for rural Manitoba, says current president Joan Clement of Russell.

“She remained totally impassioned about the ability of the WI to serve rural women and she kept that passion to the very end,” said Clement.

Originally from Yorkshire, England, Fulton trained and worked as a registered nurse before marrying her Canadian husband, Victor Fulton, then an RCAF flight lieutenant, in 1943. She left England with their infant son, born in 1944, and was among thousands of English war brides who arrived at Halifax’s famous Pier 21. She then headed west by rail to await Victor’s return from the war. They farmed and raised three sons at Birtle.

Fulton also worked as a nurse at the Birtle hospital and was a dedicated community volunteer, serving as a Brownie leader and Sunday school teacher. She joined WI soon after her arrival and was continuously involved in her local chapter. Her provincial and national involvement also led to becoming vice-president of the international Associated Country Women of the World, a post that required extensive travel and allowed her to make friends around the world.

Fulton was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1978, and in 1988 was also inducted into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Predeceased by her husband, Fulton is remembered by her three sons and their wives, 12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren — an obituary notes the latter “simply called her ‘Great’” — as well as extended family.

The Manitoba Women’s Institute’s Forever Fund, which helps pay for programs that benefit all rural Manitobans, is accepting donations in Fulton’s memory. To donate, please contact MWI, 1129 Queens Avenue, Brandon, Man., R7A 1L9  or go to www.mbwi.org/donate.

The post MWI mourn passing of lifelong member Marion Fulton appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Last week’s provincial budget holds the farmland education tax rebate at 80 per cent, while introducing a new $5,000 cap to limit rebate expenditures, which came in at $34.5 million in 2012.

“With land values going up, there was $4.5 million in additional costs to sustain the program,” said Ron Kostyshyn, minister of Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI).

His department’s budget will drop to $214.6 million, a 5.4 per cent cut.

“We’ve had to make some tough decisions,” said Kostyshyn, saying flood costs are a significant financial challenge for the provincial government.

Some spending cuts have already hit, with several regional offices being consolidated immediately after the move was announced April 11. They include the closures of regional offices at Neepawa, Treherne, Stonewall, Shoal Lake and Boissevain.

Farmers who had used the Treherne office will now be directed to Somerset, where Treherne staff will now work, and to Portage la Prairie. Stonewall office staff have been moved to the Teulon office, and farmers from the Stonewall area can go there or to Beausejour. Meanwhile with the Neepawa office merged with Minnedosa’s, farmers can go there or to offices in Carberry and Gladstone. As well, Shoal Lake will move to the Russell office, and service provided from there, Minnedosa or Hamiota, while service formerly provided in Boissevain will be provided from Killarney, Melita, Souris and Brandon.

The closures didn’t come as a surprise to Doug Chorney, president of Keystone Agricultural Producers.

“We have to face the reality that extension services are changing and the way farmers access those services is changing, with smartphones and the Internet,” said Chorney. “Young people don’t go to their local ag office the way they did 25 years ago.”

What’s important is that extension services remain available to producers who rely on them, he said.

However, the government’s decision to hold off on increasing the farmland education tax rebate didn’t sit well with the KAP leader.

The removal of school taxes from farmland was a promise made by the NDP in the 2011 provincial election, and Chorney said the $5,000 cap will put larger farms at a disadvantage.

“I don’t think a flawed tax system should be able to discriminate on farm size, I think all farms should be able to access the rebate in proportionate ways… it just doesn’t make sense,” he said, adding his organization will continue to push the government to keep its promise.

The cap takes effect in the 2013 tax year and is expected to save the province $6.2 million in 2013-14.

Also for the 2013 tax year, applications for the rebate for a given tax year must be filed no later than March 31 of the following year, the province said. Applications related to the 2011 and 2012 property tax years have until March 31, 2014 to apply for the rebate for those years.

The April 16 budget also expanded the province’s 10 per cent non-refundable corporate income tax credit on odour-control investments.

Set up in 2004, the tax credit is available for capital expenditures “for the purpose of preventing, eliminating or significantly reducing nuisance odours arising from the use or production of organic waste.”

The credit had been made refundable for farmers, based on income tax and on property tax on farmland paid by the farmer. However, the budget eliminates the cap, making it fully refundable to farmers — both individuals and corporations — on qualifying property purchased after 2012.

But funding for the jointly funded federal-provincial Manure Management Financial Assistance Program is being reduced from $8.5 million in 2012 to $3.6 million this year.

