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It took less than 48 hours to sell 1,000 tickets for the Ryan Pulock sweepstakes.

Up for grabs were round-trip economy flights for two from Winnipeg to New York. Add in three nights' accommodation, two Islanders games at UBS Arena, and two Pulock jerseys. 

The entire package was donated by Ryan, who has always taken pride in giving back to his hometown.

Over the weekend during the Mud Bog celebrations in Grandview, James Morran's dream became a reality. He was the winner and is now set for the experience of a lifetime.

"I heard my last name over the speaker, but I couldn't tell if it was me," said Morran. "There are a few other Morrans in our area. It was pretty exciting."

Tickets were $20 each, and James said it was one of the easiest purchases he's ever made. The entire $20,000 raised through the sweepstakes is going to the ice plant project. 

The new ice plant will service the GACC and the curling rink. It's expected to be operational for next season. 

For James, the GACC is more than just a rink. It's where his kids grew up playing up until recently, when they outgrew the local age group. James himself grew up playing in that rink and watching the Comets. The GACC is widely regarded as the heartbeat of Grandview.

It's a hub where the community comes together to skate and celebrate.

"For me, personally, when my wife and I were talking about having kids and starting a family, there were a couple of factors why we moved back here," said Pulock. "First was family. The second deciding factors was the things we grew up with. A good, safe school, a hockey rink the kids could play in. Baseball diamonds."

The experience also includes post-game meet and greets, $250 food and drink credit at the arena, $250 Isles' lab credit, and $500 Uber credit. For James, it's a Christmas present that came a few months early.

He's New York-bound this winter and can't wait to soak it all in.

"I'm really looking forward to it; it's going to be crazy," Morran ended. "Really grateful to the Pulock family. They have been so good to us. Outside of this and during this. It's great."

Ryan has played 636 regular-season NHL games and 66 more in the playoffs. 

A 17-year-old from Keeseekoose First Nation in Saskatchewan has a court date after a run-in with authorities.

On Monday at 9:06 a.m., Swan River RCMP responded to a report of damage to a business on 5th Avenue North.

The front door of the business had been smashed with a brick found inside the doorway.

Police identified the suspect via security footage from a nearby business.

They then arrested the youth without incident.

He was released into the care of an adult with a future court date.

The Town of Swan River was one of the Parkland's most affected communities by last month's flooding and heavy rainfall. 

In a Facebook post, the Town of Swan River announced they'll be covering building permit costs for any flood-related repairs. Darren Harvey, Director of Public Works, said the Town is progressing well with temporary repairs, but is waiting for contractors to complete long-term repairs. In the meantime, they're helping out flood affected residents however they can. 

"We've done the temporary repairs that we need, where asphalt has been washed out, just filled that in with gravel, and then we're just waiting Stantec to come up to do their inspection with DFA for the permanent repairs...[residents are experiencing] a lot of stress, they're still working while trying to repair their houses, and so we want to just make the process a little bit easier for them," said Harvey. 

The process of getting a building permit from the Town of Swan River is fairly simple. Call the Town Office, speak to their building inspector, and go from there. Alternatively, you can click here to visit the Town of Swan River's website page detailing building permits. 

Even if you understand building codes and how to renovate or repair your residence, you still need a building permit before you can work. Harvey said it's a way for the Town to make sure that residents are being safe with their repairs, and making sure repairs are done properly. 

"Talk to our building inspector, either themselves or their contractor, there's a one page form they fill out, and they get their building permit...some people are totally up to speed on the building code, some people aren't, and if people are 'do-it-yourself'-ers, we just want to make sure that it's done in a safe manner," said Harvey. 

For more details about building permits in the Town of Swan River, you can reach the Swan River Town Office at 204-734-4586.

160 golfers were set to tee it up at the Gilbert Plains Country Club for the Ukrainian Tournament, hosted by Ryan Rauliuk, and his crew.

