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Peace in the midst of a pandemic

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The other Sunday in church, one of the fellows made the comment that in a time like we are now going through in our society, we need two things: sanity and certainty. He went on to say he didn’t even want to turn on TV news anymore because of some of the insane things happening in our world.

I agreed with him on the insanity part: protests, riots and all sorts of what I consider craziness going on, especially with our neighbours to the south (where they are just amping up for their Presidential elections in November; I hate to think what will will happen after the election, no matter which candidate wins…)

There’s another aspect that is a great factor in the upset of today and that is the anxiety level of so many. Stats Canada recently released the results of a survey dealing with Canadians’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. From April 24 to May 11, 2020, approximately 46,000 Canadians participated in an online questionnaire, “Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians: Your mental health.” They referred to a statement by the Secretary General of the United Nations that the mental health and wellbeing of societies have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

They reported that most (88%) participants said they had experienced at least one symptom of anxiety in the two weeks prior to completing the survey. “Feeling nervous, anxious or on edge” was the most commonly reported symptom (71%), followed by “becoming easily annoyed or irritable” (69%) and “trouble relaxing” (64%).

The other day, I myself received a phone call asking me to participate in a survey on the pandemic, where one of the questions asked related to anxiety. On a scale of one to five, I was to rate my anxiety level from very low to very high. My response was that it was a one.

My reason for giving that answer was because of the second thing that fellow at church stated that our society today needs: certainty. And I have that. And it comes from belief in God and what it says in the Bible about fear: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

The reason we do not have fear but rather peace in a time of pandemic is because we are convince that God is total control of what happens on planet earth. We read of that control in the Book of Job in the Bible: “For God is so wise and so mighty…  If He commands it, the sun won’t rise and the stars won’t shine. He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea.” Job 9:4-8. That control includes pandemics.

One time, Jesus was in a boat with His disciples on the Sea of Galillee. A huge storm came up and threatened to swamp the boat. Jesus “got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. The disciples were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!’” 

It’s that same Jesus who brings us peace, especially at a time like this He promises: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

May that be your experience too, during this pandemic.

Henry Ozirney was the founding pastor of New Life Church in Stonewall, where he served from 1970 until he retired in 2014. He is currently Interim Pastor at New Life Church in Teulon, Manitoba. He can be reached at henryoz@mts.net or 204-461-1105.

Interesting times for high school sports

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By Brook Jones – Keeping Up With Jones

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our modern lives and has impacted society in many ways.

Sports are very much part of our society and are woven into the fabric of the high school experience for many.

In a typical year as the calendar approaches later September, cross country running is well underway as well as volleyball, but things are drastically different this year due to the pandemic.

Brook Jones is the editor of the Selkirk Settler Times.

Special Olympics coach continuing to give back

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Reagan Croy (right), who is all smiles as an assistant coach for snowshoeing with Team Manitoba, stands beside Team Manitoba athlete Alyisa Roy at the 2020 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Thunder Bay, Ont. (Photo Submitted By Reagan Croy)

Submitted

Meet Special Olympics Manitoba coach Reagan Croy

Reagan Croy has been a volunteer with Special Olympics Manitoba since 2013 and is the Head Coach of Interlake Athletics. Aside from her coaching role, her commitment to building up and increasing awareness of Special Olympics in the Manitoba Interlake Region is what sets her apart. 

What made you get involved with Special Olympics Manitoba in 2013?

I started volunteering with Special Olympics Manitoba because my cousin was running the Interlake Athletics Club in Manitoba and she was looking for volunteers. It did not take long until I fell in love with volunteering and began to get my coaching certifications to work my way up within the club. 

I also had two cousins who were athletes at the time, so Special Olympics became a way for me to connect with them weekly. Our club has a uniqueness to it because my brother and I both started volunteering around the same time and we brought our friends out to volunteer at the practices as well, so we quickly grew the program from a club, into a community.

What do you love about coaching?