Kostyshyn said the move results from a lack of uptake in the program.

“It’s really not a cut, it’s a savings,” he said.

Overall, the budget projects a $518-million deficit for 2013-14, a drop of $65 million from the fiscal year that just ended. A one per cent increase to the provincial sales tax is forecast to more than cover increased spending.

The post Closure of MAFRI offices expected, but postponing school tax rebate upsets KAP leader appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“In this time of economic uncertainty we are committed to finding responsible ways to reduce spending by improving and modernizing service delivery,” Finance Minister Stan Struthers said in a release. “This is a part of the province’s balanced approach that focuses on what matters most to Manitoba families.”

The changes build on provincial office mergers previously announced by Struthers in November 2012. The minister noted that as with the previous mergers, the province will continue ensuring critical front-line services that Manitobans count on will not be negatively affected.

Some offices will be consolidated while others will be restructured to use staff and existing office space more effectively, he said.

The province is also developing options for one-stop-shop information and services through pilot projects in Boissevain, Beausejour and Grandview. In Lundar, the West Interlake Conservation District will be sharing office space with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, reducing costs for both the conservation district and the province, as well as providing a single point of access to information and services.

Departments will also be developing more online applications, information and interactive tools, responding to increased demand for online services, Struthers said.

Departments affected immediately include:

Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

•  Treherne – Staff will be merged with Somerset and service will be provided from Somerset and Portage la Prairie.
•  Stonewall – Staff will be merged with Teulon and service will be provided from Teulon and Beausejour. The Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) office will remain.
•  Shoal Lake – Staff will be merged with Russell service and will be provided from Hamiota or Minnedosa. The MASC office remains.
•  Neepawa – The office will be merged with Minnedosa and service will be provided from Carberry, Gladstone, and Minnedosa. The MASC office will remain.
•  Boissevain – Service will be provided from Killarney, Melita, Souris and Brandon.

Infrastructure and Transportation

•  Minnedosa engineering – Four positions move to Brandon and the maintenance yard will remain.
•  Virden engineering – Five positions move to Brandon and/or Birtle and the maintenance yard will remain.

Conservation and Water Stewardship

•  Garland – Two positions will be based out of nearby Duck Mountain Provincial Park.
•  Ste. Anne – One position will be moved to Steinbach.
•  Dugald – One position will be moved to Stonewall.
•  Winnipeg – One office location will be eliminated and 17 staff at 155 Carlton St. will move to 123 Main St. and 1007 Century St.
•  Shoal Lake – Multiple offices will be merged into a single-point service office.
•  Neepawa – Multiple offices will be merged into single-point service office.
•  Brandon – Multiple offices will be merged into single-point service office.
•  Hodgson – Fire staff will be relocated to Gympsumville.
•  Hadashville – Staff will be merged with Beausejour and Falcon Lake and the fire suppression base will be maintained.

Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade

•  Winnipeg – The 3338 Portage Ave. office will be merged with 111 Lombard Ave.
•  Beausejour – Staff will merge with Selkirk, Steinbach and Winnipeg and a pilot project for casual service will be co-located with Manitoba Family Services and Labour.

The post Provincial office mergers to save $1.49 million annually appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

In addition to its timeless appeal, archery — as highlighted by the Asessippi Archery Club in the Shoal Lake Community Hall last month — is a sport suited to young and adult alike.

For the fourth year, archers from Manitoba and Saskatchewan clubs took aim at 3-D animal-shaped targets that ranged from a skunk, to an elk lying down, to a large, standing moose, at the indoor shoot.

“This year we have 50 life-like targets for archers to test their skill. With additional targets there is also less staged indoor forestry scenes,” said Roseanne Yaremchuk, who along with her husband Tim, son Dylan and daughter Robyn, are avid archers and members of the Asessippi club, one of approximately 35 Manitoba clubs.

Yaremchuk said Asessippi members shoot at the Major Pratt School in Russell every Thursday. The cost to become involved is $70, and the club provides the bows, arrows and membership into the Archers & Bowhunters Association of Manitoba (ABAM), whose mission is to perpetuate, foster and direct the practice of archery in all its forms in accordance with good sportsmanship and honourable tradition of this most ancient sport.

Last year, at the 3-D Outdoor Nationals at Vernon, B.C., 12-year-old Robyn, who began archery at the age of three, placed first in her division and older brother Dylan was fourth.

