The Flin Flon Arts Council is again offering their 75 dollar season pass.  The Council’s Crystal Kolt says they have a quite a list of performances over the year.  She says Jesse Peters is coming to town for the Christmas show and he’s an amazing sort of jazz playing Michael Buble kind of guy so it’ll be lots of fun and then they have the Manitoba Theatre Center, Ham Sandwich, the Fortunate Ones from out east are coming in and the Community Choir performance before heading off to New York.

The passes are available at the Arts Council office and your last chance to purchase one will be at their Arts and Crafts Sale at the Community Hall next Saturday November 7^th.

As you turn you clocks back to standard time this weekend the Flin Flon Fire Department wants you to also think about fire safety.  Fire Chief Jim Petrie says it’s time to change the batteries in your smoke detector.  He explains smoke detectors are extremely important as they’re a life saving device and they’re to wake you up at 2 o’clock in the morning if you have smoke in your home or a fire.  He says it’s a very inexpensive thing just to replace the batteries in your detector every year at this time.

Petrie also reminds you to create and practice a home escape plan and make sure your chimney is clean.

Assistant Recreation Director Crystal Banting invites you to celebrate Halloween at a free event in Creighton tonight.  She says there’s a free family Halloween dance at the Creighton Community Hall from 7 to 9 tonight.  She adds they want everybody to bring out their ghouls and goblins and have a good time.  She notes the concession will be available there as well.

The dance is sponsored by the Town of Creighton, Creighton Co-operative and Creighton Community School.

A Denare Beach boy reported missing earlier this week has been found.  Creighton RCMP report 15 year old Wesley Custer has been safely located.  He had been seen last in Flin Flon on October 21^st and was reported missing last Sunday.  The RCMP thank the public for their assistance in locating Wesley.

The program is called Partners in Safety and will be available to help children who are out trick or treating Saturday evening. Regional Manager for Emergency Services for the Northern Health Region Ken Gurba says when kids are out vehicles from Emergency Medical Services, RCMP and the Fire Department will be there.  He explains they go out in their marked emergency vehicles and the staff are wearing their uniforms and they make a visible presence on the streets.  He says if any child gets either lost or bullied or has any problem whatsoever they can flag down any of the multiple emergency vehicles that will be cruising the streets on Halloween evening.

The Partners in Safety Program will run from 4 to 7 Saturday evening.

The NorMan Jazz Festival is being held in Flin Flon this weekend.  Music teacher Kim Jones says it’s an opportunity for northern students and the community with Flin Flon, Thompson and The Pas jazz band students participating in a two day festival where they will learn from world class jazz musicians and educators from all over Manitoba.  She says the community will have a chance to see eleven amazing jazz musicians perform as well as eight student jazz bands.

The students will present a public concert to wrap up the weekend Sunday from 10:30 to 12:30 in the Hapnot Collegiate Gym with a silver collection taken.  Jones says it’s a great opportunity for those who like jazz or would like to be introduced to jazz.

The Manitoba Government has announced 4.2 million dollars for upgrades and new equipment at three Flin Flon health facilities.  MLA Clarence Pettersen says there’s 1.4 million dollars to install a new sprinkler system at the Personal Care Home, 1.2 million for the emergency power system upgrade at the General Hospital, nearly 820 thousand to upgrade the operating rooms at the General Hospital, 150 thousand for kitchen renovations at the Personal Care Home and 20 thousand to replace kitchen ducts and exhaust fans at Northern Lights Manor.

   Health Minister Sharon Blady in making the announcement added planning is nearly complete on the major project to expand and redevelop the General Hospital emergency department and admitting area.  She says a tender is expected to be released in the coming weeks for the multi-million dollar project.

 It was presentation time last night as the Flin Flon School Board welcomed Ruth Betts Community School Principal Tammy Ballantyne and Vice-Principal Amber Kubat.  They reviewed the school plans for the current year.  The five main goals are to have 95 percent of all students be at or above grade level in literacy and numeracy by next June, have staff develop a team focus for student mental wellness, have at risk student’s attendance increased to 90 percent or higher and expose students to a variety of career options.  Ballantyne and Kubat delivered the strategies in place to achieve this year’s goals.

Superintendent Blaine Veitch reported that information will be coming home from school regarding the Tell Them From Me survey grade 4 to 12 students will be taking between November 2^nd and December 4^th..  The on-line survey allows them to express their thoughts anonymously on various topics.  The Division and schools then process the information improving learning and fostering a safe and welcome environment.

The second annual Northern Health Summit was held in Flin Flon yesterday.  Northern Health Region Chief Executive Officer Helga Bryant says it’s an opportunity to get key leaders from our communities together to discuss and explore health issues and identify priority concerns. Bryant says the summit was centered on mental health and wellness.  She says she sees it as beginning to give people a glimpse that  as a health region they are moving increasingly towards seeing mental health not as a disease, not as something that becomes stigmatized, but rather as something that all of us may well struggle with from time to time that is on a continuum and that it is together that we will become feeling more emotionally and mentally well.

The Summit was attended by over 100 people from across the north representing community members, local Councils, First Nations and government.

Chief Executive Officer Helga Bryant reviewed their strategic and financial plan followed by questions from those attending.

A representative from Split Lake came to the meeting pleading for a full scale ambulance service to replace the truck that takes patients over rough roads to Thompson as well as the need for a personal care home and dialysis unit.  Bryant said they have been advocating with the province for an ambulance and will raise the other issues.

Flin Flon’s Tom Heine raised concerns about an incident where girls were denied entry to the hospital after being hit by pepper spray due to possible contamination entering the hospital.  Bryant said the new emergency room being developed will have a decontamination room that will prevent that from happening again and she regrets that it happened.  Heine asked what happens in the mean time to which Bryant replied they will continue to treat patients in as caring a way as possible keeping in mind the other patients at the hospital.

