Princess Lodge By Janice Simpson
A birthday party was held on Nov. 28 for three residents’ birthdays.
Dec.5 we went in the handi van to see the Christmas lights.
Dec. 16 at Princess Lodge from 1 – 3:30 there will be Faye’s Baking, Donna’s Jewelery and Clare’s Mitts for sale.
Dec. 6, Brandon Salutes are putting on a tea for Ethel’s 100th birthday and on Dec. 9 the family is having a tea for Ethel’s birthday.
Dec. 7, the Virden Junior High music class is coming to entertain us. On Dec. 7 I will go to the Goulter School concert to hear Zane sing.
Residents with birthdays in December are Donna Couling, Ethel Bowles, Charmaine Rainey, Noella Lachapell.
Ray Everett of Brandon visited his grandma Ethel Bowles on Dec. 2. They went out for supper.
Shirley Rudneski visited Ethel on Saturday, Dec. 2 in the afternoon.
Get well wishes go to Nora Gerrand from the Princess Lodge residents.
Miniota & Isabella By Linda Clark
2023 marked 50 years for the Miniota Drop In Centre. Celebrations were held Nov. 23 starting off the day with a floor shuffle tournament with six teams participating. A noon lunch was served with three playoff games following. Greg Cloake and Kay Lelond had the top score; second went to Glen Still and Dorothy Gow, and third place to Pat Lelond and Donna Gardham. At 3 p.m. anniversary cake and coffee were served to 24 people in attendance. The door prize of a bird seed wreath donated by Studio 83 was won by Dorothy Brown. A good time was had by all!
A family supper was held on Nov. 25 at the Miniota Motor Inn to honour Betty Ann Ellerington on the occasion of her 85th birthday. Home to help her celebrate were her children Karen and Murray Powell, Lavinia; Linda Ellerington, Shields Sask.; Michael Ellerington, Ft. St. John, B.C.; and Sharon and Gregg Hillis, Virden. Also visiting were Betty Ann’s granddaughter Shauna Adams, Rouleau Sask., grandson Jared Thompson, Regina and her niece Wendy (Baskier) and Jeff Ryder, Winnipeg. Extended family members attending were her siblings, Wayne and Dorothy Brown and family and Grant and Colleen Brown and family. Belated Birthday greetings Betty Ann from all your Miniota friends!
Pat Cole and Tricia Lelond flew to White Rock, B.C. to attend the funeral of Curtis Cole, youngest son of Mervyn Cole. Our deepest sympathy to members of the Cole family.
Delbert Cole, Trent Peel, Linda Clark and Darcy Oliver attended the Association of Manitoba Municipalities Convention at the Keystone Centre in Brandon from November 28-30th. Administration staff Trisha Gardham and Anna Oliver also each attended for one day of the convention.
A Grief Workshop was held at the Miniota Community Hall on Dec. 3. This event was sponsored by the Birtle and Hamiota Palliative Care Committees. Speakers Cathy Coulter, Virden; Kaitlyn Ramsey, Hamiota, and Tannis Podobni, Oak Lake shared their grief journeys. As well Janelle Koroscil, Beulah, presented Sound Therapy for the group. Conversation was shared over coffee and refreshments.
The Arrow River Community, on Dec. 3, held their annual Christmas potluck supper and concert. Of course the evening wouldn’t be complete without a visit from Santa to some 40 children who were in attendance for this special night. The hall was beautifully decorated for the evening. Murray Lockhart was MC for a concert of children’s skits, adult skits, poems, a rhythm band and the nativity scene.
Our Miniota community has some impressive Christmas light displays. Come for a drive and check out the Christmas spirit in Miniota! We are decorated and ready for Santa to arrive on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. for the Christmas parade.
From a beautiful Christmas carol: “Christmas is a time for loving, for loving you my friend. Christmas is a time for giving, to you my friend, to you.” May we all spread some Christmas kindness.
ISABELLA
The annual Isabella Community Christmas potluck supper and evening was held on Saturday, Dec. 2. Hazel Wall asked the blessing. What a bounteous supper with everything one could only imagine! Following supper, crafts under the direction of Lisa Raven were enjoyed while the adults played games and visited. Young and old gathered at the front of the hall for the singing of carols in anticipation that Santa would visit. Santa did not disappoint and he was able to enjoy a visit with each child as he handed out their gifts. The Christmas card exchange concluded the evening.
It was wonderful to have Martin and Marlene Heise of Brandon attend our Christmas supper to enjoy their granddaughters Sloan and Mila and their parents, Regan and Marc Simard, and have a visit with old neighbours.
Our community will gather for our final Christmas event at our community church on Christmas Eve for worship.
