So nothing gets left over

Gardening can be fun for a variety of reasons, whether it’s recreation or a source of homegrown food. But what happens when you’re left with too many greens to handle and no one to give them to?

Leftovers Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that currently operates in eight regions across Canada, intends to offer a solution over the summer with the return of its Home Harvest program.

The program, which is open to people with everything from a small farm to an apple tree, lets home gardeners orchestrate private “food rescues,” in which Leftovers volunteers will pick up unwanted food and deliver it to someone who may need it.

Leftovers Foundation has been active in Winnipeg for just four years, but has found it to be its biggest catchment area.

LSWK CC approves honorary bridge name, Leila apartment complex

You ain’t seen nothing yet.

The Disraeli Bridge over the Red River could soon get an honorary name change to ‘Honourary Bachman–Turner Overdrive.’ The decision was approved by the Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan community committee during its regular meeting on May 28 and sent to the standing policy committee on property and development.

The name pays tribute to the classic 1970s Winnipeg rock band comprised of Randy Bachman, Robbie Bachman, Tim Bachman, and Fred Turner, and aims to both honour the group — which had worldwide hits with the songs Takin’ Care of Business and You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet — and serve as a highlight for tourists.

Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) recognized Bachman–Turner Overdrive, as well as The Guess Who, which Randy Bachman also co-founded, as having “left an indelible mark on the rock ’n’ roll genre.”

Twirling a community together

As Sakura Baton Twirlers continues to establish its reach in the community, its head coach couldn’t be happier.

Head coach Tammy De Jong said most of the students in the group are from the south end of the city, and lessons are spilt between Bison Run School, St. Mark’s Anglican Church and Linden Woods Community Centre. The team is also trying to expand its classes at Champlain Community on Saturday mornings.

“So many kids have come and become part of the melting pot of our club,” said De Jong, who lives in East Kildonan, adding the club happily welcomes new students at any time. “We have grown beyond my expectations, and we have more than 50 kids now.”

“The group have become very good friends, and some have said they have made their first friend in Canada. Many have come without being able to speak English, and it has been incredible to watch their language skills flourish,” she added.

Volleyball Wolves win gold at nationals

A season spent focusing on the fundamentals paid off for the WinMan Wolves U15 volleyball team when they won the gold medal in their tier at Volleyball Canada’s national youth championships in Edmonton last month.

The Wolves played nine games in three days, often starting at 7:30 a.m. After dropping their first three games, the Wolves won their first two games on day two after losing the opening set. A close loss in their final game of the day placed them in the fifth tier of the U15 division.

“The second day was a lot better,” setter Shayne Nuytten admitted. “We were in a better mindset with a better start from our first two wins.”

The third and final day of the championship tournament began with a straight-sets win to send the Wolves to the semi-finals. Facing Toronto’s Titans Behemoth, the Wolves won in three sets to make the final against Alberta’s Canada West team.

City news in brief — week of June 5, 2024

Cruisin’ to Change Lives 2024 to take place June 9

This year’s Cruisin’ to Change Lives charity walk , in support of the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation, will be held on Sunday, June 9.

Teams and individual participants have been raising funds for the organization for months — Team Scarlett currently leads with $6,180 — and anyone from the city is welcome to take part in the final, commemorative walk. The route begins at Canadian Mennonite University (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.) and will take participants on a one-to-three kilometre walk through the Assiniboine Forest. Check-in starts at 9 a.m., with opening ceremonies at 9:45 a.m.

Donations are being accepted up until the day of the walk. For more information, visit secure.crf.mb.ca

Recalling downtown Winnipeg’s largest fire

June 8, 2024 marks the 70th anniversary of one of Winnipeg’s most spectacular fires. The Time Building blaze on Portage Avenue destroyed three buildings, severely damaged two others, and cost millions of dollars in damages.

The seven-storey Time Building was located on the northwest corner of Portage Avenue and Hargrave Street. It opened in 1909 as the Builders’ Exchange block and in 1940 was extensively renovated by new owners and rechristened the Time Building.

By 1954, the main floor retail level contained the J. J. H. McLean piano showroom and offices of Canadian National Telegraphs. The upper storeys housed dozens of small offices rented out by lawyers, real estate agents, insurance brokers, and several furriers and jewelers.

Shortly after 1 a.m. on June 8, 1954, the Winnipeg Fire Department received a call about smoke and flames coming from the Time Building’s main floor. When firefighters arrived, they found the blaze was in the false ceiling of the main floor and was difficult to access.