And Angie Simpson suggested a scholarship to support northern students who want to study medicine to encourage them to return to the north.  Board Chair Doug Lauvstad said he appreciated the idea and suggested she discuss with their Human Resource reps their return to service option.

 You only have until Friday to nominate a young person for the Healthy Youth Role Model Award sponsored by the CADAC Outpatient Center and the Community Youth Resource Center.  CADAC’s Tiffany Ealey explains they are looking for a youth who leads a healthy lifestyle who’s between the ages of 15 and 19, is alcohol and drug free, is a resident of Flin Flon, Creighton, Denare Beach or Cranberry Portage area, is attending school and is also involved in extra-curricular activities.

Nomination forms are available at all the schools or contact the CADAC Center in Creighton.  The award will be presented during National Addictions Awareness Week November 15^th to 21^st.

Another in the series of fund raising events for the Flin Flon Arts Council is being held Saturday night.  Organizer Susan Lethbridge says they’ll feature a variety of talent in a show they call Wood n’ Wire.  She says they’ve got Alan Krassilowsky whose been a singer around for a while and was with Blue Monday, Bob Simpson who is another singer with a great rock voice, Lane Laderoute who will do some songs along with Susan and Brent Lethbridge and CC Trubiak, and Brent will have a great set planned as well as Susan and Craig Bancroft, Faith Krahn and Mark Kolt will all be accompanying them.

Wood n’ Wire starts at 8 Saturday night at Johnny’s Social Club on Green Street with the doors open at 7:30.  You can bring your own refreshments and tickets are available at The Orange Toad or at the door.

Rick Schick of Schick Shiners and Associates of British Columbia was in Flin Flon last week to begin a feasibility study.  Over the past five years volunteers in Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach have been working to establish a large infrastructure project in the region called the North Central Canada Center for Arts and Environment.  The Arts Council’s Crystal Kolt says they were very excited to see the start to the feasibility study.  She says this visit was just to have a look at the community, have a feel for the community, what it already has and what its vision is for the future.  She adds it was a great time in connection with Contact Showcase to really see all the different parameters involved in the project.

Kolt says the consultant will be in Flin Flon for at least three more visits with the next one expected around the end of November.

Solvista Gold Corporation has announced the TSX Venture Exchange has approved the change of name of their Company to Rockcliff Copper Corporation effective last Wednesday.

Solvista is a Canadian resource exploration company focused on discovery and resource exploration on its high quality mineral properties at its Snow Lake Project.  Last June Solvista merged with Canadian explorer Rockcliff Resources.  Solvista now controls the Snow Lake Project totaling in excess of 35 thousand hectares including the VMS high grade copper Rail, Lon and Talbot deposits, a net smelter return royalty on the Tower Property which hosts the T-1 Copper Deposit, numerous properties with untested geophysical anomalies and several additional properties with VMS potential including Freebeth which is optioned to Hudbay, Dickstone North and Tramping.

Creighton RCMP received a report yesterday of a missing boy.  15 year old Wesley Custer left his residence in Denare Beach last Tuesday and was seen in Flin Flon on Wednesday.  He has not been in contact with his family since leaving his home and is believed to have traveled to Prince Albert.  Custer is a First Nations male, thin build, approximately five feet four inches, 119 pounds, dark brown hair and brown eyes.  His family is concerned about his well-being.  Anyone with information on the current whereabouts of Wesley Custer is asked to contact their local police service or Creighton RCMP at 306-688-8888.

 In the Manitoba Legislature last week Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen related the story of David Collins.  He explained how Metis trapper David Collins showed some stones to Tom Creighton that led to the development of the Flin Flon mine.  He said Collins received six dollars worth of flour, lard and tea while the stones resulted in over 14 billion dollars at today’s value of ore.  Pettersen said on September 27^th he joined others at the unveiling of a cairn honoring Collins for his part in the discovery praising those involved.  He said thanks to the perseverance of Collins’ descendents and the tireless advocacy of Gerry Clark and his committee a beautiful stone now stands commemorating the historical truth that Flin Flon’s history started with the help of a Metis trapper named David Collins and it continues because Flin Flon cares about their history and their heritage.

The cairn is located at the south end of Main Street in the Neighbors of the North Park.

The Canadian Red Cross held an emergency preparedness challenge at Walmart Saturday afternoon. Their Community Outreach Coordinator Bev Erickson says three teams of four had thirty minutes to find items you should have in a disaster kit.  She listed some items needed along with your identification and cash including the most important water as well as toilet paper, medications, a change of clothing, non-perishable food items, first aid kit, flashlight, portable radio, extra batteries and don’t forget the pets so have a pet carrier and food.

The winning team was the Walmart Explorers Amanda Fleury, Kristina Cowley, Thursa Cridddle and Tammy Lavoie, second Preparedness Pals Preston Erickson, Lory Neufeld, Laurel Mackie and Larace Osika and third the Rescue Rangers Megan Gummerson, Arun Mathew, Ashely Gummerson and Callie Erickson.

First                                                                Second

Travel Manitoba has released a list of Halloween costumes inspired by Manitoba.  One of the costumes is Flintabatty Flonatin the science fiction novel character who inspired the name Flin Flon.  Travel Manitoba’s Kirsten Neil says the list is to promote Manitoba so he had to be there.  She says Flintabatty Flonatin is probably one of the most famous roadside statues in all of Canada and he won Roadside Madness so she thinks it would be wrong not to have him on the list.  She adds they thought it would be fun to send the list out around Halloween and to give people a little bit of information whether it was about wildlife or our roadside icons or some of our famous citizens.

Some of the others on the list include the bison, polar bear, a Jets fan, Fred Penner and the Golden Boy. You can see the list and pictures of what makes up each costume at www.manitobahot.com.

