Harvest Manitoba is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Meals2Go student nutrition program to the community of Brandon, Manitoba. Starting this week, Betty Gibson and King George schools will be the first two Brandon schools to join the Meals2Go program. This milestone marks a historic expansion for the Meals2Go program, which provides essential weekend and summer meals to students. With the addition of Brandon schools, the program now supports nearly 5,000 students each week across 15 schools, including locations in Winnipeg, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, and Brandon. “The smiles on the faces of students, parents and teachers when we deliver the kits at our Meals2Go schools each week is the best reward,” said Mika Peterson, Harvest Manitoba’s Director of Community Programs. “It is wonderful to be able to bring this important program to even more kids this year.” Earlier this year, Harvest Manitoba began consultation with school divisions to identify schools with the highest needs for Meals2Go expansion. New support from Manitoba Education & Early Childhood Learning, along with expanded donor support from the K&P Talbot Community Fund, has allowed the addition of 2500 new students to be served weekly starting this year. “Harvest Manitoba has always been about more than just hampers; we’re about hope,” said Harvest Manitoba’s President & CEO Vince Barletta. “Programs like Meals2Go are an important part of our mission to help young children and families thrive and have the best chance for a future without food insecurity.” The Meals2Go program started in 2018 as Breakfast2Go, and it has continued to grow every year to meet the growing need for improved nutrition among K-8 students in Manitoba. This program, delivered by Harvest Manitoba, provides weekend nutrition kits to students in participating schools each Friday afternoon during the school year. These kits contain nutritious food items, including milk, yogurt, fresh fruit, granola bars and cereal. Harvest Manitoba also delivers Meals2Go programming during the summer months with pop-up locations outside school locals.  

In 2025, Parks Canada plans to permit watercraft on Clear Lake under a "one boat, one lake" aquatic invasive species prevention program. This program will be similar to the one implemented in 2023. The public will be invited to provide input on how the 2025 program will be applied. The discovery of hundreds of live juvenile zebra mussels attached to docks and infrastructure near the east end of Clear Lake in the fall of 2024 indicated that zebra mussels are not isolated to the Boat Cove area of the lake, where they had previously been found and where the containment curtain had been installed. This discovery prompted a review of management actions. With input and advice from Indigenous advisors, the Province of Manitoba, and leading scientific and international experts, Parks Canada has determined that eradicating zebra mussels from Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park is not feasible. Zebra mussels are a real and significant threat to Clear Lake and downstream waterbodies. These waterbodies flow through five First Nations, are important for agriculture, industry, and recreation, and provide drinking water for tens of thousands of people. Parks Canada is committed to managing the impacts of zebra mussels on the natural environment and to the vitality of the local tourism economy. Parks Canada representatives will be set-up near the skating rink behind the Visitor Centre on February 1 and 2 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Come contribute your input to the 2025 AIS Prevention Program during the Winter Adventure Weekend. The information collected will be used to inform the management of Clear Lake’s aquatic invasive species prevention program for 2025. There is also an opportunity to provide input through an online questionnaire available until February 28, 2025 through this link: https://parks-parcs.simplesurvey.com/f/s/Clear-Lake-Riding-Mountain-2024 For more information and updates about zebra mussels, boating and aquatic invasive species prevention in Riding Mountain National Park visit: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/mb/riding/activ/moto-boat Source Riding Mountain National Park Bulletin

Some local news and developments over the past 10 days 1 - The former location for Kam Lung on Park Ave will have some major changes coming soon. BDNMB.CA will have the exclusive when we can disclose all details. 2 - Pizza Express have sold their Winnipeg location to local owners. 3 - Leon's Furniture has also sold to local group of owners no names disclosed at this time. 4 - Dollarama (Shoppers Mall) will be closed for renovations until February 1st. 5 - Papa John's on 18th Street has been sold last week. Be well more bits and bites coming soon darryl@bdnmb.ca

(CNW Group/McDonald's Canada) The two faces of the National Hockey League are teaming up with McDonald’s for an epic “showdown” and launch of new limited-time menu items. In a new ad, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers hit the ice for a challenge to win a Big Mac, showcasing their skills and creativity, and even some competitive banter. In today's rendition, Matthews and McDavid gear up for a friendly rivalry, as they play each other for a Big Mac. In a special made-for-Quebec version of the ad, P.K. Subban joins in on the fun – chirping from the side lines. This generation's Showdown will extend beyond the ice with a limited-time Showdown menu lineup inspired by Canada's favourite game and its biggest stars. Will Canadian hockey fans prefer a classic taste and choose the Big Mac®-David or perhaps something a little adventurous like the Smoky Quarter Papi? Fans can pledge their support to #97 or #34 with their McDonald's order. Guests can watch the Showdown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C2k3LVbvmE&feature=youtu.be To kick off this power play, the Showdown menu roster includes: The Big Mac-David (Double Big Mac): Four 100% Canadian beef patties, special sauce, crisp lettuce, processed cheese, pickles, and onions, all stacked on a toasted sesame seed bun. A bold burger that leads the way, just like #97 on the ice. The Smoky Quarter Papi (Smoky BBQ Quarter Pounder): A 100% Canadian quarter pound* beef patty topped with smoky BBQ sauce, hickory-smoked bacon strips, crispy onions, pickles and two slices of processed cheese served on a toasted sesame bun. A powerhouse of flavour that brings the same fire as #34 on game day.*Before cooking. Spicy Junior Chirpy (Spicy Buffalo Junior Chicken): Made with Canadian-raised crispy seasoned chicken, topped with crunchy shredded lettuce, spicy buffalo sauce, and mayo-style sauce, all on a toasty bun. A fiery flavour that's bound to get the chirps going. The Hat Trick (Triple Cheeseburger): Three slices of processed cheese with three juicy, 100% Canadian beef patties, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard on a freshly toasted bun. A triple play of flavour for those who crave more. Power Play Poutine (Spicy Maple and Bacon Poutine): Rich gravy, melty cheese curds, spicy maple drizzle, and crispy hickory-smoked bacon on top of our World Famous Fries™. This perfect balance of sweet and spicy lights the lamp with every bite. Celly Sundae: Celebrate every bite with creamy vanilla soft serve topped with your choice of hot fudge or caramel sauce and finished with popping candy that adds a burst of excitement, just like the perfect post-goal celly on the ice. The puck drops on January 7 for the Showdown menu at participating McDonald's restaurants across Canada for a limited time. Guests can get in on the action by visiting their local McDonald's restaurant, ordering ahead using the McDonald's app, or via McDelivery®. "In the spirit of the game that unites us all, we are excited to partner with some of today's most exciting hockey stars," said Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald's Canada. "Our new Showdown menu is a tribute to the love Canadians have for hockey and McDonald's. We've combined the thrill of the game with our iconic menu items to create a lineup that's sure to score with our guests. This is more than just a meal—it's an experience that brings the excitement of a hockey showdown right to your table. We can't wait for our fans to get a taste of the action!"  

