A year in review

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This article was published 28/12/2021 (1051 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been another unforgettable year for Winnipeggers for countless reasons — not least because of the continued impact of the ongoing pandemic.

That said, Winnipeggers are nothing if not resilient. And once again, many of their stories have been told in The Lance this year. As 2022 approaches, here are a few of the stories that were featured in 2021.

January: Educating beyond borders

As the year turned, the learning curve relating to COVID-19 continued, and La Liberté once again collaborated with a number of partners to create a new children’s science magazine.

The second magazine in La Liberté’s Sciences Mag Junior series was called Together against the Coronas! and it was once again intended to educate and empower children and their families during the ongoing pandemic.

The first magazine in the series — No Mercy for the Coronas — was published in May 2020, and it focused on what was then the relatively new coronavirus, and the immune system. It was the brainchild of Sophie Gaulin, the editor-in-chief and publisher of La Liberté, who came up with the idea to collaborate on a magazine after her two young kids started asking questions about the pandemic and why people were having to change their behaviours in light of it.

According to Gaulin, the first magazine was downloaded more than 200,000 times, and all the hard copies in both French and English were distributed, leading to many requests for reprints. It was even adapted in collaboration with the Institut Pasteur Guyane in French Guiana, and several thousand copies were printed by the Réseau Canopé des Sciences en Guyane, and taken by pirogue on the Maroni River and distributed in village schools without internet access at the border between Suriname and Brazil. It was also reprinted for schools in Sierra Leone, and was adapted for use in Senegal.

“We’re thrilled that it went beyond borders,” Gaulin said. “This shows that there’s definitely a need for science, especially now.”

For Together against the Coronas!, Gaulin and her team again benefited from the expertise of associate professor in immunology Jean-Eric Ghia, who was the magazine’s scientific director. As well, around 15 scientists and health-care professionals once again contributed to the project.

Alzheimer Society of Manitoba launches annual awareness campaign

Many Manitobans live with some form of dementia.

In January, the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba ran its 2021 Alzheimer’s Awareness Month campaign. The theme of the campaign was, “I Live with Dementia.”

For the last several years, the society has highlighted stories of Manitobans who live with dementia in an effort to address the ongoing stigma associated with the disease, whether it’s individuals living with the disease, or their caregivers and loved ones.

According to a news release, more than 23,000 Manitobans are currently living with dementia, and there are many more family members, of course, who provide direct care. In fact — it’s predicted that nearly one million Canadians will have dementia in the next 12 years.

Wendy Schettler, the chief executive officer of the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba, said that individuals often see themselves in the stories the society shares, which helps them realize they are not alone. Another key message she said the society wants to convey is that, just because one is diagnosed with dementia, “it doesn’t mean that life is over.”

“It doesn’t mean that you can’t still contribute to your community,” said Schettler, who lives in Norwood Flats. “It’s really important for you to know that you’ve got a lot of good living left to do, whether it’s in your family, friendship or community circles. It really helps when we understand what dementia is.”

February: Local entrepreneur keeping the faith

In February, Frankie Smith couldn’t wait to get back to work.

The 29-year-old is the owner and operator of Cosmetica, which is located at 4-553 St. Mary’s Rd.

The business, which was then closed due to provincial COVID-19 restrictions, offers a number of services to help individuals look and feel their best, including scalp micropigmentation for hair loss, microblading, brow micro-pigmentation, and collagen induction therapy.  

January 2021 marked the two-year anniversary of Smith moving into the space on St. Mary’s Road. She previously worked out of space she rented at Essentique Aveda Salon & Spa in south St. Vital. Now, she rents rooms in her space to two nurses of the Face Place who offer botox and filler and other anti-aging procedures.

Having spent 2019 establishing her business and growing her client list in her current location, Smith has experienced the same stop-start frustrations as many local business owners in 2020 because of the pandemic. She was closed for a period between March and June — “it got really busy again and I had a really great summer” — before closing again in November. Despite these setbacks, Smith remains optimistic about the future.

“It’s been pretty tough. I fell into a bit of a depression over it. But I tried to remind myself to keep the faith and stay positive. I’m thankful that my husband has a secure job, and I try to remind myself how fortunate (I am) and that my situation could be different. I always try to look at things in a positive light,” she said.

Serving the community

Poutine featured predominantly on the menu at Southdale Village Family Restaurant during the first week of February, but there should have been something for everyone on the menu at the community hub.