Creighton, Denare Beach and other Saskatchewan residents have just over a week left to nominate someone for the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.  Provincial Secretary Nadine Wilson explains the medal recognizes excellence, achievement and contributions to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of the province of Saskatchewan.  She says the medal recognizes those people who reach outside their personal activities to help others and to make Saskatchewan’s daily life better for everyone.

The deadline for nominations is November 1^st.  For more information or to nominate someone for the award go to their website www.saskatchewan.ca/honoursawards.

The 9^th annual Festival of Trees is being held in the Creighton School gym November 27^th and 28^th sponsored by the CADAC Center.  Committee Chair Laurel Mackie says they are now looking for people to get involved in the Festival.  She explains the theme for this year is Making Spirits Bright so right now they have entries out to enter a tree, wreath or center piece into the Festival, they are currently looking for volunteers and as always they also take donations of gently used decorations so if people would like to recycle theirs they would love to have them.

  Mackie adds the deadline to advise them you will have an entry for the Festival is November 12^th adding there are still spaces available for the craft and business show.  You can do all this plus volunteer by contacting CADAC at 306-688-8291.

The Northern Health Region has installed self check-in kiosks at their Clinics in Flin Flon and The Pas. Flin Flon Clinic Manager Candice Hryhoruk says people with scheduled appointments can check themselves in without having to wait in line at the reception desk.  She explains they are touch screen computers which allow patients to enter information such as their name, birth date, phone number and health card number.  She says the kiosks are easy to use with screens that guide the patient through the process and if there is a need for more information they will direct the patient to the reception desk.  Hyrhoruk adds the kiosk also allows the patient to review their address, phone number and health card information and if there is a need for changes to be made they will also be directed to reception.

The self check-in kiosks have been in use in Thompson for a few months and are now being used by patients checking into Clinics in Flin Flon and The Pas.

Niki Ashton says she’s looking forward to holding Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau accountable.  The recently re-elected MP for Churchill Keewatinook Aski says they do know the he’s made significant commitments through this campaign to northern communities whether its in terms of infrastructure or housing or health, whether its in terms of addressing the key issues that First Nations face again whether its education or third world living conditions that First Nations face as well as in terms of addressing treaty rights and aboriginal rights and she’s looking forward to holding his government to account on those commitments.

Ashton says she doesn’t think the slip in NDP support will affect her impact in the House of Commons or her ability to represent Northern Manitoba. She says her number one priority no matter what else is going on is to fight for our north.

A Get Better Together program will be available in Flin Flon beginning Thursday, November 5^th.  Regional Community Health Developer Christa McIntyre says it’s a six session program and it’s designed for individuals living with any type of ongoing health issues and in the six weeks they can build confidence to better manage their illness through group support and discussion on a wide variety of topics such as healthy eating, physical activity, managing pain and fatigue, action planning and much more.

Get Better Together will run on Thursdays from November 5^th to December 10^th from 1 to 3:30 at the Primary Health Care Center.  For more information or to register you can call Christa at 204-681-3145.

This is Waste Reduction Week. As Canada’s national consumer battery recycling stewardship organization Call2Recycle Canada is celebrating this week by calling on Canadians to stop hoarding dead batteries.  Their Executive Director Joe Zenobio says many Canadians still aren’t sure how to properly dispose of batteries so they squirrel them away instead of taking them to a drop off location where they can be properly recycled and given new life.

In the Flin Flon area the Recycling Center collects batteries for Call2Recylce and when commenting on the program earlier this summer Administrator Deb Odegaard said she was very pleased with how it’s been going.  She said they’d shipped 267 kilograms this year which is 587 pounds and usually they’re sending out a couple of boxes a month so it’s working very well for them.

Batteries contain valuable minerals from metal alloys to plastics so instead of collecting dust in homes they can be responsibly recycled to create in-demand products like golf clubs, silverware and even new batteries.

At their 24^th annual meeting yesterday the Lord’s Bounty Food Bank Distribution Chair Dennis Hydamaka reported an increase in food distribution during the past year.  The number of client files increased from 178 to 221. They experienced a 12 percent increase in hampers distributed and a 10 percent increase in the number of people fed.  Hydamaka says the previous year they had more singles and fewer families but the families are now coming back.  He says their food supply is in pretty good shape with another food drive by Hapnot Collegiate and Northland Ford in progress,

Hydamaka added they took in just under 21 thousand dollars in donations down by seven thousand from the previous year resulting in their cutting back in the variety of food being purchase.

The Food Bank is looking for at least one new board member and volunteers noting it does not require a large time commitment.  If interested contact the Food Bank at 687-7262.

 The soup kitchen has opened for another season.  Salvation Army Major Debbie Allen says the idea is to provide a place for those who need something good to eat for lunch.  She adds for some people it’s just a chance to get together with their friends to not eat alone but they do find there are a number of people including ten to 15 or more children who come for lunch because they are hungry.

Allen says from January to May they served an average of 45 people at each lunch including 15 to 20 children.  She says on their first day last Wednesday they served 32 and 29 on Monday but she expects the number to increase once word gets out they’re open again.  The soup kitchen is located in the Anglican Church on Church Street and is again supported by several churches.  It’s open from 11:30 to 1 Mondays and Wednesdays.

Callinex Mines has announced it has appointed renowned VMS expert James R. Pickell to their Technical Team. They state Pickell has over 40 years of experience in base metal exploration within the Flin Flon district that has led to the discovery of four producing mines including Namew Lake, Callinan North, Konuto Lake and Hudbay’s Triple Seven Mine.  In 2001 Pickell was awarded the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Bill Dennis Prospector of the Year Award for his role in the discovery of the Triple Seven Mine.

Callinex President and CEO Max Porterfield says Jim provides a unique perspective given his extensive experience in the area which includes work at the Pine Bay and Sourdough areas of Callinex’s Pine Bay Project.