That event has been cancelled as the GPCC is closed for the rest of the summer after last month's devastating flood. All the supplies Ryan needed for that event are already in. So Ryan wasn't about to let those supplies go to waste. Instead, he's organized a post flood Zabava and Comedy Night with proceeds from the event going to the GPCC.

It'll take place on Saturday, August 29 at the Gilbert Plains Arena.

"The ideal situation is just to roll this over and create a fundraiser for the course," said Rauliuk. "So we can help out in this way. It was a quick little brain fart I had. Super excited to help the Gilbert Plains Country Club."

The doors will open at 4:00 p.m. with supper starting at 6:00. 

Ryan still remembers going to the GPCC with his dad and driving around enjoying the beauty of the course. 

"I didn't even golf, I just went to drive the cart, there are a lot of memories there for me," added Rauliuk. "That's my home course. When we went to the Gilbert Plains Country Club and walked over that bridge, you felt welcomed."

Tickets for the event went on sale on Monday. They're $100 each. Many of the golfers are rolling over their entry fees and are locked in for the event.

Now it's your turn to do the same. You can get tickets at Ruff's Furniture in Dauphin. 

"The buzz is well. It's really a no-brainer. You're getting a pile of entertainment and service, all-in-one," commented Rauliuk. "For $100, you can't go and do that anywhere."

Your $100 ticket includes a Ukrainian-inspired supper, a hearty late lunch, liquor, Comedy show, and the Zabava. There will also be games and a few special surprises in store. The comedian for the night is Kelly Taylor

Dennis Beyak will also speak at the event. 

"Super excited. It's going to be a fun-packed night and jam packed," said Rauliuk. "We're super, super excited. Then we'll have the band going at night, so folks can kick up their heels, and have a blast."

Together, we can get the Gilbert Plains Country Club back on course. 

Kara Vanderheyden joined the Rotary Club of Dauphin in 2015.

That's more than 11 years of serving the community and giving back. She said it's a great, diverse group of people from different backgrounds. They all come together with the same mindset and goal.

"Being residents of Dauphin and the Parkland, part of our responsibility is to give back to the community," said Vanderheyden. "We're all very like-minded in that we believe we live in a great community and believe it's our responsibility to keep improving it. Help keep the great facilities and programs that we have."

Kara said the group also believes in creating further programs and facilities to support the community's ever-changing population. 

On July 1, Kara took over as the Club's president. It's a bit of a slower time for the Rotary Club of Dauphin, so Kara says it's been a nice ease into the role. She's very excited and honoured to hold the role.

"Especially because the Rotary Club is very active within the community," continued Vanderheyden. "I do think the role holds a lot of responsibility. I feel very honoured and privileged that I'm able to be in this role."

Community Impact:

The Rotary Club of Dauphin holds several fundraisers throughout the year. They include Lobsterfest, the Book Sale, Wine Night, to name a few. A majority of the money raised is then given back to community organizations and projects. They've donated more than $200,000 to the Northgate Trails. They donated $10,000 to the Countryfest Community Cinema.

They have an upcoming $5,000 donation to the Food for Thought Program. Every year, they donate $3,000 to a DRCSS graduate who is going on to post-secondary studies. They donated $50,000 to the Buckets n' Borders basketball court by the high school.

They also help out with the Little Neighbours Kids' Zone, which is being moved inside the Dauphin Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation. Not only financially, but the Club's members have donated their time to help facilitate the move of that structure. 

Simply put, Kara and every Rotary member take immense pride in giving back.

"The main thing that we all have in common is A, we believe we live in a great community, and B, we know we can help it continue to flourish," continued Vanderheyden. "It's a great feeling to know that we're making a difference and helping this community to grow and stay wonderful."

Kara also thanks the community for stepping up and supporting their fundraisers. The book sale is always a massive success, and Lobsterfest is always the talk of the community. 