“Some archers enjoy outdoors because it gives them a true nature setting, while at our indoor shoots we strive for that look with some of our larger animals,” said Yaremchuk.

Clubs within the area — Asessippi, Snake Creek Wildlife Archery Club (Birtle), South Mountain Archery Shooter & Hunter (Erickson) and Minnedosa Archery Club (Strathclair) — all have 3-D outdoor shoots, which not only test the skill of a participant in natural habitat on different terrains but also various weather conditions.

Archery is excellent recreation for all ages, friendly competition, and a great way to meet others with similar interests — truly a lifetime sport.

The post Asessippi Archery Club appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Ed’s love of agriculture and his interest in policy was stimulated by professors such as Clay Gilson and Art Wood. This led him to pursue postgraduate training in agricultural economics at Purdue University. Here he was given both the Outstanding M.Sc. Thesis Award and the Outstanding PhD Thesis Award by the American Agricultural Economics Association in 1964 and 1967, respectively.

Ed’s career was driven by the desire to contribute to the viability of farm and rural communities. He recognized the importance of developing and educating the youth to ensure the future viability of rural communities.

Ed served as professor and then department head of agricultural economics at the University of Manitoba. He then served a term as dean, agriculture & forestry, at the University of Alberta before continuing his career in Manitoba. Over his long career, he participated in numerous provincial and national public inquiries. Many of his recommendations shaped the development of Canadian and international agricultural policy and programs related to sustainable livestock production, grain handling and transportation, and natural resource management. He also undertook short-term assignments in countries including Ukraine, Bangladesh, Thailand, Kenya, India, Argentina and China.

He supervised more than 30 postgraduate students to thesis and degree completion, 11 of whom were PhD candidates. He served on more than 50 examining committees, refereed 16 journal articles, contributed to six books and more than 55 research reports. Ed produced more than 130 conference papers, popular articles, and presentations. He has had a tremendous impact on Canadian and overseas agricultural policy through mentoring students and others interested in the subject.

“Dr. Ed,” as he was known to his students and colleagues, was elected Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada in 1986, Fellow of the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society in 1996 and named a Distinguished Agrologist by the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists in 2005.

Ed’s distinguished career was aided by his supportive wife and constant companion, Peggy (nee Witty) of Russell, Manitoba, whom he married in June, 1963. They have two children, Allen and David, both of whom are involved with the agriculture sector. Ed and Peggy are also the proud grandparents of three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Nominated by department of agribusiness and agricultural economics faculty of agricultural and food sciences, University of Manitoba.

The post Agriculture Hall of Fame appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Leaving Edmonton on May 9, Alick Brooke and Guy Bourassa, passed the 1,000-km mark as they reached Russell travelling east en route to Halifax, N.S. if they and their three horses — two seven-year-old quarter-horses and an eight-year-old Shire — hold out.

Riding 35 to 40 km per day depending on the horses’ moods, energy and the weather, the pair are riding for the Angel Express Society, a non-profit organization, which supports the survivors of child exploitation.

“We are striving to raise awareness and generate funds to support programs that benefit these youth,” said Brooke, a retired chief information officer of Alberta Children’s Services. “Canadians must realize child sexual abuse is a large problem in this country. One in three girls or one in six children will be sexually abused.”

“Riding day in and day out is harder than anything I have done,” said 46-year-old Bourassa, a former professional bareback and bull rider. “I retired from the rodeo circuit a year ago, and upon dealing with the weather — rain, snow, wind — the ride has been an amazing challenge.”

Bourassa said while they have met some great people, financial donations have been slow to come by, a third of the way into the expedition.

“As a society we have failed these kids the first time around and can’t forget the second,” said Brooke, who is the ride’s founder. “Youth who find themselves in this situation feel they are second-class citizens and a lot don’t report the abuse. Their lives can be changed if we can get to them soon enough,” added Brooke, who has worked with children in one way or another for over 38 years.

Takes many forms

Child exploitation can take many forms such as child abuse — physical or sexual — child labour or child trafficking. In recent years the Internet has added a complexity to the problem of child exploitation by making access to child abuse images more readily available. According to The Canadian Press there are more than 60,000 Canadians, and 600,000 Americans involved in the distribution of child abuse images. With numbers this large, it is the responsibility of the people in both countries to do what they can to put a stop to this. Most important is to provide the appropriate support that these children will need to move on with their lives.