Pickell says he thinks multiple areas within the Pine Bay Project have the potential to host economic VMS deposits adding the new discovery in the Sourdough area, combined with the intersected geology provides optimism for the upcoming winter drilling program.  Callinex anticipates completing a five to ten thousand meter drilling campaign next year.

Angie Simpson spoke to Council last night about a letter she wrote to the city regarding the dog bylaw.  Since she was severely injured in a dog attack she questions the definition of a dangerous dog and the handling of dogs that are deemed dangerous saying often after being bitten the victim has less rights that the dog.  She asked Council to take the bylaw and discuss it with the community through a public consultation process and come up with a bylaw that will clearly define what is and how to deal with a dangerous dog.  Council referred the matter to their Committee of the Whole to decide how to proceed with the request.

In another matter following a presentation at their last meeting Council has agreed to support the formation of Red Cross Personal Disaster Assistance Teams in Flin Flon and will encourage the Fire Department and Emergency Services to assist the teams when they’re available to do so.  The teams are made up of local people who can provide assistance to individuals or families following a disaster such as a home fire.

The Red Cross is challenging area residents to get prepared before a disaster strikes.  Community Outreach Coordinator Bev Erickson says as part of the Walmart Red Cross fundraising campaign they will hold a preparedness challenge in the form of a scavenger hunt to assemble a 72 hour preparedness kit for home using items found in the store. She explained that on Saturday at 1 PM teams involving Walmart staff, Red Cross volunteers, emergency response partners, news media personnel and citizens will gather to accept the challenge.  She says teams will be given 30 minutes to collect a list of items that the Red Cross recommends families put in their home emergency kits.  Upon return to the starting point a panel of judges will score the items found and bonus points will be awarded for creativity in securing other items of usefulness.

Erickson adds there will also be an information recruitment booth set up to assist with any questions or information on programming and how to become a Red Cross volunteer.

The Habitat 53° Chapter of Habitat for Humanity is holding an open house Sunday afternoon at their first home in Flin Flon.  The home has been completed with some yard work still to be done and a final inspection by Habitat Manitoba before the keys are turned over to the Habitat family purchasing the home Angela Bennett and her son Austin.

  Construction on the home at 189 Steventon Boulevard began last summer and was recently completed with contractors and participation from a number of volunteer workers.

The open house runs from 1 to 3 Sunday afternoon.

Habitat for Humanity provides a hand up with low income families paying a fair market value for their homes through a no interest no down payment mortgage that is geared to their income.

 In Manitoba’s Churchill Keewatinook Aski riding the NDP’s Niki Ashton was re-elected with 14,469 votes defeating her closest rival Liberal Rebecca Chartrand who had 12,914 votes.  She was followed by Conservative Kyle Mirecki with 3071, the Green Party’s August Hastman with 548 and Libertarian Zachary Linnick with 252.

It was a close race in Saskatchewan’s Desnethe Missinippi Churchill River riding with a close battle all night. When it was finally settled the NDP’s Georgina Jolibois was successful with 10,300 votes only 70 more that Liberal Lawrence Joseph with 10,230.  He was followed by the Conservative incumbent Rob Clarke with 9110 votes and the Green Party’s Warren Koch with 552.

The Manitoba Foster Family Network is holding an information session in Flin Flon tomorrow.  Their Northern Community Development Worker Charlotte Sauder invites all foster families and anyone interested in fostering to come out.  She says details will be provided about who’s involved in fostering, the legalities of fostering, questions about fostering, how that effects your family, your neighbors, your children and school.  She says anybody who is interested in fostering or would like to know more about the fostering world is welcome to attend.

The information session will run from 10 to 3 tomorrow at the Flin Flon Public Library.

Flu season is coming up but you can protect yourself with a flu shot.  Carolyn McCusker who is a Registered Nurse and Immunization Coordinator explains the flu can lead to pneumonia, a serious infection of the lungs, dehydration and worsening of chronic medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes and can be life threatening.  She adds influenza can leave you bed ridden five to ten days and a full recovery can take up to six weeks.  McCusker advises you need to be vaccinated each year because the vaccine changes each year based on the four flu varieties chosen to be included in that year’s flu vaccine and these varieties or strains change because the types of flu being spread globally can change from year to year.

Flu clinics are beginning across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. For more information you can contact the Primary Health Care Center or the Creighton Health Office.

The Vague du Cirque will be presenting two performances in Flin Flon Sunday afternoon and the Arts Council’s Crystal Kolt says you’re going to a Cirque du Soleil kind of show and we’ve never had anything like this in this community.  She says the heated tent will be set up next to the Community Hall on the Hudbay property and it’s going to be the high flying type of show so come and be amazed.

The performances will take place Sunday afternoon at 12:30 and 4 pm.  Kolt says you should get your tickets early as there’s limited seating under the tent.  Tickets are available at Northern Rainbows End on Main Street.

Ambassador's Award              Community Award

The Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce, Community Futures Greenstone and our four area communities presented awards at the Celebrating Communities Gala.

Volunteer awards for Creighton were presented to Tauvia Alexander, Cindy Davis and Betty Spiller, for Denare Beach to Nicole Bayless and Lottie Schanowski and for Flin Flon to Dave Brooks, Betty Fehr, Greg Phair and Carrie Stinton.  Businesses recognized with awards were Acklands, Mane Frame, Mike’s Ice N’ Burger, Whitford Paving and from Snow Lake Chell’s Sled Shed.

The Ambassador’s Award for promoting Flin Flon went to Rob Hart and the Community Award to the Flin Flon Arts Council.

All speakers thanked the award recipients for their dedication to their communities referring to them as the base, lifeblood and backbone of their communities.

Business Awards                                     Volunteer Awards

Manitoba Showcase is coming to Flin Flon Friday and Saturday next week.  Executive Director of the Manitoba Arts Network Rosanne Harder says the purpose is to showcase 15 artists from across Canada, give them a chance to perform for rural presenters and then these presenters will hopefully book some of these acts the following season.  She says in any given year it amounts to anywhere from 50 to 60 performances throughout Manitoba.