Next up for the Rotary Club of Dauphin is Rotary Radio Week right here on 730CKDM. It's an opportunity for local businesses to spotlight what they do. It also puts some shine on CKDM and how the radio station promotes local. It's a two-week blast that gives the Rotary Club of Dauphin a chance to highlight local projects and the many ways they have and will continue to give back. 

Last year, more than 75 businesses signed up. 

This year, Vanderheyden is looking forward to building off that.

"Hopefully, we get a little bit more," Vanderheyden said. "We have so many great businesses in this community. It's nice to be able to highlight them, and also what we do at the Rotary Club of Dauphin."

Stay tuned for more on Rotary Radio Week in the coming weeks. 

Dauphin RCMP are continuing with their speed enforcement campaign, and highlighting some dangerous drivers. 

From August 1st to 7th, Dauphin RCMP have made 28 stops along Highways 5, 10, and 20. From those stops, they handed out 20 tickets for a total of $9,391 in fines, and have given 8 warnings. Notable tickets among those include one for a stop near Gilbert Plains with a man going 130 kilometres per hour in a marked 80 kilometre per hour zone, and a woman going 107 kilometres per hour in a 60 kilometre per hour construction zone. That ticket alone was $1,280. 

In a Facebook post, Dauphin RCMP said they want to remind motorists that speed limits are there for a reason. Stopping distance increases exponentially with speed, so even an extra 10 kilometres per hour over the speed limit could mean you can't stop in time. Plus, the Dauphin RCMP wants to make sure construction workers are safe on highways, and don't have to worry about speeding vehicles. 

Dauphin RCMP have been conducting this speed enforcement campaign throughout the summer, and will continue to do so, in an effort to keep the Parkland's highways safer for everyone. 

20 businesses set the stage in 2023 by selling more than $3,700 in products.

19 businesses followed in 2024 by selling $1,700 in products. Last year, 18 businesses stepped up and sold more than $2,000. What is to come in 2026? We will soon find out at the Yellowhead Centre in Neepawa. 

The Neepawa Children's Business Fair takes place on Thursday from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. In its fourth year, the event gives an opportunity for children aged 6 to 15 to launch their own startup business. 

After all, it's never too early to start planning for the future. 17 businesses are set to line the Yellowhead Centre floor and put on their young entrepreneur hats. Some of the businesses include 3-D printing fidget clickers, homemade slime, cake pops, and pipe-cleaner flowers.

There will also be an aromatherapy booth and fire-scented starters.

Marilyn Crewe, economic development officer with the Town of Neepawa, says that's only a few of the businesses you can check out. 

"This is one of my favourite days of the year. The kids have to set up their display and understand their pricing," said Crewe. "They learn a lot of things along the way. It helps them to understand that when they walk into a business, they think about it a bit more. Whether it's the grocery store or the toy store. They think about what it takes to make a business successful."

The Farmer's Market in Neepawa also relocates inside the Yellowhead Centre for the day, so not only can you see some of the bright and young entrepreneur minds in the community, but you can also shop for local crafts and more.

Almost $7,500 has been brought in to the various businesses in the past three years. While Crewe can't predict how this year will go, she does expect a solid turnout.

And when she sees a business enjoying their day, it puts a big smile on her face.

"Their eyes light right up when money crosses the table for something they've enjoyed making. Whatever it is," she ended. "It's a very rewarding experience for them. That's part of what I enjoy about the day. Seeing all the things they've learned. The public is there and enjoying the day. It's a lot of fun."

They may only have small businesses for now, but you never know what the future holds. After all, they say you have to start somewhere. For the 17 businesses this year, the Neepawa Children's Business Fair is their start. 

The City of Dauphin is reminding residents that water bill payments are due by Monday, August 17, at 4:30 p.m.

You can pay by cash, cheque, or debit at City Hall. You can also do it over the phone or online through your bank. The City of Dauphin does not accept credit card payments.