A portion of the funds raised by Angel Express will go to those organizations that deal with the criminal aspect of the problem, but the majority will go to those programs that deal with providing support to the children who are victims of exploitation. So much of the attention given to this issue is focused on the criminal aspect. The Angel Express funds will focus primarily on the children impacted by these abusive acts.

Even when these children are removed from the abusive situations, their ordeal is not over. The impact of the experiences that they have gone through will leave emotional scars that these children and their families could deal with every day for the rest of their lives.

Brooke said there are three ways of aiding their cause to find a new normal for these youth. Donations can be passed along with Brooke and Bourassa on their expedition, directly to sexual abuse centres in care of Angel Express, or by visiting the organization’s website theange lexpress.com.

Child sexual exploitation is really the sexual abuse of a child. No child decides to be violated physically, emotionally and psychologically. The devastating results of child sexual exploitation and abuse are long lasting and far reaching. The lost potential for a child who may not be recovered costs every one of us. The time to recognize, speak up against and intervene on this heinous form of abuse which can occur in any community and crosses all social, economic and cultural backgrounds, is now.

The post Horse expedition to raise awareness appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

In a topsy-turvy turn of events, the southwest, where drought is the rule rather than the exception, ample rains have set the stage for good pasture conditions, said Jane Thornton, a pasture and rangeland specialist based in Souris.

“I thought it was going to be really early, but it’s kind of back to normal,” she said.

Despite a warm March, cool weather in April held pasture growth back into a “static state” and dashed hopes for an early spring and extra days on pasture for area ranchers.

“If we get a few hot days, it’s going to grow like crazy,” said Thornton.

In the Oak Lake area that was flooded last year, the water table that was topped up by spring rains is still at record highs.

Weather statistics show accumulated precipitation so far this year on the west side of the province is well above the 30-year average, with Pierson at 227 per cent, Birtle 242 per cent above normal, and Brandon at 197 per cent.

Farther east, moisture levels drop off.

Near Gladstone, Larry Fisher, who recently retired from his MAFRI post to take up custom grazing full time, said that “everything is early” and he figures that he might get an extra 10 days on the front end of the grazing season.

“We haven’t had much rain,” he said, adding that his area has received less than an inch of rain since snowmelt, which was minimal to begin with.

Despite continuing problems from Lake Manitoba flooding, he didn’t expect a shortage of pasture as cattle are moved farther inland for summer grazing. Many ranchers have sold off their cattle in recent years, leaving room for herds from elsewhere to move in.

Near Dauphin, MAFRI farm production adviser Pam Iwanchysko said recent heat and moisture have been pushing pastures along at a good pace.

“There’s lots of cows on pasture already that shouldn’t be,” she joked. “But things have really progressed over the past week.”

Moisture in the area is adequate for the most part, but some areas are borderline dry. A dust storm — the first in many years — was seen recently in the Dauphin area, while the Russell area was still too wet to seed.

There is a pasture shortfall in the area, mainly due to increased demand from ranchers near Lake Manitoba, and rents have risen accordingly.

Tim Clarke, a MAFRI forage and pasture specialist based in Ashern and Lundar, said pastures in the north Interlake are coming along slowly due to low overnight temperatures, but faster than last year.

Excess moisture continues to be a problem in areas near Lake Manitoba, and pasture may be in short supply as a result.

“The land that was flooded last year is still really wet, but where it wasn’t, it’s relatively dry,” he said. Flooded pastures are “mostly black” with only sparse growth so far, and some herds will have to be moved to other areas again this year.

High water tables have pushed up salinity and receding waters from the slightly saline Lake Manitoba may mean more headaches with foxtail barley this summer, he added.

“When you get a lake the size of Lake Manitoba, and it’s relatively flat around it, it floods a lot of acres,” said Clarke.

In Manitoba’s far east, Don Winnicky, a councillor and rancher in the RM of Piney near Sandilands Provincial Forest, said his pastures are “terrible.”

“I’ve never seen them so bad. We haven’t had rain here since last year on Canada Day,” said Winnicky.

He’s got some hay left over from last year, but he’s reluctant to use it because the outlook for this year’s hay crop looks dismal.

The irony of this spring’s weather switcheroo has him scratching his head, because the east side of the province where he runs 250 cows is typically so wet that rubber boots are de rigeur until July. This year the region is battling forest fires.

“Out in the southwest, guys are getting stuck trying to seed and here, we’re praying for rain, but it ain’t coming,” said Winnicky.