The showcases are open to the public in the Community Hall next Friday at 7:30 and Saturday at 1:30 and 7:30 with tickets at Northern Rainbows End and at the door.

  The weekend will be attended by representatives of Arts Councils from across Manitoba and will include a conference that will provide information on managing and promoting organizations.  Harder says they have been in The Pas and Thompson and it was time to come to Flin Flon the place that’s been known as the cultural capital of Manitoba.

 Over the past five years volunteers in Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach have been working towards establishing a large infrastructure project in the region called the North Central Canada Centre for Arts and Environment.  The Arts Council’s Crystal Kolt says they have now contracted with the local Evolve Consultants led by Marlene Gogal and Schick Shiners and Associates from British Columbia to begin a feasibility study.  She says they are really excited to get to this point where they can take a more detailed deeper look at the possibility of this project and they’re very excited that Mr. Schick is in town and will be spending about ten days in our town to really get a sense of it.

Kolt adds it’s a good time for him to be here with so much happening culturally with the Volunteer Awards Ceremony, Manitoba Showcase, the Vague Cirque and Home Roots which will give him a good sense of what our community is about.

The Primary Health Care Center will be hosting two sessions later this month presented by the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba. Regional Community Health Developer Christa McIntyre says they are part of Telehealth Family Education for Those Experiencing Dementia.  She explains that on October 20^th the session will be on the seven A’s Exploring the Effects of Dementia on the Brain presented by Joyce Klassen a Dementia Care Educator from the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba and on the 27^th its titled I’m a Real Person Too: Communicating with People With Dementia presented by Theresa Bowser who’s a nurse and Regional Educator with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority in rehabilitation and geriatrics.

The sessions run from 6:30 to 8 each evening.  To register online go to www.alzheimer.mb.ca or email outreach@alzheimer.mb.ca or phone 1-800-378-6699 and use the reference code Flin Flon.

The search is on for a Healthy Youth Role Model who will receive a special award sponsored by the CADAC Outpatient Center and the Community Youth Resource Center.  CADAC’s Tiffany Ealey explains they are looking for a youth who leads a healthy lifestyle who’s between the ages of 15 and 19, is alcohol and drug free, is a resident of Flin Flon Creighton, Denare Beach or Cranberry Portage area, is attending school and is also involved in extra-curricular activities.

Nomination forms are available at all the schools or contact the CADAC Center in Creighton.  The deadline is October 30^th with the award presented during National Addictions Awareness Week November 15^th to 21^st.

Northland Ford and Hapnot Collegiate have teamed up to support the Lord’s Bounty Food Bank as part of the International Free the Children Campaign.  All this month they will collect non-perishable food items with their We Scare Hunger campaign.  As part of the campaign kids are encouraged to collect non-perishable food items while trick or treating and Northland Ford’s Doug Gourlay says they will be at the Bomber game on the 24^th.  He says they’ll have a truck at each entrance to the Whitney Forum adding it was amazing last year when everybody who went to the rink brought something so it was really great.

You can also drop non-perishable food items off at Northland Ford, the elementary schools, Creighton School and Hapnot Collegiate.  Last year they filled one Ford F-150 truck with food with their goal this year filling three trucks.

Superintendent Blaine Veitch reported to the School Board meeting last night the Division has an increase of eight students enrolled for the new school year compared to last years total.  Ruth Betts Community School saw the largest increase of 23 students at 244 compared to 221 last year.  Hapnot has a decline of 15 students down from 285 last year to 270.

Grade one students in the Division and across Canada will receive the book Mr. Zingers Hat written by Cary Fagan.  The grade one book giveaway program in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and the Canadian Children’s Book Center will provide the book thanks to sponsorship for the TD Bank Financial Group.  The annual book giveaway sees nearly half a million books handed out as part of the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards Celebration.

The Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce is preparing for the Celebrating Communities Gala being held tomorrow night.  Along with the Chamber it is supported by Community Futures Greenstone and the communities of Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach.  The Gala recognizes volunteers from the three communities as well as businesses in the Greenstone Region for their support for their communities.

The Chamber will hold their annual general meeting on Tuesday, November 3rd at 12 noon.  Their general meeting on October 27^th will be cancelled and the November 10^th meeting will be an executive meeting.  The annual meeting includes election and swearing in of the new executive as well as committee reports. Tom Therien is completing his two year term as President.

 The Manitoba Branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada invites elementary schools from across Manitoba to apply for a one time 250 dollar grant that will help them carry out a Drop the Pop Challenge for children in kindergarten to grade six.

They explain this is an opportunity for school and community staff to help educate young students about the dangers of sugary drinks. Teachers take on the role of challengers asking students to drop the pop and all sugary drinks for one week while they teach students about making healthy lifestyle choices.  The challenge is part of the Foundation’s curriculum for Aboriginals schools called Our Children, Their Health, Our Future.

The 250 dollar grant is available to elementary schools that have significant Aboriginal student content, 50 percent or more.  The deadline to apply is October 31^st with information and an application at www.kidney.ca/manitoba.

 A Youth Alpha Course is being offered at the Flin Flon Alliance Church. One of the organizers Kayla Kemp says the course provides youth with interactive sessions emphasizing the Christian faith.  She explains it’s a 12 episode series designed to engage young people in conversations about faith and life and how it all comes together.  It will run for 9 weeks and each session is filled with games, food, music, video clips and great discussions.  Kemp says Alpha is for anyone no matter what background, religion or view points, adding all youth ages 11 to 18 are welcome and its free to attend.  She says it’s a really good way for youth to learn in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere as well as getting to know new youth their age.

Kemp adds Youth Alpha starts tomorrow night at 7 o’clock at the Alliance Church. For information you can call Kayla at 271-5357 or Boni at 204-687-3376 or check facebook at youth alpha Flin Flon.