If your payment isn't received by next Monday, you will be subject to late penalties.

It's been a busy summer for the Minnedosa Kayak Club.

The Club provides kayaking programs, instruction, and rentals so you can get out on the water and enjoy Minnedosa Lake. They've been holding camps all summer and are currently in the midst of a four-day one right now. 

More than 200 Manitobans have used the Kayak Club to learn the ropes and get out on the water. Janice Maguire-Fraser runs the Kayak Club.

"I wasn't sure what this year was going to be like," said Maguire-Fraser. "It has far surpassed my expectations. We have met some amazing people and families. It's been absolutely fantastic."

Janice understands being out on the water in a kayak can seem daunting. She says, however, with some proper instruction, you'll feel very safe.

It certainly isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy being on the water and going on an adventure, it could be perfect for you.

At the Minnedosa Kayak Club, they provide all the instruction that you'll need to enjoy yourself while building your confidence on the water.

There are many health benefits of kayaking. It helps to increase your muscle strength, especially in your back, arms, shoulders, and chest. It also helps increase your torso and leg strength.

Kayaking can be peaceful, or it can be exhilarating; it's based on your skill level and what you like.

So if you've ever been thinking of hitting the waters on a kayak, Janice says get in touch with her.

"My girls started when they were quite young. We have kids' kayaks that allow them to get on the water in a kayak made the perfect size for them," commented Maguire-Fraser. "It goes right up to adults and seniors. It's a great opportunity to get out on the water. It's also a great stress reliever."

Safety is the main priority for the Minnedosa Kayak Club, and thanks to a generous donation from the Spruce Plains RCMP and the RCMP Marine Division, the Club's safety needs have been boosted. They donated personal flotation devices and safety equipment to the Kayak Club.

The RCMP said partnerships like this support their ongoing efforts to promote public safety.

"A generous donation like this gives our program that extra boost. Safety is our utmost priority," ended Maguire-Fraser. "My main goal is to see people go out on the water, have fabulous experiences, and then go home and share that with their family and friends. This safety equipment will allow that and much more."

If you're interested in getting out on the water and having some fun, you can get in touch with the Minnedosa Kayak Club here. You can also call Janice at 204-868-5911.

Winnipeg Boldness is an initiative that seeks to create large-scale, systemic change for children and families in Winnipeg’s Point Douglas neighbourhood. 

The project uses tools and processes from social innovation to develop community-driven solutions to create better outcomes for the neighbourhood’s residents. Diane Roussin, who grew up in the Parkland and is a member of the Skownan First Nation, is the president and CEO of Winnipeg Boldness.

Diane has been with them since 2014. Winnipeg Boldness has a way of serving communities and families from an Indigenous approach that resonated with Diane and aligned with how she was raised, her values, and how she was treated in life.

"We all knew that beyond serving families through programs, there are many systems out there that don't serve families very well," said Roussin. "Things like the child welfare system, the justice system, education system, and healthcare system. There needs to be change in those systems. That's what Winnipeg Boldness is all about."

It's about finding ways to change those systems to better serve Indigenous families. In January of 2018, Diane received the Governor General's Award for Outstanding Indigenous leadership. 

By this time, Diane had been working towards making a change for kids in the inner city of Winnipeg. Diane's name was put forward for the award, and when she received the call saying she won, she was humbled.

"What is clear to me when I got that award, there are a lot of people that support the work I do and support me," added Roussin. "I feel that I've been surrounded by really good friends, family, colleagues, and allies. There are a lot of people working towards the same cause."

The Skownan First Nation member has worked within several different sectors. They include the business, government, philanthropy, not-for-profit, and health sectors. She is often asked to sit at different tables for her insights and perspectives.

She has always made herself available for honest and curious conversations. Roussin has served on many different committees and boards. Quite often, she was the first Indigenous person to sit on a board or take a leadership role. That was the case when Diane was appointed as the board chair of the Winnipeg Foundation. 