The southeast Winnipeg-based restaurant (6-35 Lakewood Blvd.) was among the eateries that took part in La Poutine Week, presented by Saputo, which ran in cities across Canada from Feb. 1 to 7. During that timeframe, customers were able to order Southdale Village Family Restaurant’s pepper popper pork poutine, which was created by kitchen manager Robyn Brown and delivered by Skip the Dishes.

Brown’s creation consisted of one pound of straight golden crispy French fries covered with jalapeño mozzarella cheese by New Bothwell and layered with five ounces of seasoned pulled pork. The masterpiece was topped off with homemade gravy and sprinkled with jalapeño bits.  

Perry Verot, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Kelly, said being part of La Poutine Week not only helped create sales during what is a difficult period for many small business owners, but also gave Winnipeggers a taste of what the restaurant has to offer.

“Besides the sales, of course, it helps raise awareness for people that might not know about our restaurant,” Verot said. “And if they like the poutine, maybe they’d like to try one of our other homemade dishes.”

A quick glance at the restaurant’s menu revealed a selection of lunch and dinner items, including its signature Southdale burger.

March: Buttons made with love

Drea Macduff-Thiessen loves helping people. She also loves creating things.

So, it shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise when the Southdale resident decided to combine these two passions to create Designs by Drea in the summer of 2020, it was reported in March.

With the help of her grandmother, Suzanne Macduff-Brennan, the 11-year-old started making and selling buttons that attach to a pair of glasses when one needs to wear a mask. These buttons were purchased across Canada, and the proceeds were equally donated to the Save Your Skin Foundation and the Melanoma Network of Canada.

One of the main inspirations behind Designs by Drea is Macduff-Thiessen’s Uncle Wes, who has stage 2 high risk melanoma, and completed a year of immunotherapy treatment in 2020. Suzanne Macduff-Brennan explained the buttons come with tiny pieces of elastic, which allows them to be attached to the glasses. She said Wes’ melanoma has turned the family’s life upside down, and she wanted to use the situation as a learning opportunity for her granddaughter.

“I want Drea to learn from this,” Macduff-Brennan said, noting she’d made around $200 at the time. “It wasn’t selling the buttons and making a profit, it was about sharing and helping others, and creating a learning experience.”

Macduff-Brennan is grateful for the support of the Save Your Skin Foundation and the Melanoma Network of Canada, and the resources both bodies have provided.

Rallying around their boy

 
The folks at École Julie-Riel showed a lot of spirit earlier this year — not least during Kidney Kare spirit week in March.

Kidney Kare, which ran from March 11 to 18, was held to honour one of the St. Vital-based school’s students — eight-year-old Grady Batchelor — who was set to undergo a kidney transplant on April 1.

The special spirit week was launched on March 11 to coincide with World Kidney Day — a global campaign intended to raise awareness about kidneys, kidney disease and organ donation. This year’s theme was “living well with kidney disease,” which is fitting, as the school community at École Julie-Riel went to town to honour Batchelor and to give him a send-off to remember. His last day of school before his life-changing operation was March 18.

Lyette Carriere, the school’s principal, said the week was indicative of how the school comes together to look after one of its own.

“We’re a tight-knit community, and this helps bring awareness to our students and their families,” Carriere said. “We’re always talking about promoting health.”

“This is a huge thing for our school, and it’s all for a really good cause. Our school family, and Grady’s family, have been amazing. Plus, he’s a great character and has stolen everybody’s hearts.”

 

April: Something for everyone

 

Interest in the Winakwa Community Garden continued to grow this year.  

The garden is located on a piece of Louis Riel School Division-owned green space between Windsor Park Collegiate and Collège Béliveau next to Windsor Park Pool.

And having been given the green light to continue its garden program during this year’s growing season, the garden’s committee members invited local green thumbs to register for one of the 38 raised garden boxes that were available for rent in the spring.

This year, the committee worked on the second phase of its three-year phased fruit orchard plan, which it hopes will help bring food security to the whole community. The garden now also features clearer signage displaying the garden’s rules; and a free, fresh produce shelf for garden members and area residents to use to share any extra produce.

The health and safety of everyone involved with the garden was a top priority of the committee during the ongoing pandemic, and a number of safety protocols were in place. Winakwa Community Centre has been a key supporter of the garden, and a key partner in its development and sustainability since its creation several years ago.   

 
Key organizer and committee chair Christine Mousseau said the overarching vision for the garden is to cultivate personal, neighbourhood, and environmental well-being through a welcoming garden community, and create food equity for members of the community while creating important partnerships.