 This month marks three years that A Port in the Storm has been operational.  The organization provides rural Manitoban’s who need medical treatment in Winnipeg with an affordable place to stay.  Executive Director Stacey Grocholski says as of August 2015 they have served 470 guests and of those people 40 percent are coming from the north including Thompson, Flin Flon and the Churchill area that they consider the northern region which she says is a large number.

Grocholski says the majority of patients they see are receiving treatment for cancer.

Creighton Community School is inviting all Creighton and Denare Beach area seniors to join them for their annual senior’s lunch Thursday.  School Coordinator Carol Sutherland says it celebrates Seniors Week and seniors are invited to attend in their gym where there’ll be a complimentary lunch provided and entertainment will be provided by the Community School Choir.  She asks anyone interested in attending to RSVP her at 306-688-2204.

The senior’s lunch is being held Thursday at noon in the Creighton School gym.

Creighton and Denare Beach residents can join other Saskatchewan residents in nominating a volunteer from your community for the next round of Volunteer Medals.  The province’s Provincial Secretary Nadine Wilson explains this medal recognizes excellence, achievement and contributions to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of the province of Saskatchewan.  She says the medal recognizes those people who reach outside their personal activities to help others and to make Saskatchewan’s daily life better for everyone.

Nomination forms are available on their website www.saskatchewan.ca/honoursawards and clicking on Volunteer Medal.  Since its inception in 1995 174 people have received the medal.

This weekend will mark “Operation Impact” – a National enforcement campaign designed to aggressively enforce laws against high risk driving behaviour and remind people that an essential part of the enforcement role is to save lives and reduce injuries on our roadways.  The four-day campaign is strategically chosen to coincide with the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, when more people are traveling and crashes are more frequent

This year, 53 people have lost their lives in traffic collisions on roads under Manitoba RCMP jurisdiction  – and most of those deaths were completely preventable.  This fact will be fueling RCMP officers across the province, who will be conducting extra patrols this weekend. They will be targeting dangerous driving behaviors that put other road users most at risk, such as: impaired driving, speeding, talking or texting on cell phones while driving, and not using seatbelts.

The Flin Flon Lions Club hosted their District Governor at their 62^nd Charter Night Wednesday night.  Louise Kernested is from the Stonewall, Manitoba Lions Club and is asking Clubs to follow the International Presidents example and do things for children including supporting vision and hearing screening programs, work to support the Diabetes Camp, support the Guide Dog program and work in harmony which starts in the Club.  She says they want to develop harmony of working together in their clubs and the northern clubs certainly have it by all the projects they’re doing and then harmony in our communities.  She explains there’s many Clubs that are working with the other service organizations in their communities and they can do more because they’re working together and getting bigger projects completed.

Kernested added a small group working together can achieve a lot and the local Lions Club has done many great things over the years.

The Flin Flon Public Library is holding an early Halloween party Tuesday afternoon.  Administrator Cindy McLean says it’ll be a fun afternoon.  She says the Flin Flon Junior Bombers are going to be joining them so the children can come in costumes if they want as its optional and they’re going to serve drinks and spooky cookies and play Lego with the Bombers.

The Halloween party is Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 5:30 at the Flin Flon Public Library.

 Health Minister Sharon Blady has announced Manitoba continues to expand newborn hearing screening to create a universal program. She says teams are in development in every regional health authority including at the Flin Flon General Hospital and St. Anthony’s General Hospital in The Pas.  A screening program already exists at Thompson General Hospital.

Blady says quick diagnosis and treatment of children with hearing loss can be key in helping them develop cognitive, speech processing and learning skills, adding the biggest gains are made if hearing loss is detected and diagnosed before a baby is three month old.

 Advance polls for the October 19^th federal election open today for those who want to vote early or are unable to vote on election day. 

For the Flin Flon area advance polls are open today, tomorrow, Sunday and Monday at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church at 2 Hiawatha Avenue from 12 noon to 8 pm.  There are five candidates in the Churchill Keewatinook Aski riding including the New Democratic Party’s Niki Ashton, Liberal Rebecca Chartrand, Green Party August Hastman, Conservative Kyle Mirecki and Libertarian Zachary Linnick.

For the Creighton, Denare Beach, Sturgeon Landing areas advance polls are also open today, tomorrow, Sunday and Monday in the Creighton Community Hall from 1 to 9 pm as Creighton is on Manitoba time.  There are four candidates in the Desnethe Missinippi Churchill River riding including Conservative Rob Clarke, Liberal Lawrence Joseph, New Democratic Party Georgina Jolibois and Green Party Warren Koch.

The Flin Flon Lions Club held their annual awards night last night.

Hope Medals from the Lions Foundation of Manitoba and Northwest Ontario were presented to Peg Bradford and Joyce McLennan while Judge Brian Stevenson Awards from the Lions Foundation of Canada were presented to John and Debbie Kuzub.  President Andy Stewart presented the Past Presidents Award to Andy Wasylciw who had previously presented the Lion of the Year Award to John Kuzub.  Membership milestone awards were presented to Andy Stewart for 45 years, Roger Poirier for 40 years, Isabel Stewart for 15 years and Surena Poirier for 10 years.  District Governor Louise Kernested installed two new members into the Lions Club Mary Denby and Murray Steeves.  She presented sponsorship pins to Andy Stewart and Monica Lone.  Lone also received a Membership Key for sponsoring two members. Kernested also presented her District Governor’s pin to Andy Stewart, Wayne Streamer, Ken Mansell, Isabel Stewart and Monica Lone and her District Governor Award pin to Terry McLennan and John Kuzub for their activities in the Club and the community.