I love being able to help the athletes reach their goals, whatever they might be. To some athletes, they are happy every week by seeing their friends, others want to be there for fitness and physical activity, and others want to compete and get huge personal best times and distances. So, whatever their individual goals are, I am just so happy to be able to be a part of it, and help them get there.

I also love coaching because of the community it creates. It brings community not only for the athletes in the sense of their comradery with their peers, but it also brings a sense of community for the coaches, the volunteers, and the parents. Something that is really unique about my club is that whenever we practice there is always a group of parents or caregivers that will socialize, and they become their own kind of community and support for each other.

The combination of the athlete’s individual goals and the sense of community that Special Olympics brings is what makes me absolutely love being a coach.

What is your favourite Special Olympics moment/memory?

I have so many favourite memories and moments within Special Olympics, but there are two that stand out for me:
The first one is that last year, an athlete that I coach sang ‘O Canada’ at the Winnipeg Winter Games. For reference, the Winnipeg Winter Games are the qualifying competition for the National Games, so there were over 400 people in the crowd. Now, I wish I could tell you that I was singing along with him, but instead I was just standing there filming and crying because I was so proud of his confidence to be able to do that in front of this huge crowd. Additionally, this athlete typically has a stutter in regular speech, so to see him sing flawlessly is always a treat, and I was glad Special Olympics allowed him the opportunity to sing.

Another moment that stands out for me is when I was coaching an athlete in shotput. I will try to not get into too much of the technique here, but the main part we were working on was for him to lift up his elbow. We worked on it every week, but it was always something I would have to cue, because he wouldn’t do it on his own. 

Then one day when we were at an indoor track meet, he lined up for his throw; at this point in a competition, I do not cue anymore because competitions are for the athlete’s to try their best on their own, and not a time for me to coach. When he got ready to throw he got into his typical stance, with a low elbow, but moments before he threw, he used his opposite hand to physically lift up his elbow and he threw incredibly. I was just beaming; the track meet could have ended there for me. I was so proud of him.

How has Special Olympics changed your life?

Special Olympics has changed my life immensely. Being a volunteer at a young age changed the path I decided to take in school and the occupation I am currently working towards. I was a track and field athlete through high school and I continued to compete in university, but after a severe ankle injury, I decided to take a year off and do some travelling. 

In that year off I realized how much I missed my Special Olympics community, and that I wanted to return to volunteering when I was home. I ended up switching universities because I wanted to study Disability Studies. I ended up getting a minor in disability studies and I am currently working on my Master’s of Occupational Therapy. The plan right now is to find an avenue as an Occupational Therapist to work with people with intellectual disabilities. Regardless of where I end up working in the future, Special Olympics has been a huge reason for why I am the person I am today. I honestly do not know who I would be if I hadn’t started volunteering with Special Olympics.

Learn more about Special Olympics:

https://www.specialolympics.ca/

What have you learned from Special Olympics athletes?

I have learned so much from Special Olympic athletes. I have learned that Special Olympics athletes are truly athletes. I know that might sound obvious, but sometimes I think the public looks at Special Olympics as a ‘feel-good’ sport, or like it is just for fun, when in reality, these athletes are working hard, putting in the time, and crushing their goals. 

I have also learned the importance of sport and the importance of routine. Sometimes I think those can be neglected, but when I see the value that these athletes get from the weekly community that we have built together, I see the importance. My athletes have taught me to not take sport and community for granted, in fact they remind me every practice of the importance of Special Olympics for them.

In what other ways are you involved with Special Olympics, aside from coaching?

I sit as the Secretary for the Special Olympics Interlake Leadership Team and last year, I organized a couple fundraisers for the region I coach in, mainly out of necessity. We had a big team of athletes heading to the National Games and we needed someway to support them to go. A goal within Special Olympics is for the athletes to pay as little as possible because often people with intellectual disabilities already have barriers to work and income, so it doesn’t seem fair to ask them to pay for their recreation. 

To support the athletes, I put on a Yaymaker fundraiser (formerly known as Paintnite) at the local restaurant I work at. It ended up being a full house and we raised over $500 for our athletes.