A very Canadian idea

 
A new enterprise supporting local artisans that was launched earlier this year has a distinctly Canadian feel.

Gordon Chesterfield is an online furniture and décor store that showcases a selection of eclectic products — including chairs, tables, clocks, and ceramics — that are made locally in Winnipeg.

The business is a collaborative effort between St. Boniface resident James Culleton; Leif Norman, who lives in the Centennial neighbourhood; Niakwa Place resident Chris Pancoe; and St. James-based furniture maker Art Upholstery.

In the spring, Culleton said the number of contributors will continue to grow, and several other artisans have already been lined up to add their creative contributions to Gordon Chesterfield’s catalogue.

“We’re hoping to have new collections every spring and fall,” Culleton, who is an award-winning furniture designer, said.

“Everything we sell is made by local artisans and craftspeople. We want to help them, and it’s important that we support each other, right?”

May: Passionate about preserving history

On May 1, Janet La France marked her first anniversary in the role of directrice générale of the Centre du patrimoine, which is located at 340 Provencher Blvd. La France replaced longtime director Gilles Lesage, who retired from the role.

According to its website, the centre — which is managed by the Société historique de Saint-Boniface — is an archives and research organization that’s mainly devoted to preserving and making accessible archives that document the francophone and Métis experience in Western Canada, especially Manitoba. It houses archival collections, a reference library containing nearly 13,000 titles, and genealogical resources.  

No stranger to the organization, La France has worked at the centre for the last 14 years. Now, the certified genealogist brings that experience to her multi-faceted role at the helm of Centre du patrimoine.

“My role is to oversee everything,” La France, 37, said. “This includes our staff, project ideas and management, coming up with funding, reporting on our operations, and answering to our board.”

Heading out east, moving on up

Manhattan Leslie-Toogood likes being out of her comfort zone.

Earlier this year, the Grade 12 Nelson McIntyre Collegiate student was chosen to receive an $80,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship — the largest STEM scholarship in Canada. In the fall, the 18-year-old attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, N.S., where she’s studying sciences.

Leslie-Toogood, who is commonly known as Mattie, said the scholarship would make a profound difference on not only her upcoming university experience, but also her educational and personal development as she prepared to leave high school and embark on her next adventure.

“This scholarship will provide me with the opportunity to challenge myself through new experiences and get out my comfort zone,” Leslie-Toogood said.

She said she’s excited about the element of the unknown that comes with not going to one of her hometown universities, and grateful for the freedom the scholarship will give her to foster her love of the sciences and explore her passions throughout her time at university without the added financial stress that goes with that.

“If feels incredible,” she said, acknowledging her move to Dalhousie wouldn’t have been possible without the scholarship. “When I first got the news, I was mostly in shock. I’m really grateful, and really excited.”

June: End of a Riverbend era

Earlier this year, Lillian Gobert said goodbye to Riverbend Dairy Farm (R. George Gobert & Sons) after nearly 70 years.

On May 31, the matriarch of the Gobert family spent her last day at the site of the longtime family farm, which is located at the northeast corner of St. Mary’s Road and the South Perimeter Highway.

The land was purchased by the province to make way for the future construction of a new interchange at the junction of the two main southeast Winnipeg thoroughfares.

Gobert, who turned 87 in July, moved to the farm, which was built in 1932, when she 19. And now, almost seven decades later, the St. Vital resident leaves the farm with a lifetime of memories.

“This was my 68th year there,” Gobert, who is now living with one of her sons, said on June 2. “Lots of things happened there, and my kids were raised there. We had lots of good times.”

According to Lillian, working the dairy was very much a family affair and living off the land is very much in her DNA. Her husband, George, was an aerial applicator for crops for many years, and her father was a market gardener.

“That’s how I was raised. I’ve always enjoyed being outside. And I’ve always lived on St. Mary’s Road — my dad’s farm was just past the (Red River) floodway. It was the last place in the city of Winnipeg,” she said.

Southeast schools hold COVID-friendly graduations

Despite the challenges of living in a pandemic, high school communities in southeast Winnipeg once again came together to give their graduates memories that will last forever.

After consultation with education and health officials, and in line with public health orders, Louis Riel School Division decided to hold all of its convocation ceremonies outdoors in the form of individual ceremonies.