She became the first Indigenous person to hold the role. It began on January 1, 2026, and she will serve as board chair for two years. The Foundation's board of directors elected Diane to the post.

"Always grateful. I always go to my gratitude teachings," added Roussin. "Very grateful and humble that they would put their trust in me. I'm very excited to work with the very first Indigenous CEO of the Winnipeg Foundation, Sky Bridges."

Diane works tirelessly for initiatives that promote Indigenous People’s values and ways of knowing and being.

The colonization and history of racism have forced some Indigenous people into instances of having to be scrappy and agile to stay alive. Right now, she's trying to change the conversation to helping families thrive. 

"That's the thing we're trying to change. Moving our condition from doing all the things to stay alive to living in conditions where we can thrive," added Roussin. "When I say alive to thrive, that's what people seem to understand most when I talk about our work."

Thanks to her efforts and incredible work over the years, Diane added another decorated award to her trophy case. She was appointed to the Order of Manitoba.

Established in 1999, the Order of Manitoba is the highest honour in the Province of Manitoba. It recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence and achievement in any field, benefiting in an outstanding manner the social, cultural, or economic well-being of Manitoba and its residents.

Diane is widely regarded by many as one of the province's most influential Indigenous leaders. 

When Diane looks at the people who have received the award in the past, she's honoured and humbled.

"You know, I do take the bow as an individual," she continued. "In addition, I take this award as recognition of the work of our families and the vision of our families. While there are challenges in the North End in Winnipeg, there are strengths as well. This award, to me, represents the strength we see in the North End."

While she no longer lives in Skownan, it's where she grew up. She spent time in multiple different Parkland communities, including Rorketon and Dauphin. She graduated from the DRCSS. At the end of the day, during all of her successes, Roussin never forgets her roots. She's proud to be from Skownan and thanks everyone for their support over the years.

"Being raised in a really strong, proud, and loving family is very important," commented Roussin. "Knowing that there is a community there rooting for me. I'm related to many people in Skownan. I'm very proud of Skownan."

Diane Roussin of the Skownan First Nation has spent more than two decades advancing Indigenous-led solutions that support children, youth, families, and communities' ability to thrive.

Through their From the Ground Up - Safe Healthy Communities for ALL program, the Province of Manitoba has donated $100,000 to St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Fork River. 

Hope Toporowski, Secretary-Treasurer, said the donation means a lot more than just the money to the community: it means the Province wants to support one of the community's most important gathering places. 

"It's our spiritual gathering place, I mean that is where you fulfil your spiritual needs, and you make friendships within the community throughout the Church...[the donation] will definitely extend [the Church's lifespan] because it's been going downhill the last few years with the water conditions the way they are, it is deteriorating, and it is rapidly deteriorating now," said Toporowski. 

The Church has been around for 88 years. It's withstood the test of time for the most part, but parts of the foundation are in desperate need of repair. Toporowski said this donation will go to helping extend the Church's lifespan by repairing the foundation, which wasn't built with much reinforcement. 

"This is our third application to a Government program. We desperately need a new foundation underneath the Church...in the days when the Church was built, which was way back in 1938, I don't know if there was such a thing as rebar, if there was they probably couldn't afford it," said Toporowski. 

The announcement was made by Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard in a news release on Saturday, which was released at the same time as the Church's annual Zabava. Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn was in attendance, and said the Church has been doing a lot for Fork River since it was built. 

"The Church remains a vital hub for worship, community connection and cultural preservation. The legacy of Ukrainian families who worked tirelessly to preserve our rich traditions deserves to be recognized and celebrated," said Kostyshyn. 

The Province's news release details some of the efforts that the Fork River community has made to preserve heritage, saying seniors in the community had recently undertaken an effort to identify unmarked graves, combing through many years of physical records. That effort led to the creation of signage and a weatherproof cemetery map.