My club and I also linked up with our local Safeway and held a barbeque where all the proceeds went towards the athletes heading to Nationals. That fundraiser was incredibly fun because the athletes were in charge of pretty much everything and got to engage the public in the fundraiser in a way that was fun for them.

I also organized a fundraiser/information booth at our local fair and rodeo. Athletes, parents, volunteers, and coaches all took turns at the booth to try and spread awareness of our club, while also accepting donations. 

I also held a snowshoe competition in our region, which was the first of its kind. It was a way for the athletes to have some meaningful competition before heading to the National Games.

How difficult have the past few months in quarantine been on your athletes and you as a coach?

These past few months have been tough, and they have felt weird. When lockdown first happened, we decided as a club, to shut down and take an extended summer holiday. 

Interlake Athletics is very much a community, so it is difficult for the athletes to not be able to connect the same way. Usually this time of the year is filled with a lot of excitement as the athletes get back to training and we all get to share about how the summer has been. Even though we have not been able to gather formally, I know that my club is looking forward to starting up again when it is safe to do so. We are all having to practice our patience in these ever-changing times.

Why should other people get involved with Special Olympics?

Well if my story hasn’t already convinced people to be involved in Special Olympics, let me try a little harder: people should be involved in Special Olympics because you don’t know what you’re missing until you join. On top of being a lot of fun, being involved in Special Olympics is part of a bigger movement of inclusion. As a society, we still have a long way to go, but I think we are making steps, and movements like Special Olympics, motionball, and In the Schools programs, are some of those steps towards inclusion.

If that’s not enough of a reason, I can almost guarantee that you will get more out of volunteering with Special Olympics than what you put into it. I can’t tell you the number of times that I have left a practice with more energy than when I arrived. It is hard to describe, and best understood by being involved, so if you are ever in the Selkirk area, feel free to stop by my club and see what it’s all about!

Courtesy of Special Olympics Canada

https://www.specialolympics.ca/story/manitoba-volunteer-coach-changed-her-entire-career-path-after-involvement-special-olympics

Hnatiuk thankful for all that sport has given him in life

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Jeff Hnatiuk, who has been the president and CEO of Sport Manitoba since 1996, is moving on to become deputy minister for Sport; Culture and Heritage. The Selkirk Settler Times caught up with Hnatiuk at the Sport for Life building on Tuesday, Sept. 22; 2020. (Brook Jones/River City Photography/Selkirk Settler Times)

They say in life it is greater to give than to receive, but when it comes to Sport Manitoba president and CEO Jeff Hnatiuk, he gave so much that he also received a most precious gift in life. The gift of being able to connect with thousands of people in a most unique way through his love and passion for sport.

Hnatiuk gave 24 years of his life to running sport Manitoba and in the end he can move on to become the deputy minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage, knowing he made a lasting impact on the sports community not only in Manitoba, but across Canada.

This story will be updated.

Some lessons I have learned through this pandemic

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Henry Ozirney, who is the interim pastor at New Life Church in Teulon, Man., writes about some of the lessons he has earned through the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo Submitted by Henry Ozirney)

It is five months now since the Coronavirus Pandemic hit. We have all gone through the experiences of lockdowns, wearing masks, social distancing and a host of other things. As I look back, there have been some lessons that I have learned as a result of it.

First, my belief in the uncertainty of life has definitely been reinforced by this experience. The other day as I was walking uptown, I looked around and saw that most people were wearing a mask. It almost looked like something from the Twilight Zone or Outer Limits. My initial reaction was to think, “Who would’ve thought one year ago that this is what we would be doing?”

Just like the meme I saw online the other day: “So in retrospect, in 2015, not a single person got the answer right to the question: ‘Where do you see yourself in five years from now?’” I agree; who would’ve said?

All of my life, I have been convinced of life’s uncertainty based on verses like these from the Bible: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:13-15.) Now, I believe it even stronger than ever.