The post Pastures vary widely amid topsy-turvy spring appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

They can be altruistic, as in World Food Day, observed by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization every Oct. 16 or National Soil Conservation Week celebrated last month. May 6 to 12 is International Compost Awareness Week. Or they can be whimsical, like National Pig Day, celebrated March 1 in the U.S., or World Penguin Day (April 25) coinciding with the flightless bird’s annual northward migration.

One event that caught our eye recently was a press release telling us the entire month of May is International Civility Month, complete with a day-by-day calendar featuring activities designed to promote more civility in the home, workplace and community.

It starts simply enough, with saying hello to five people in a day, smiling at others, and remembering to say “please” and “thank you.” Make eye contact, be kind, hold the door open for others, and be patient and don’t interrupt others when they are speaking.

Then it gets more complicated. Remember to replace empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls, cleaning up after yourself, avoiding profanity, turning your cellphone off during meetings and speaking positively when interacting with others.

It is notable that this declaration didn’t come from governments, which we suggest would benefit from heeding some of this “nice” advice, but rather from a private company that is cashing in on our culture’s appetite, yet increasing ineptitude when it comes to achieving a civil society.

Since 1999, Civility Experts has grown from a small 200-foot office focused on delivering dining etiquette workshops and running a Courtesy Camp, to a multinational company with 30 affiliates in 12 countries — teaching the stuff that used to be heaped out in small doses every day around the family dinner table or at the community hall.

And of course simply raising awareness does not in itself solve an issue. People must act on that awareness, a process that starts with accepting responsibility and determining their own ability to make things better.

We suspect that the fact that fewer families have time to gather for meals and that our increasingly urbanized society has created whole communities of strangers has had something to do with the decline of civility.

It is much easier to be rude to someone you never have to see again than to an individual who might one day be teaching your child in school or fixing your car.

It might also have something to do with the age of electronic communication, when technology makes it possible for one to carry out most of our affairs without ever having to look another human being in the eye. There is something to be said for an old-fashioned meeting with everyone in the room, and where a rousing debate under Robert’s Rules of Order is followed by a communal meal.

We would add these points to the civility challenge. It is much easier to dismiss someone’s alternative view if you are convinced by yourself or others that they are undeserving of your respect. This is accomplished through the use of labels, such as activists, environmentalists, left or right wing (nuts), or urbanites. It is a way of distancing oneself from the fact that the person with whom you disagree is actually a human being, with feelings, and a right to be heard, just like you.

Recent debates on important issues have been clouded repeatedly by such departures from civility.

In our view, it is entirely acceptable to disagree with another viewpoint, vociferously if you must. But as soon as that disagreement is underlaid with insinuations as to someone’s political leanings — be they left or right — or their character, you’ve crossed the line into a realm that makes civilized discourse virtually impossible. Disrespectful acts tend to boomerang. They create bitterness that leaves lasting scars. We are all poorer for it.

The farm beat has recently been filled with stories that remind us of why this is a good place to live.

There has been an outpouring of support for the Brunel family, whose Ste. Rose home burned to the ground while they were in Winnipeg getting leukemia treatments for their toddler son.

A young sister/brother duo in Russell were honoured for their fundraising towards reuniting immigrant families with their children, and a young Pilot Mound farmer who has been recognized for his business acumen, but whose outlook is liberally peppered with a commitment to community.

That’s the spirit that makes Manitoba strong.

The post The challenge of civility appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Ayla Hamilton, 13 and her brother Van Hamilton, eight, were recognized for their extraordinary effort to start a “Kids Helping Kids” initiative that saw local children, youth and adults in Russell take up the cause of helping to raise cash to help Filipino parents in the community separated from their children after making the move to Canada.

The pair received a standing ovation and several in the audience were visibly moved by Ayla’s short speech.

“This is what you do when you live where we live,” she said. “What the kids are doing is just living out the spirit of small-town Manitoba.”

The pair has dedicated their $1,000 cash award to the project and said they plan to create a scrapbook to present to each reunited family that includes all the records of donations and events that supported Kids Helping Kids.

“This award will go in it,” said Ayla.

The Rural Youth Award and three others are presented each year at Capturing Opportunities, a business and community forum, to honour significant achievements in community development and innovation.

“This year’s winners were chosen from an impressive group of industrious people who are dedicated to progress, innovation and community service,” said Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Ron Kostyshyn who presented the awards.

