The Western Nations Gas Bar – Brandon will be welcoming a crowd to their Grand Opening on Friday, June 24th at 1725 18th Street N, on the North Hill. The public is welcome to take in the opening ceremony beginning at 11AM with congratulations from representatives of Heritage Co-op, Federated Co-operatives Limited, and Government. Gambler First Nation Chief David Ledoux will be onsite to welcome Guests and share insights on the venture. “This business is special, it works to unite Gambler First Nation with Brandon, the Province, and Federal Government as well as businesspeople.”, said Chief Ledoux, “Western Nations Gas Bar is a fantastic opportunity for First Nations people who will expand the business and continue building opportunities.” Regarding the upcoming event, Heritage Co-op General Manager Dennis Laing shared, “Heritage Co-op has been looking forward to this moment since the conversations started with Gambler First Nation several years ago. Three months after opening the doors, we are happy to see the community officially welcomed for the Grand Opening. We are proud to offer Management services for this Western Nations Gas Bar, and of our continued partnership with Gambler First Nation in this endeavor.” Following the opening ceremony and speeches, the ribbon cutting is set to take place at 11:45AM followed by a free barbecue for all in attendance. Coffee, Tea, Big Cools and Twist Ice Cream will be free all day for Guests and visitors. Food Trucks will be on site starting at 2PM for Guests to purchase from, and artists featured in-store have been invited to show off and sell their wares in the evening.

A new hometown seasonal ice cream & fast food restaurant has made it’s way to Wawanesa. Located at 133-4th Street, the GardenView Drive In first opened at the end of May of this year. In addition to the take-out service, there is also several little seating areas available situated in a beautiful community garden setting. The menu features a variety of drive-in classics like hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, beverages and ice cream treats.

Charmed Aroma, well known for their wide selection of candles and body care products with jewelry inside, will be opening at Shoppers Mall on June 17th. Charmed Aroma offers high-quality candles, bath bombs, bath salts and whipped soap that contain a surprise piece of jewelry. Available options for jewelry include rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and anklets. Charmed Aroma collaborated with Disney and the Harry Potter franchise to offer themed candles and jewelry. For fans of Van Gogh, there is a Starry Night-themed candle and necklace collection. Shoppers Mall will be Manitoba’s second location as the company expands further into Canada. Tegan Gallagher, District Manager, spoke on behalf of the Charmed Aroma team. “We can’t tell what we are more excited about, hidden jewelry in candles and bath bombs or being in the Wheat City!” Charmed Aroma opens in Shoppers Mall Friday, June 17th. For the grand opening weekend, customers will get a free jewelry bath bomb with every purchase over $60. You can find Charmed Aroma next to Jersey City near the food court. (Submitted Article)

Westoba Credit Union (Westoba) announces an update to their High School Scholarship program and Manitoba High School Bursary program for the 2022-2023 school year. The change has been made to better align with Westoba’s cooperative principles and meet the needs of graduating students. “Westoba values and embraces a commitment to people, innovative thinking, learning, and knowledge,” said Jim Rediger, Westoba’s President and CEO. “We believe our scholarship program should align with these values and reward students who have demonstrated leadership within their school and have contributed in a positive way to making their school and community a better place.” Along with changes to the eligibility criteria, Westoba is allowing students to take some time on their post- secondary decisions and still be eligible for the scholarship or bursary funds. “Westoba recognizes driven, up-and-coming students who are ready to commit to building a better world,” said Rediger. “We also recognize that making decisions on their future education might take some time, and we are allowing that to happen.” Westoba will hold the scholarship and bursary funds in trust for the student for 12 months post-graduation to allow for enrollment or acceptance to a post-secondary institution of their choice. The change to Westoba’s graduation scholarship program will be in effect for the 2022-2023 school year and will be managed by the high schools. The Westoba Student Bursary Contest is available to all graduating Manitoba High School students through a video submission process open from June 13 to June 30, 2022. The Westoba Student Bursary eligibility criteria are available at westoba.com.

Burger lovers in the Westman area now have a new spot in the area to try out. Uncle Tom's Burgers recently opened in Neepawa in the parking lot of 3D Car Wash (141 Main Street West). The family-owned restaurant deals primarily in homemade beef patty burgers which are loaded with a variety of familiar toppings. In addition to the burgers, the food trailer offers comfort bites of drive-inn classic menu items like home-cut fries, onion rings, sandwiches, poutine, loaded hot dogs, and ice cream. Currently open 7 days a week, they are hoping the weather holds out long enough so they remain open well into October.