In a statement on the LRSD website at the time, superintendent Christian Michalik said that while the look of these different events could vary slightly from school to school, the same blueprint — modelled around a drive-up ceremony — would be followed.

Each ceremony included an individual timeslot for each graduate to receive their diploma; the opportunity for each graduate’s household to attend the outdoor ceremony — the graduate could walk up to the staging area to receive their diploma, while household members remain in, or stand immediately outside, their vehicle; and a commemorative video, including convocation speeches, were released by schools.

 

July: Passing the torch in Old St. Vital

Jim Fuller and Linda Elmhurst know a thing or two about building successful businesses in Old St. Vital.

Fuller, 77, has owned Top Hat Florist on St. Mary’s Road since 1966. Elmhurst, 76, is the former owner of Creative Occasions, which was located near Glenlawn Collegiate.

They are also two of the founding members of the Old St. Vital BIZ, which was created 26 years ago. To be precise — the first meeting of the prospective organization was held on April 27, 1995. Elmhurst still has the sign-in sheet from the meeting, as well as countless other documents, information and photos that she meticulously filed in her role as recording secretary for most of those 26 years, which she finally called time on this year.

Fuller also retired from his longtime role as the association’s president this year, while executive director Maurice Allard also stepped down. Nancy Cooke has taken over as president, and Regina Teplitsky is OSVB’s executive director.

In July, Fuller and Elmhurst talked about how the association has grown from the ground up, and what’s driven them to make a difference in their community.

“At the beginning, the number one thing was that we didn’t want to become a drive-through for people to get to St. Vital Centre,” Elmhurst said. “This was a working, family community, and we didn’t want it to deteriorate — morally or physically.”

Fuller, who created the floral arrangements for a number of previous visits by the Royal Family, said he’s proud of legacy that’s been collectively created by OSVB members in the last two-and-a-half decades.

August: Walking tours and tasty treats

Individuals with a taste for a tour or a treat were invited to stop by Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum this summer.

The museum (494 Tache Ave.) had a number of new offerings, including two walking tours and a snack shack. Admission to the museum was free as part of a Manitoba 150 initiative, which was carried over from last year in light of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The museum has developed some really fun events this year,” Cindy Desrochers, the museum’s finance and operations manager, said. “We developed two walking tours that take in the immediate neighbourhood, and each one is approximately an hour. Both have been equally popular so far. It’s great, because you get to see the city from a new angle and in a new light.”

The tours were called La marche des souliers mous (The Moccasin Walk), and La Marche des bottines (The Women Who Made Us). The former explored the stories and heritage of Manitoba’s Métis population, including the gravesites of prominent figures and families; the latter showcased women whose influence has left a lasting impact on the historical and cultural landscape on the area.

“This is a fun way for people to learn a little bit more about their city and their province, without necessarily having to learn about everything from a history book. By doing it in-person, you get to learn a little bit at a time, and you also get to ask questions. We think people’s interest will be piqued enough by these tours that maybe they’ll want to go away and learn more,” Desrochers said.

In the saddle for St.Amant

Pierre Campeau and Brian Denysuik don’t do anything by halves.

And in terms of a summer fundraiser for St.Amant, three was one of the magic numbers, as the pair was among a group of friends that swam, cycled, and ran in support of the St. Vital-based organization.

As a way to stay connected and active during the pandemic, the group created and participated in the Tri for St.Amant event — a virtual triathlon that didn’t have to be done on the same day, and was held from June 26 to July 4.

As it turned out, some members of Team goBert — the organizing group that included Campeau and Denysuik — decided to do all their triathlon events on the same day in Birds Hill Provincial Park, while other participants chose when to swim, cycle, and run whenever and wherever they wanted.

Team goBert also included Cole Castelane, Dave Eggerman, Warren Gobert, John Leggat, Dennis Maxted, Steven Maxted, Craig Murray, Brent Pooles, Charlie Popowich, Bruce Wardrope, Ron Petley, and John Zadro.   

In the end, Tri for St.Amant raised more than $68,000, which exceeded the expectation of organizers. There were 40 registered participants for the event, and 21 of them set up fundraising pages.

The funds raised were set to be used to help purchase customized bikes for some of the individuals supported by St.Amant, which will enhance both their quality of life, well-being and independence. The bikes are tailored to the individual’s specific dimensions and abilities.

September: One million and counting

Numbers have become a big thing for one Sage Creek resident this year.

As of September, Isla — who turned seven on Sept. 11 — had collected more than one million tabs for the Tabs for Wheelchair campaign.