John Kuzub, Debbie kuzub,                    Terry McLennan, John Kuzub

Joyce McLennan, Peg Bradford

With the fall season upon us it’s time again to think about entering pictures in the Northern Manitoba Instagram Photo Contest sponsored by Tourism North Manitoba.  Spokesperson Charlene Kissick says they want more photos to promote the north.  She explains the contest is for Instagram users so anyone with Instagram on their mobile device and they have a photo that they think represents the spirit of northern Manitoba whether its wildlife, scenery, a big catch or tourism operation all they have to do is tag that photo with @Tourism North and use the hash tag visit northern Manitoba and they’ll be able to see it and will enter it into the contest.

The contest started on January 1^st and ends October 31^st so they can include all seasons with a monthly prize of 25 dollars and a grand prize of 100 dollars.  For more visit their website at www.visitnorthernmanitoba.ca.

Area resident Paige Pruden wrote to Flin Flon City Council regarding the danger to pedestrians at Ross Street and Terrace Avenue which is a busy area for workers and children attending school.  She says multiple times she has almost been hit by drivers ignoring the yield sign where the two streets meet.  She asked that they consider painting traffic lines on the Ross Street road, build a partial sidewalk along the blind spot, make Ross Street one way or replace the yield sign with a stop sign.  The letter was referred to the Traffic Commission.

 In other business Tuesday night Council received the Fire Chiefs report for September indicating three calls during the month.  Councilor Colleen McKee congratulated the Flin Flon Arts Council and Culture Days for a phenomenal weekend of activities and Mayor Cal Huntley commented he served on the committee that developed the David Collins memorial unveiled during Culture Days noting the amount of passion for the history around our community is something to experience.

A Canada Border Services Officer who’s running as a Libertarian candidate in the Churchill Keewatinook Aski riding says he’s hoping to spark discussion. Zachary Linnick explains growing up and talking to family they would feel disconnected from the major parties so once he left Flin Flon he went to the U of M for political studies and followed his interest in that. He says he came across the Libertarian Party around 2011 and he followed it since and they were looking to run a full slate of candidates this year so he decided why not, the time is right and so figured he would give it a shot.

Linnick says the Libertarians policy and platform is based on keeping money in the hands of local communities and families because they know how to spend their money best.

The annual Celebrating Communities Gala is being held Thursday, October 15^th sponsored by Community Futures Greenstone, the Chamber of Commerce and the communities of Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach.  Greenstone Manager Bunny Burke says Celebrating Communities is a great opportunity for people to come out and recognize and acknowledge the contribution of the volunteers in our communities and also several businesses that will be recognized for their outstanding service to our community.  She says they have a seven course meal to acknowledge these people and then the awards will be presented.

Tickets are 60 dollars each and are available at the Greenstone and Chamber offices above Pharmasave.

The Community Outreach Coordinator for the Canadian Red Cross North Region Bev Erickson spoke to City Council at their meeting last night.  She was asking for their help in developing Personal Disaster Assistance Teams in Flin Flon by encouraging local services such as the Fire Department and Emergency Services to partner with the Red Cross and these teams.

  Erickson explains the teams are the main focus of the Red Cross at this time as they provide a quick response in case of an emergency such as forest fires, home fires or flooding.  She says the they can provide food, water and other needed supplies, they work with local services in helping people access support and take care of basic needs.  She adds they recruit people from the community for these Assistance Teams and provide the necessary training adding teams have already become active in The Pas and Thompson and are hoping Flin Flon can join them by the middle of next year.  Mayor Cal Huntley said they are quite interested and she will be hearing from Council soon with their response.

This is Fire Prevention Week and Flin Flon Fire Chief Jim Petrie explains this year’s theme is Hear the Beep Where You Sleep.  He says smoke detectors are an extremely important early warning device. He explains they are a life saving device and everybody should have them in their home, preferably interconnected smoke detectors but if you can’t do that they should be battery operated and they should be tested once a month minimum.  He says smoke detectors should be located in bedrooms, hallways, the basement, in every area of the house.

Petrie adds batteries should be changed once a year and the smoke detector replaced every ten years as they have a shelf life.  He also says families should develop an escape plan in case of fire with a designated place to meet outside once you leave the home.

 The annual provincial mine rescue competition was held in Flin Flon over the weekend.  Mine Safety’s Olaf Hettrick says the competition held at Triple Seven Mine went really well.  He says at this level the competition is the best of the best so it comes down to the fine points.  He says Vale Thompson came out first and Hudbay Flin Flon was a close second.

The Vale team now qualifies for the Western Regional Competition being held in Fernie, British Columbia in 2017.

The Flin Flon team was made up of Captain Trevor Thurston, Vice-Captain Marshal Manns, Tracy Knutson, Mike Desjarlais, Travis Pfoh, Brent Christianson and Director of Operations Jason Levers. Other teams in the competition were Hudbay from Snow Lake and Tanco from Lac du Bonnet.

The Habitat 53° Chapter of Habitat for Humanity held a successful Coffee House Saturday night attended by over 100 people as well as entertainers and volunteer workers.  The Coffee House raised just over 25 hundred dollars before expenses to help the Chapter finish their first home in Flin Flon.  The home at 189 Steventon Boulevard has been completed requiring only a few finishing touches and landscaping before being turned over to the Habitat family.  Entertainers included Wade Lowe, Ian Krieger, Rod Kerfont and Holly Freeborn.

The Chapter also had a successful summer at their ReStore raising over 22 thousand dollars from the middle of April to the end of September.  Over four summers it has been open for 151 days raising just over 54 thousand dollars toward their home.

The next event is an open house at the Habitat home planned for October 25^th from 1 to 3.  The next fund raising event is a tea planned for February.

The Women’s Resource Center is offering an anger management workshop for women starting tomorrow.  The Center’s Barb Hopkinson says Why Am I So Angry is a group for women to promote understanding of anger.  She says the focus will be on defining what anger is, the experience of anger and why and how we feel anger and the effects anger can have on our lives.