“Each of these recipients continues to set an excellent example for others to follow as we work together for a stronger, more vibrant Manitoba.”

Others honoured during the evening included Peter Dueck of Arborg who was presented with an Outstanding Community Leadership Award for his generous support for community projects benefiting local youth, seniors and the larger community.

Dueck has donated land to build a 16-unit (now completed) seniors’ housing project and also bought and restored a vacant building for a local community centre, plus has served on numerous boards dedicated to community enhancement and development. Dueck is also co-president of Vidir Machine, a major manufacturer and employer in the region.

The Economic Development Innovation Award for community involvement by an organization or municipality was presented to Asessippi Parkland Economic Development for its achievement in maximizing regional resources through tax-sharing agreements.

The Economic Development Innovation Award for community involvement by a business was presented to Okno Manufacturing of Arborg, which was instrumental in launching an initiative to pave gravel roads in the district, while also working with First Nation communities to provide job training and recruitment to address regional labour needs and helping to assist settling new Canadians in the area.

All four category winners received a commemorative glass trophy and $1,000 which they are contributing to a community group of their choice. Dueck is dedicating his to the Arborg-Bifrost Community Development Corporation. Okno Manufacturing’s prize money will go to Teen Challenge in Winnipeg. Asessippi Parklands will be turning their $1,000 to the area’s Habitat for Humanity chapter that’s helping to deal with a local housing shortage in Russell.

The post Youth award goes to Russell siblings appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

She and younger brother Van, now eight, had come home from Mother’s Day brunch at the Russell Inn last spring with heavy hearts.

She explained how their mother Rheanne, who works at the hotel, knew many of the staff there. Because they were emigrés from the Philippines, they had left behind children they couldn’t yet afford to bring to Canada. Rheanne told Ayla and Van how she’d watched her co-workers trying to keep their composure as they watched families around them spending the day together. Some hadn’t seen their own children in as much as two years.

“When we got home my mom started crying and said she couldn’t imagine how hard it was for her friends,” Ayla said. “So after that, she thought we were upstairs playing but we were thinking of an idea.”

Their “idea” will mean a joyous spring reunion this year for several families in Russell and it has set the bar high for how a small town welcomes newcomers.

The young Hamiltons began a Kids Helping Kids fundraiser, taken up by local children and youth in Russell. They began door knocking with handwritten letters, and asking for donations. They made speeches at school, local churches, the theatre group in Binscarth, and at the Manitoba Women’s Institute’s local chapter in Russell. Van started a lemonade stand — and then a whole bunch of other kids did as well. Adults held garage sales and church dinners.

So far they’ve raised $13,000, said Hamilton. “And out of 23 kids that we have to bring over, nine of them will be brought over this year from all the generous donations. It’s really taken off. It’s gone very far.”

So touched by their story, MWI women at their convention the next morning quietly passed the hat and collected another $1,000.

“That will provide funds for one more child to come to Canada,” said Russell resident Joan Clement, who this month was sworn to serve the next two years as the MWI president.

Future president?

MWI might have heard “one of your future presidents speaking,” said Strinivasan or “Strini” Reddy, retired educator and former president of the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents. Reddy, well known in Manitoba for his child advocacy work, was keynote speaker for the conference. He had just given a rousing speech himself about how critical it is that communities start to pay more attention to the needs of children. “A village should make sure that every child is welcome and cared for by a supportive family and a caring community,” Reddy said.

He shared his own tale of helping to start a summer enrichment program in Winnipeg back in 2004 for inner-city children, so that, instead of spending their days bored and potentially getting into trouble, they could upgrade their math and literacy skills, go on field trips and spend their days having fun in safe and positive environments.

Reddy said the whole community needs to play a bigger role in giving all children the best opportunity to grow into good citizens. He said his message for MWI and all rural organizations is to get involved with and support things that support children. Association with kids also makes adults realize just what’s possible when you believe in something, such as what the children had done in Russell.

“They decided this wasn’t fair. Children have this sense of social justice,” Reddy said. “What a great example for us adults when children do this.”

Clement said she hopes other MWI locals will find many other opportunities to support children and children’s programs in their communities.

It’s exciting to see a young generation coming up that wants to be involved in both local and global action, said Clement, adding that young people will define the future of organizations like their own too.

She said she would like to see the institute’s members each begin to very conscientiously and deliberately mentor a younger person to foster the values of their organization within a new generation.

The post MWI touched by Russell children’s effort to reunite Filipino families appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.