Lesson Number Two: I have come to believe that a virus is the strongest thing in the world. Recently, my son Curtis, who has a degree in the sciences, said to me, “A virus is the strongest thing in the entire world. “ He went on to say, “We had almost come to the place where we thought that we as humankind were. But in reality that’s not true; viruses are much stronger than people.”

I agree with him. We have seen the entire world brought to its knees by this virus. No one is invincible to it: rich or poor, famous or unknown, all are vulnerable.

The other day, I was meeting with a group of men from our church, all of us social distancing as we enjoyed our donuts and coffee. One of the guys made a profound statement. He said this virus has shut down all the wars in the world. Come to think of it that’s exactly what happened. There are no wars going on today.

And finally, I have had my belief strengthened in the fact that God is in control. As I read the Bible, I see it teaching the truth of the sovereignty of God: “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and

His kingdom rules over all” Psalms 103:19.

There are two polar opposite worldviews when it comes to history and existence. First, there’s “Existentialism” which states that history has no purpose; that things happen and there is no rhyme or reason for them. Second, there is “Theodicy” which says that God has a purpose in history and He has promised that “all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” Romans 828.

This final truth gives me the greatest reassurance as I face the unknown future. I do believe that God is in control and in His plan, everything is going to work out for good.

I take great comfort in that.

Henry Ozirney was the founding pastor of New Life Church in Stonewall, where he served from 1970 until he retired in 2014. He is currently Interim Pastor at New Life Church in Teulon, Manitoba. He can be reached at henryoz@mts.net or 204-461-1105.

Calling all Quiz Masters

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Submitted by the City of Selkirk

You may think you know everything there is to know about our city, now’s the time to put your knowledge to the test.

After a successful first installment, the City of Selkirk is hosting a second Virtual Quiz Night on Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.

“The first one actually went better than we expected. It’s a great way for friends and families to get together in-person or through video chat, have some fun and learn some cool facts about our city,” said the city’s Culture Coordinator Ellie Longbottom.

The last quiz night was held on April 29 and the city’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator Riley Aisman, who also hosted the quiz on Facebook Live, said that was the first time the city ever tried a virtual event.

“We sort of learned on the fly. It was a lot of trial and error trying to figure out the best way to do this,” said Aisman.

“In the end we got a lot of great feedback from those who played and overall, everyone had fun. With the weather cooling down and people looking for things to do in their homes, we thought this would be a good time to bring it back.”

If you sign up, you’ll get an official quiz form that you’ll use and your score will be tracked live. If you don’t you can still follow along on Facebook Live and test your Selkirk knowledge.

“We did it this way so people familiar with the normal quiz format can have the closest thing to a normal quiz night as possible,” said Longbottom.

“If you’re not exactly tech-savvy, it’s as easy as going to our Facebook page and following along. There’s no prizes for winners but people didn’t really seem to mind that, they were just happy to have a reason to have some fun with their friends and family.”

“We’re going to do five different categories, but this time they’ll be a bit more interesting,” said Aisman.

“This is something we’ve wanted to do again for a long time, simply because so many people asked us to. We’ll be giving away prizes throughout the night just for playing as well. We’re really excited to give people a reason to come together, whether as a family or virtually.

Here’s how to register:

  1. Sign up your team at www.myselkirk.ca/quiznight ahead of time.
  2. On Sept. 30, the city will send you a link to the quiz form about 4 hours before it starts. That’s where you’ll submit your answers. Have the quiz form open around 6:45 p.m. so you know it’s working.
  3. Tune into the Selkirk Virtual Quiz Night live stream on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/cityofselkirk. That’s where you’ll get the questions from.
  4. It’s best that you have 2 devices ready. One for the quiz form and one for the Facebook Live Stream.

Croy keeps on challenging herself

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Reagan Croy is all smiles as an assistant coach for snowshoeing with Team Manitoba at the 2020 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Thunder Bay, Ont. (Photo Submitted By Reagan Croy)

Reagan Croy continues to chase her dreams and goals in life.