Very few businesses can claim being open for 60 years but the Main family from Brandon has done that and very successfully. In late 2024 Ryan Main and his family decided now is the time to sell Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre on the North Hill. BDNMB – Big decision to sell after 60 years I imagine Ryan Main - Sixty years is a long time! I spent the past 18 years of my life in Pik-A-Dilly, full time in one capacity or another and witnessed a LOT of changes in the business landscape in Brandon. And to think, I didn't even get to a third of the years that the business had been running for! Between Grandpa Frank and Grandma Shirley starting selling campers from a corner B&A gas station at the corner of 10th and Vic, to relocating the business to where the Victoria Inn currently sits to the current location on the North Hill, our family has been at the helm of Pik-A-Dilly. We've been a major part of thousands of families camping adventures, many through multiple generations. To look at it that way and know that our family helped so many create lasting, lifelong memories with their loved ones is something I will always be proud of. The decision was a difficult one, but it was time. I had hit a point where I was burnt out and I needed to be available to my family more readily as the kids are at an age where we can go and make our own lifelong memories and I never want to think (or have them think) that anything was 'missed' out on. The generations are different from when I was young and mom was able to be at home to now where a single income family is very rare so family time is a little harder to come by. BDNMB - What is your favorite memory Ryan Main - I have so many memories from my time in the RV industry. A few off the top of my head have to be; selling a trailer to couples that had previously purchased from both Grandpa Frank and dad (happened twice!), getting to experience Las Vegas for yearly RVDA conventions, making lifelong relationships and friendships with local business people and the connections made with local events and charities through sponsorship and donations, so many good stories and memories with past staff and customers, the family feel of a smaller staff working together, rekindling a friendship that led to getting married and having three wonderful kids happened through an industry meeting in Alberta. Having those three kids visit while Kelly was on mat leave with each of them - Alex was passed around to staff members and customers alike to get used to 'other people' besides mom and dad holding him all the time, Bennett would come up and bring coffee that he always tried to get his hands on as a baby and Colbie just had to have her hands on everything and anything she could grab (especially her "clackulator"). My dog Poncho being the unofficial greeter at the dealership and being able to have him with me at work, so many great memories I can't possibly revisit them all. BDNMB - And what would be your least favorite memory Ryan Main - My least favorite memory of my time working in a family business had to be when I first started in sales, I took a family out to show them some trailers and, being new, I answered a lot of questions with "I'm not sure of the answer to that, but I will get it for you before you leave" and having the gentleman go up one side of me and down the other for not knowing the answers to all of his questions on the spot. That actually had me briefly question whether I should even bother at all with the job as there was a certain pressure that came with the shoes to fill before me. I'm glad I stuck it out though! BDNMB - Million-dollar question what will you do now Ryan Main – As far as what's next for me, I've moved across the highway to run the parts department at Maxim Truck and Trailer. It's a little different in terms of industries, but people skills are transferable and learning new things keeps you young I've heard! All in all, at the end of the day, it was important for dad and I to find new owners that had the same, small mom and pop values that we ran the business with and we think that we found that with the group from Steinbach Trailers. It was arranged so that all of the current staff kept their positions so campers can count on a familiar voice and familiar faces for when they contact the dealership as the weather turns a little more 'camping friendly' again! My family and I won't be out of the camping industry totally, we'll just be on the other side of it enjoying our many local campgrounds in our camper with our kids. I've heard so many stories about this great camping spot or that great camping resort, now I get to experience them first hand!! BDNMB - Do you see major changes in the RV industry moving forward? Ryan Main - As far as the RV industry is concerned, there will always be changes, whether big or small, but they'll always be further behind than say the auto industry. It's such a laid back way of life. COVID times were huge as camping seemed to be the one thing that everyone could actually go out and do, so everyone who could find an RV to purchase bought one. We couldn't keep trailers in stock if we wanted to. I remember many people saying that it looked like we were going out of business with the number of trailers in stock and trying to strategically park the sales lot to make it look fuller than it was. The industry had a bit of a set back coming out of the pandemic, but it's started to come back closer to pre-pandemic levels now. I've always said that there is only so much you can do inside a box that's 30 feet (ish) long by 8 feet wide, so I don't foresee any mind-blowing changes in the near future as there would need to be so many other changes to accommodate that (DOT regulations for towing, campground changes for longer or wider units, etc). And I think that there is so much variation in floor plans and manufacturer's that automated assembly is likely a long way off for RV's.