Shortly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Isla was visiting one of her neighbours and found out the neighbour was collecting tabs. Then, Isla found out about Gwen Buccini, the driving force behind the Tabs for Wheelchairs initiative, which provides specialized wheelchairs to youngsters with specific needs.

Isla was intrigued, and she went home and told her mom that she wanted to start collecting tabs, too. One thing led to another, and word spread to family and friends, partly through a video Isla made, who were encouraged to consider supporting the cause, as well. At first, Isla set herself a goal of collecting 100,000 tabs, and things have continued to gain momentum ever since.

“It feels really great to do this because I’m helping other people, and it’s giving other kids the chance to get a specialized wheelchair,” Isla said.  

“Our community is a good community because people help other people.”

Vandal re-elected once again

Federal cabinet minister Dan Vandal was re-elected as the MP for Saint Boniface-Saint Vital on Sept. 20.

Elections Canada reported that Vandal — the 61-year-old Liberal Party candidate — had garnered 19,696 votes, or 43 per cent of the vote, once all 185 polls had reported.

Also on the ballot in Saint Boniface-Saint Vital were Conservative Party of Canada candidate Shola Agboola, who finished second with 13,091 votes, or 28.6 per cent, and NDP candidate Meghan Waters, who finished third with 10,001 votes, or 21.8 per cent. People’s Party of Canada candidate Jane MacDiarmid finished fourth with 1,976 votes, or 4.3 per cent, and Green Party of Canada candidate Laurent Poliquin finished fifth with 658 votes, or 1.4 per cent.   

“It’s been a weird election, and we’re living in a difficult time,” Vandal said.

“I think this is recognition for the work I’m doing in the community, and the work our government is doing across the country for the people of Canada. Our first priority remains to get through COVID-19. I’m very proud to be part of our team and I look forward to the next few years.”

 

October: Brazilian bakery building steam

Isabelle Falcao’s business is a pretty sweet deal.

The River Park South resident is the owner of Petit Brigadeiria, and the regular creator of a mouthwatering array of cakes, sweets, and treats inspired — in large part — by her native Brazil. The Winnipeg incarnation of the business celebrating its one-year anniversary this fall.

Falcao immigrated to Winnipeg in 2019 with her husband and two daughters — Debora, now 11, and Sara, now seven. A psychologist by profession, Falcao started a baking business in 2014 in Brazil after the birth of Sara as a way to spend more time with her children and engage her passion for baking.

After arriving in Winnipeg, Falcao continued on her culinary journey by taking lots of classes and reading many books, as well as taking a food handler’s course. In September 2020, she started renting kitchen space at Churchill Park United Church in Lord Roberts.

“I spend a lot of time in the rented kitchen, and I go there when I need to bake something,” Falcao said, noting her gratitude to the community for its support in helping build the business.

“Some of my customers are Brazilian people, and some are Canadians with connections to Brazil,” Falcao added. “I have a lot of passion for what I do, and I love it when people eat my baking and have a smile on their face, which is very important to me. Cake is a comfort food, and when someone eats it, it can remind them of a taste of home.”

Carrying Canada on his back

St. Vital resident Dalip Shekhawat competed in the Marathon Des Sables this fall. The 35th edition of the Marathon Des Sables consisted of a seven-day, 250-kilometre trek in the Sahara Desert in Morocco.

As well as setting himself another personal challenge, Shekhawat — who is a teacher at St.Amant — also used the event as another opportunity for him to fundraise for the St. Vital-based organization.

“I wanted to challenge myself on another dimension,” Shekhawat said after returning to Winnipeg from his African adventure. “The temperature was 58.8 degrees Celsius on the second day.”

In initiated circles, the Marathon Des Sables is a legendary event — an intensely difficult race in a notoriously unforgiving desert environment where competitors carry everything they need to survive on their backs.

“A big part of it is how you adapt,” he said. “You make sure you have water on hand and stay hydrated and covered. I trained specifically for the event and did some heat training. We had a good summer here in Manitoba, and I was able to do some long runs and carry my backpack with me.”

Shekhawat’s records show he walked or ran 21 kilometres or more for 70 consecutive days in preparation for the event, which is notable for its “self-sufficient” aspect.

November: Five sunny years at Blue Sky Fitness

A local gym is celebrating a big anniversary.

Kathryn Dzikowicz is the owner of Blue Sky Fitness and Health Coaching, which is located at B-468 St. Anne’s Rd., and will celebrate five years in business on Jan. 2, 2022.