Boys and Girls Club celebrates program grads

The graduating class of the Boys and Girls Club Winnipeg’s youth recreation activity worker program celebrated the completion of their program in May.

Pictured are (back row, from left) instructors Melanie Wight, Brianne Anderson; Randy Wagner; and students Jeriel Alcantara; Taylor Lavalee; Channel George; Nicole Beaudette-Siemens; Kaleigh Ross; Vex Young; and (front row, from left) Cynthia Parmanan; Miranda Crosbie; Jasmine Poirier; Everleigh Kakegumick; Tianna Richard.

— Staff

Local champ pays tribute to Normandy vet

As the world prepares to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 14-year-old Ascemian Assie visited Brookside Cemetery to honour the late Bill Neil (1921-2021). Neil, a Winnipegger, served overseas with the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division as a wireless operator. In Normandy, during the Battle of the Falaise Gap, he was wounded when his armoured car was hit with an .88 mm shell, leading to the loss of his left arm above the elbow. Ascemian is proud to be a part of The War Amps Operation Legacy, in which members of The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program pass on the remembrance message.

— Staff

Garden City school gets new soccer goals

Students and staff at Collicutt School gathered at an outdoor assembly on May 29 to celebrate the installation of two new portable soccer nets, which replacing the school’s old, makeshift wooden goals. Valour FC players Raph Ohin, Harris Chantzopoulos and Juan Pablo Sanchez were also on hand to sign autographs and join in a friendly game with students. The project was supported by city councillor Devi Sharma (at left, above) as part of the Winnipeg 150 recreation project in the Old Kildonan, with additional support from Garden City Community Centre and Winnipeg North Sports Group. Collicutt principal Jamil Mian said students regularly play soccer at lunchtime and recess in all weather.

Grassroots group is all about the trees

A small but mighty organization dedicated to saving the trees has taken root in South Osborne.

Now in its fourth year, Trees Riverview works to protect, restore, and enhance the tree canopy in the neighbourhood. It began through the efforts of two residents concerned by the loss of boulevard trees. The pair were soon joined by three others to form “a key team of results-oriented women,” according to the organization’s website.

In addition to planting new trees, Trees Riverview takes action to preserve existing trees. In 2022, for example, it worked with the City of Winnipeg to organize a tree-wrapping event along the Red River in Churchill Park to protect about 100 trees from beaver damage.

According to Trees Riverview’s Carol Thiessen, there seemed to have been excessive damage to the riverbank trees that winter. Wrapping some species with stucco wire has prevented beavers from felling the trees, Thiessen said.

I Am Love empowers women

What began as a simple idea to help women get back on their feet has turned into a success story that is more than just beautiful jewelry.

“The I Am Love Project designs handcrafted jewelry such as bracelets, necklaces, and earrings, to create job opportunities for women experiencing mental health issues, substance use issues, disabilities, and who have been incarcerated,” said project founder Amy Tung. “My idea is simple — to provide short-term contract work where every woman, regardless of her background or circumstances, can find the resources and encouragement she needs to succeed.”

At I Am Love Project, they understand the challenges that many women face.

“The transition can be daunting,” Tung said. “That’s why we’ve created a workplace culture that addresses not just the practical aspects of re-entering the workforce, but also the emotional and psychological barriers.”

The mind boggles… again

Is it because I have a thick skull or just take too simplistic a view of things? Whatever the reason, I admit that I tend to jump back on the bandwagon regularly when it comes to questioning government decisions.

I know that nothing and nobody is perfect, and I like to believe that those entering into politics do so for the right reasons but, boy oh boy, do the decisions they make (and sometimes don’t make) have me rolling my eyes.

Where am I going with this? This is about how our government raises and uses its limited resources — and they are limited because there is no magic printing press.

A case in point is sewer systems and wastewater management in Winnipeg.

Prostate cancer and nutrition

Prostate cancer is all too common in North America and there is a lot of information out there on how to prevent or combat it with nutrition.

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men which surrounds the top of the urethra and which produces seminal fluid. Male hormones such as testosterone control its growth and function. Worldwide, prostate cancer is the second-most common type of cancer with most men being diagnosed at age 50 or older.

The highest rates of prostate cancer are in Australia, New Zealandand most of Europe and North America. Screening is done using the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test. This test has been controversial in the medical community because it is not specific and having an elevated PSA can be attributed to other issues.

Common symptoms of possible prostate cancer are inability to urinate, frequent urination, especially nocturnal urination, and pain or blood on urination. However, these symptoms are more often related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which is very common.