The Selkirk Comp grad recently completed the Mantario Challenge and was able to raise more than $1,000 in the effort. Funds raised through the challenge are going towards post-secondary scholarships for Winnipeg Youth.

Croy has already started her next venture, which is working towards a masters degree in occupational therapy.

“All if the lectures are currently over Zoom, which is understandable given the state of Covid-19 cases and the safety for the public,” Croy told the Selkirk Settler Times.

Croy is also a Special Olympics coach with Interlake Athletics. To learn more about Croy and her passion to give back to the community through coaching, check out this week’s feature by Special Olympics Canada, which can be also found on the Selkirk Settler Times website.

“Special Olympics has not started yet, and if we do, it will definitely look different this year,” Croy added. “Hopefully, we can work through a solution that suits the athlete’s physical activity, community, and safety. If I have learnt anything this year, it’s that we all have to be flexible with our plans changing.”

Steelers ready for puck drop

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Despite the COVID-19 pandemic the Selkirk Steelers are looking forward to the start of the 2020-2021 Manitoba Junior Hockey League season; which gets underway on Friday; Oct. 9; 2020. (Brook Jones/River City Photography)

The Selkirk Steelers are still stickhandling their way through the many Covid-19 restrictions issued but they can’t wait to take their shots on Manitoba Junior Hockey League ice again. 

“The Covid protocols are going to be a challenge, but at least it lets us play hockey,” said Hudson Friesen, who has taken over from Nick Lubimov as the Steelers head coach. 

Those protocols include MJHL players, staff and officials being mandated to wear masks when entering and exiting MJHL facilities, on the buses, and in restaurants and hotels. They don’t have to wear masks on the ice. The limited members of public who will attend games will also be encouraged to wear masks and maintain social distancing. 

“It’s definitely been an unprecedented couple of months,” said Friesen, 27. “But all of our players are on board with following all of the protocols. Everyone has families and grandparents and we want to make sure everyone stays safe.” 

The MJHL has added an expansion franchise, the Winnipeg Freeze, owned by 50 Below Sports and Entertainment (which also operates the Winnipeg Blues). That has allowed the league to establish three divisions of four teams each this season. The schedule has been reduced to 40 games (from 60) with each team playing 24 games within its own division. 

The Steelers will join the Steinbach Pistons, Blues and Freeze in the Southeast Division. They will play each of the other eight teams twice. Travel will also be restricted, with breaks in the schedule to allow for possible Covid or weather concerns. 

Not a single player opted out due to Covid worries, Friesen said. 

“There’s definitely been a lot of uncertainty but everyone’s excited to be back on the ice,” he said. 

The 2019-20 MJHL season had been shut down before it was over due to the pandemic so, it was a longer off-season than usual. 

Tryout camps started this month. 

“We’re excited about the group we have here,” said Friesen, a Steelers alumni who served as an assistant coach and business manager the past three years. “We have 12 veterans coming back and we have some good 17-year-olds competing for a lot of open spots.” 

Those veterans include forward Blake Burr, the team’s MVP and top scorer with 28 goals and 52 points (ninth in the MJHL) in 60 games last season. The newcomers include prized recruit Ty Smith, who scored 23 goals and 56 points in 47 games with the Winnipeg Wild (midget) last season. 

The Steelers, who missed the playoffs last year, have also added the venerable Al Hares as their senior advisor and associate coach. 

The MJHL season opens Oct. 9. 

Stingers ready to hit the ice

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The Selkirk Stingers U12 A3 ringette team celebrates their victory at the Winnipeg Ringette League Championship at the Gateway Arena in Winnipeg, Man., on Sunday, March 8, 2020. (Brook Jones/River City Photography)

The Selkirk Stingers are gearing up for back to play in the upcoming ringette season.