The course begins tomorrow night at 6:30 at the Women’s Resource Center and runs for 8 weeks.  To register call the Center at 204-681-3105.

The Women’s Resource Center is hosting a Domestic Violence Awareness Workshop starting next Tuesday, October 13th.  The Center’s Courtney Gieg says it’s called Breaking the Cycle and is for survivors of abuse and the general public who are seeking to gain a better understanding of domestic violence.  She says some of the topics they’re including are debunking myths of abuse, traditional roles of men and women, the impacts of domestic violence on the family and the importance of safety planning.  She adds its so members will learn to recognize how to find the symptoms of abuse as well as gain knowledge and confidence needed to stand up against abusive behavior in our community.

The workshop initially planned to start this week now starts Tuesday, October 13th  from 6 to 8 at the Women’s Resource Center at 60 Hapnot Street and runs for 8 weeks.  For information and to sign up you can call Courtney at 204-681-3105.

The Flin Flon Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs are presenting Oktoberfest Saturday night starting at 7 at the Flin Flon Community Hall.  Member Marlene Gogal says they are offering a social event with a different atmosphere.  She explains it’s a themed event so they tried to do as traditional an Oktoberfest as they can.  She says they serve a traditional meal about 7:30 and will keep that going until about 9 because they understand that lots of people can’t be there right at 7:30.  She says they’re serving bratwurst, knockwurst, German potato salad, a German coleslaw, sauerkraut, all the fixings and dessert.

Gogal adds they will also feature a selection of traditional beer and wine and a regular bar as well as traditional German music with the Community Band followed by a social with a DJ.  Tickets are 25 dollars at the Gas Bar and Orange Toad.

 Administrator of the Recycling Center Deb Odegaard has announced the convenience of weekly curbside pickup of recyclables will continue in Flin Flon on a reduced basis. The Center ran a trial for 30 weeks and every Wednesday the Center covered all of Flin Flon picking up the red bags but Odegaard says that will now change.  She says the main difference is they won’t be driving everywhere in Flin Flon, they will only be driving on the streets where people are using the service so if people are interested in whether they’re on the list or not they can go to their website and find a list at www.flinflonrecycling.org.

Odegaard adds new users are welcome and if your street is not on the list you can contact the Center at 204-687-6169 to have it added.  To use the service you purchase a red bag for $3.50 to put on the curb Wednesday mornings and you can include two more clear bags or boxes.  The bags are available at the Gas bar, Co-op, Eddies, Super K, Pharmasave, Dollar Store, City Hall, Acklands and the Recycling Center.

The Alliance Francaise du Manitoba will be in Flin Flon next week.  Their Project Manager Leonore Bailhache says they want to meet with people interested in learning or upgrading their French Language skills.  She says they are going to be here to work with the Manitobans they’re not able to reach in Winnipeg and talk a little about their new program which is a long distance French learning program.  She adds they’re going to be promoting this program which is great for Flin Flonians because if you are not able to learn French in Winnipeg you can still learn it on the internet.

If you would like to meet with them next week you can email lbailhache@afmanitoba.ca or call 204-599-4836.

 The Flin Flon Creighton and Area SPCA is holding a Beer, Burger and Band Night tomorrow from 6 to 9 at the Unwinder.  Shelter Manager Carmen Ward says they are going to have the beer, the burger and also the band which will be the Whyte and that will be a 20 dollar donation to the SPCA and they will also have a 50-50draw that night and some door prizes.  She adds they are trying to fund raise for an isolation room and they would also like to build an outdoor cat room.

Tickets are available at Flin Flon Insurance, the SPCA or at the door and if you can’t make it to the event you can still make a donation by purchasing a ticket.

Moms and their babies are invited to join the World Breast Feeding Challenge being held tomorrow to support moms and promote breastfeeding.  Public Health Nurse Ruth Unrau says breastfeeding benefits the health of both the baby and mother.  She explains this year’s theme is breastfeeding and work-making it work and it’s to support all women working in all formal and informal sectors to combine work and breastfeeding.  She says they do know exclusive breastfeeding and adequate complimentary feeding about six months are key interventions for improving child survival worldwide.

The breastfeeding challenge takes place at the Flin Flon Public Library tomorrow morning with registration starting at 10:30.

 A new session of Read to Me is underway running for eight weeks.  Coordinator Keely Patterson says Read to Me is a free program that’s focused on the importance of literacy and early childhood.  She explains they start off with circle and story time and then they lead into snack time and free play and the parents go up for an information session.  Patterson adds they have the program at Ecole McIsaac School and it runs from 1:30 to roughly 3:30 every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.

To register for Read to Me or for more information you can call Keely at 306-688-2168 or 204-271-4166.

The annual CIBC Run for the Cure takes place in Flin Flon Sunday afternoon at the Whitney Forum to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research.  The CIBC’s Mona Keyes says this year they decided to take it indoors to the Whitney Forum because the last couple of years the weather hasn’t been very co-operative and they hope that if they have it indoors they will get more people.  She adds the Flin Flon Junior Bombers will be joining them for the walk so they’re hoping everybody can come out and join them.

Pledges can be made online at CIBC Run for the Cure or at the local branch where you can also make a 2 dollar donation to the Wall of Hope and 5 dollars for bracelets.  The staff will also hold a bake sale tomorrow morning at the branch to support the run.

 The Flin Flon Ministerial is presenting a Community Worship Night at the Pentecostal Church Sunday.  Reverend Alex McGilvary of the Northminster Memorial United Church encourages everyone to come out.  He says the Ministerial wanted to have more services throughout the year where all the churches get together and worship and have fun.  He says they decided the easiest way to do that is to start with the music and hymns because everybody likes singing so they have a collection of people’s favorite hymns, they’ve got a really good group of people to provide the music and it’s just going to be a fun evening.

The Community Worship Night begins at 7 Sunday at the Pentecostal Church.  There will be a silver collection.