Grey Ridge Coffee has expanded into Shoppers Mall, offering a full drink menu and a selection of locally handmade goods presented by Made in MB. Grey Ridge Coffee has grown from a coffee trailer serving events in Westman to a well-loved roastery in the Town Centre in downtown Brandon. Chris Ridgen, the owner of Grey Ridge Coffee, decided to expand with a location in Shoppers Mall after the success of the Pop-Up Shop he shared with Tanya Baker, owner of Made in MB, in December 2021. Tanya Baker said, “we signed on for a pop-up at the Shoppers Mall in Brandon this past December to expand our customer reach, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.” Grey Ridge Café + Gift Shop offers a wide selection of beverages to suit every coffee lover. The menu is a full selection of hot and cold coffee and tea beverages and blended Fraps. Special to the Shoppers Mall location only is soft-serve ice cream and milkshakes, including the recent popular addition of Cold Brew Milkshakes. Chris Ridgen has partnered with Tanya Baker once again to offer a curated selection of locally handcrafted items from the Westman area under the Made in MB umbrella. For their grand opening weekend (May 6th, 7th and 8th), Grey Ridge Café is offering free brewed coffee, and all specialty drinks are buy one, get one 50% off. The Grey Ridge Gift Shop is offering 10% off all purchases, and a chance to win a gift basket with every purchase made that weekend.

Brandon McDonald's franchisee Jason Ammar has partnered with Forrest’s Elton Collegiate to launch the McDonald’s Continuing Education Scholarship, an annual scholarship that will award one Elton Collegiate graduating student $1,000 towards post-secondary education or training. In his position as a McDonald’s franchisee, Jason Ammar leads with a community-first mentality. He believes everything starts and ends with people. As he took over the franchises of the four Brandon McDonald’s restaurants in early 2022, he brought these principles with him and specifically wanted to find a way to invest in the futures of local youth. This is what inspired Ammar to partner with Forrest’s Elton Collegiate. The inaugural scholarship will be presented this June during graduation. The four Brandon McDonald’s restaurants create more than 350 jobs in the community, many of which are filled by youth, and many of those youth are students or alumni of Elton Collegiate, making this a natural partnership. Each year, thousands of Canadian youths get their first job at their local McDonald's, which serves as a springboard to exciting, successful and diverse careers. The growth opportunities are outstanding, and this is what Ammar wants to continue offering to the youth in the Brandon area. “McDonald’s is a great first job for teens and young adults to build valuable skills in a safe, fun, and inclusive environment,” said Jason Ammar, Brandon McDonald’s Franchisee. “Whether they plan to be with McDonald’s for a long time, or just use their experience with us as a steppingstone, we want to give them the education, training and leadership skills that will be valuable throughout their future.” The McDonald’s Continuing Education Scholarship with Elton Collegiate is not exclusive to McDonald’s employees. Instead, the intention is to give Elton Collegiate students the chance to pursue their ambitions after graduation, whether that directly involves working at McDonald’s, or not. “On behalf of Elton Collegiate, I would like to thank McDonald’s Canada for their very generous post-secondary scholarship,” said principal Mark Geekie. “Our students are very fortunate to have another opportunity such as this one to receive help with funding for their continued education or training. We have many students that will be very deserving of this scholarship. Again, we are extremely grateful and thankful for this partnership with McDonald’s.” Along with the McDonald’s Continuing Education Scholarship, Ammar has spent his first few months getting involved with the local community. He is a sponsor of the Brandon Wheat Kings, Westman Dreams for Kids McDonald’s Classic, and plans to help raise funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities Manitoba. He is also looking to hire over a dozen people in the Brandon market. (submitted)

Come join the staff from Apple and Pine for the 3rd annual Apple and Pine Spring Market, Saturday May 7th from 10am-3pm in the Manitoba Room at the Keystone Centre and shop from over 100 Manitoba Makers! Organizers are thrilled to be one of the first urban markets in the Brandon Community and want to continue to provide avenues for local Manitoba makers to showcase their work, to help them grow their business while providing access to local products. They feel it is so important to support independent makers, bringing back the quality and charm of what it means to support local. You will see Bchic Design, Boho Soul Market (Kombucha), Charleston and Harlow, Dead House Cider, Get Baked Sweet Bar, Lux & Dae, Prairie Kids Co., Sarah Sue Design, The Healer’s Cupboard, Utoffeea and many more! Everything from designer clothing for children and adults, food and beverage, signs, candles, bath and body and more! You can be sure to find something for mom, a friend or just come to enjoy the market experience! The event will also have a live DJ from Trident Music to entertain you for the day! Come say hi and meet the talent behind the hard work and character that goes into each and every handmade item. Come support the local artists, designers, chefs, entrepreneurs and patrons that come together to share their creations. You can find the event information on Facebook, Apple & Pine Spring Market or follow along on Instagram @appleandpinemarket for updates. Tickets available now on Eventbrite or at the door for $5. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/apple-pine-spring-market-2022-tickets-317691773647

At the Annual General Meeting held on April 20, 2022, Fusion announced a patronage allocation of $725,000 to members, plus $858,500 in cash payouts to select members, for a total return of over $1.58 million to its members. “We endured quite a storm this past year with the pandemic,” says Darwin Johns, CEO of Fusion Credit Union. “Our members weathered the uncertainty with us, demonstrating their confidence in our financially strong credit union that is focused on their needs. Putting cash back in the hands of our members is our way of saying “thank you” for your confidence in our ability to make decisions that matter to you and your communities.” A patronage allocation is a value returned to a member of Fusion Credit Union based on their relationship with the credit union. The patronage amount is a portion of interest paid and earned during the past year and varies from member to member. All patronage allocations are retained in a Surplus Share account and select member groups receive cash payouts. This year, $858,500 will be paid out in cash to members 65 years of age and older and those under age 19, as well as members who hold over $15,000 in surplus shares. Eligible members will see their patronage allocation on their April statement; any cash payouts will be reflected on their May statement. “We had an incredible year of growth and development at Fusion,” states Johns. “Our members are true owners, and we are both happy and honored to share our accomplishments with them. Our success is proof that when we all work together towards a common goal, we collectively emerge stronger.”

The Manitoba High School Rodeo Association (MHSRA) is thrilled to have Westoba join the season as a new Full Saddle Sponsor. MHSRA Sponsorship Coordinator, Shauna Gerelus says this sponsorship will help with the group's plan to return to a regular rodeo season this year. “It’s been a long wait to get things back to normal,” said Gerelus. “The fact that MHSRA is outdoors and included in the Kids Sports category, we are confident that things will go ahead as planned this year with minimal changes.” Westoba Branch Manager, Heather Heinrichs has been involved with MHSRA for many years and is excited for Westoba to be a part of the program. “I’m immensely proud that Westoba recognizes the value this program has for youth in the agriculture industry, “said Heather Heinrichs. "MHSRA teaches students to keep driving to succeed in their studies, to work hard; providing sponsorship support really is investing in sport and the future of these youth at the same time.” The MHSRA Finals Rodeo will take place June 10th – 12th, in Souris.