 

Forgotten painting brings largest single donation to Selkirk Heritage Endowment Fund

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A photo of Gabriel Gély stands next to the Canada 150 Mosaic Mural book. The local artist, who lives in Selkirk, Man., is the man behind the painting called Lily Pond, which sold for $5; 000 in early September of 2020. Gabriel and he wife Dorothy Myhal-Gély donated the money from the sale to the Selkirk Heritage Endowment Fund. (Photo Submitted by the City of Selkirk)

Submitted by the City of Selkirk

forgotten painting, an artistic soul and a generous heart have resulted in a $1,000 donation from a Selkirk couple to the Selkirk Heritage Endowment Fund

The painting, called ‘The Lily Pond’, was one of two found by Dorothy Myhal-Gély while searching for something else in the garage. She called her husband, Gabriel Gély, who had painted them some 20 years ago, to see her find.

Gabriel had forgotten all about the paintings, and the duo called their friend Mary Thorne to see what she thought might be a fitting future for them.

Thorne, a fellow artist and volunteer of the Gwen Fox Gallery, framed the 5×4-foot paintings and later brokered a deal with the City of Selkirk to hang them in the civic offices. If the paintings sold, the Gélys decided they would donate 20 per cent of the sale to SHEF, a cause they had supported in the past.

In early September, the painting sold for $5,000 and the Gélys made the donation and penned a touching note to the City of Selkirk. It read:

‘Greetings to the City of Selkirk Executive Members; We wish to express our appreciation regarding your generosity in allowing space to display ‘The Lily Pond’ painting. Enclosed, please find a donation to SHEF. Your kindness is very much appreciated by us – Gabriel Gély (artist) and Dorothy Myhal-Gély’.

Gabriel was born in France but had a dream to spend time in the Canadian North, which came true in 1952 when he left his homeland. He settled in the arctic and spent most of the next 35 years there. The reality of his dream did not disappoint and Gabriel’s artwork was a reflection of the people and culture he surrounded himself with.  

SHEF was established in 2012 by the City of Selkirk as a perpetual endowment fund that will support the ongoing operational costs of a new municipal heritage museum. Until such a museum is established, the fund will provide annual grants to the Marine Museum of Manitoba.

The SHEF is managed by the Selkirk and District Community Foundation. In 2015, the fund paid out its first grant of $5,422 to the Marine Museum; in 2019 it paid out $14,297.

Selkirk CAO Duane Nicol, who was a City of Selkirk councillor in 2012 when SHEF was established, said it came about as a result of the city’s ‘Capturing Our Shared Heritage’ vision paper that was adopted by council of the day.

“In addition to the city’s annual contribution to the SHEF, the fund has grown as a result of many private donations from citizens and folks who have a passion for history. The Gély’s extremely generous donation is the fund’s largest one-time donation we’ve ever received. We are so appreciative of Dorothy and Gabriel’s donation, and it has been an honour to have these amazing works of art in our office – I’m going to miss Lily Pond to be honest. It is beautiful” Nicol said.

SHEF aligns with the city’s Strategic Plan, Nicol said, in that it aims to build a strong and stable local economy by helping to revitalize Selkirk’s image and capitalize on Selkirk’s tourism potential.

The Selkirk and District Community Foundation’s Executive Director Bev Clegg says she is always thrilled to learn about fantastic stories of generosity.

“Dorothy and Gabriel supporting Selkirk’s rich history through this endowment is a great example of how thoughtful, community minded people find creative ways to give to causes they care about.  Like all donations given to the Foundation, this gift will be held in perpetuity – giving today, gives for tomorrow and is always ‘Here for Good’,” Clegg said.  

Donations to SHEF can be made in person at the City of Selkirk Civic Office or online at www.myselkirk.ca/endowments. Donations can be made in memory or honour of a friend or loved one and to celebrate someone or something.

“With the donor’s permission, donations are permanently recognized by the city and are currently displayed on our virtual museum website. So, as a donor, you’re actually becoming part of our history, our legacy” said Nicol

For a limited time, anyone making a donation of $50 or more to the SHEF will receive a gift from the City of a beautiful hard cover copy of the Canada 150 National Mural Mosaic book, valued at $75.

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