The lifelong St. Vital resident spoke in light of this upcoming landmark anniversary and talked about how she’s pivoted to strengthen the business after the pandemic shut things down.  

“We’re considered a boutique studio, so you’re either here for class or personal training,” said Dzikowicz, who previously worked as the employee fitness and wellness co-ordinator for CN for 14 years and then as the operator and program director of the Urban Wellness Centre in Cityplace for eight years.

Mindful of the fact that not everyone wants to go to a larger gym, part of Dzikowicz’s purpose in the last five years has been to create a warm, encouraging, all-inclusive environment that offers a different experience for her clients, many of whom have become friends and feel like family.

At press time, classes currently being offered include those called cardio and core; yoga stretch; guts, butts and guns; fat blast; metabolic mixer; roll, rejuvenate, recover; and Tabata 20 — to name but a few.

Business owner grateful for community support

Claudia Kang has come to learn an important fact since taking over her business in 2012 — people love pies.

In 2012, Kang and her late husband, Ki Young Park, bought the St. Boniface-based Molly’s Meat Pies (G-390 Provencher Blvd.) from previous longtime owners Maureen and Jim McKeown. Dec. 1 marked Kang’s ninth anniversary at the helm of the business, and next year will mark Molly’s Meat Pies’ 40th birthday.

While Kang continues to try different menu items at certain times, she believes part of the longevity of Molly’s is the consistency of what it produces, which helps it retain many of its loyal, longtime customers who have an appetite for homemade fare with a strong British, Irish and French influence that’s made on-site.   

New on the menu this year, for example, are chicken curry pies and vegetarian pies, which are both growing in popularity, Kang said, and pumpkin pies and sugar pies are now available all year round, whereas they were available seasonally before. Among her most popular items are tourtières, steak pies, and chicken and vegetable pies.

Kang is for grateful for her loyal customer base, and she says some of have customers have become friends. When she lost her husband in 2019, she was touched by the outpouring of support she received from people in the community.  

 
“My husband worked so hard, and we’d always worked together side by side since we came to Winnipeg,” Kang said, noting their son also helps out at the business in between his studies. “I’ve got to know many of my customers, and I’ve got to know some really nice people, some of whom helped me when my husband died.”

December: Arts patron leaves legacy

Bev Morton has left an indelible impression on the art community in Manitoba.

A much-loved supporter of artists in the province and the longtime owner of the Wayne Arthur Gallery  (186 Provencher Blvd.), the 71-year-old died recently after long illness.

Sandra Morton Weizman, Morton’s sister, said her older sister continued working in the gallery in St. Boniface, when she wasn’t attending medical appointments, every day right up until her death.

“In July, I was chatting with a friend of Bev’s, who said, ‘oh no, she’ll never leave the gallery. She’ll be working there with an oxygen tank.’ I think Bev and the gallery were symbiotic. She was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer four-and-a-half years ago, and it’s been the most amazing thing — I think the gallery kept her alive, as it was her passion and what she lived for,” Morton Weizman said.

Morton’s desire to continue going to the gallery once her health began to fail was helped by the fact that she lived upstairs.

“She could get to work right there — the world came to her,” Morton Weizman said, noting her gratitude to the local business owners that rallied round to help and support her sister on a regular basis.

The Calgary resident has also been touched by how many people her sister helped and supported along the way.

A year in the life of Winnipeg

The year ended with a nod to 2022, and a homage to the city we call home.

South Winnipeg resident Kris Kuzdub now creates an annual calendar with a new Winnipeg-focused theme every year, and the 2022 edition features 12 distinct neighbourhoods across the city. With each calendar purchased, Kuzdub will donate $10 from the sale to the Main Street Project.

The Dakota Collegiate alumna said each calendar month features a different community depicted by a hand-drawn design. The neighbourhoods include recognizable landmarks, signage, notable river bends, and “even some infamous roadways that give each neighbourhood its unique character and identity.” In southeast Winnipeg, there are months dedicated to St. Boniface and Old St. Vital.

The new calendar comes on the heels of this year’s calendar, which showcases Winnipeg landmarks and includes a recognizable local building every month. This calendar was created not long after Kuzdub lost her job in the urban design field because of the pandemic, which is when she established Kirsch Street Prints. And even though Kirsch Street Prints was relatively new venture at that time, Kuzdub managed to raise more than $300 in donations at a time when many people were struggling due to the impact of COVID-19.