A new event/wedding venue (The Backyard on Aberdeen + Event Rentals) is set to open in Brandon in the coming weeks. The exciting new space, situated at 1624-13th St will be a perfect venue for weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, retirements, meetings and more! Owner Aida Tahhan told bdnmb.ca that once restrictions are lifted the venue will have an indoor seating capacity of 150 people and 200 outdoors. With in-house catering by @aidascatering, a business Aida has operated for the past seven years, her goal is to provide a tailored menu program of delicious and natural food options. In June of this year, she also purchased Black Tie Events which will offer a wide variety of event décor at her new venue as well as for rental. Live video streaming is just one of the many features of the new space. Inside the venue is two large screens for your viewing pleasure. A live feed will also be available to view under the outdoor canopy. The canopy was constructed out of wood Aida purchased from the recently demolished Kullbergs warehouse building on Pacific Ave. The past few months have been extremely busy for Aida. With the launch of the new venue she has added many new faces to her payroll including new chefs and event staff. A new website and new social media is to follow.

Co-op members and customers recently pumped up the community. Thanks to your support, Co-op has donated $12,500 to Local Food Banks as part of Fuel Good Day on Sept. 21. During the day, 10 cents from every litre of gasoline and diesel and $1 from every Co-operative Coffee or Big Cool you purchased at Heritage Co-op Gas Bars were donated to the organization. “As a locally owned and operated business, we’re proud to give back and get behind local initiatives that are working to address the needs of our community,” said Dennis Laing, General Manager of Heritage Co-op. “Thank you to our Members and Guests for the support you’ve shown during Fuel Good Day. In these unprecedented times, it’s amazing to see what we can accomplish when we all work together.” This year the total donation will be split between food banks serving our communities, (Minnedosa & Area Food Bank, Samaritan House, Helping Hands Food Kitchen, Wawanesa Food Bank, Southquill Health Area Food Bank) and the funds will be presented during Co-op Week (October 18-22). Carol Brown, Chair of the Minnedosa and Area Food Bank said, “We are so grateful to Heritage Co-op to once again support The Minnedosa and Area Foodbank with proceeds from Fuel Good Day.  As an organization, this support allows us to continue to offer a variety of nutritious foods to our clients both fresh and preserved.   Great community support is key to continuing to provide this valuable service to our community and surrounding area and, as seen by the amount raised on Fuel Good Day, we have fantastic community support.  With this support, our hearts are full - as will be our shelves!” Last year, Co-op locations across Western Canada donated over $566,000 from Fuel Good Day, with nearly $2.4 million donated to more than 600 local charities and non-profit organizations since 2017.

A new grooming shop (Furtastic Beasts and Where to Groom Them) is set to open their doors tomorrow in Brandon. Specifically for one-on-one, low stress dog and cat grooming, they are located at 7C-1451 Richmond Ave East. Designed for low impact - they even have a hydraulic tub for those big dogs, so they can walk right in! No more awkward lifting, easier on your pet and staff! Advanced technology clippers are one of the quietest devices on the market. Every dog/cat gets a Happy Hoodie to wear around the head while their high efficiency dryers work to keep the noise and time under the gun to a minimum. Top quality shampoos and conditioners are used. No daycare, so your pets get all of the shop's attention, with minimum distractions. Bookings by appointment only (Nail trims too!) Call or text to book in! (204) 819-4523

The Board of Directors for Westman Communications Group recognize Dave Baxter’s outstanding career achievements as they announce his retirement as President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective March 2022. Baxter has been the President & CEO of Westman since 1998, and his retirement will bring to a close a remarkable 26-year tenure with the organization. “During Dave’s time at Westman, he has expanded the availability of our High-Speed Internet, Digital HD TV, and Phone services to 54 communities,” said Chairperson of Westman’s Board of Directors, Jason Roblin. “Westman has grown to be an employer of choice for many people in Manitoba, accomplished through Dave’s leadership and vision for what Westman is as a cooperative and service provider in the area.” Westman won the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Outstanding Medium Business award in 2010 and was a finalist for the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Outstanding Large Business award in 2018. Additionally, Westman was named one of Canada’s top 100 employers in 2016. In recognition of his business achievements and community contributions, Baxter received the Brandon Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year award in 2010. Westman’s community involvement is echoed by Baxter’s dedication to causes such as the United Way, YWCA, and CNIB. Baxter is an active Board Member with Manitoba Blue Cross, Canadian Communications Systems Alliance, and the Manitoba Cooperative Association and is a member of the Business Council of Manitoba, where those organizations value his contributions. Baxter has also served as a Board Member with the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters CEO Radio Council, and the Canadian Cable Television Association. “The Board of Directors would like to thank Dave for his dedication and commitment to growing the Cooperative over the last 26 years and wish him our very best on his well-deserved transition into retirement,” adds Roblin. The CEO succession committee comprised of elected members of the Westman Communications Group Board of Directors has already started the search for the next leader of Westman. The committee is confident that the Cooperative will continue to grow sustainably for years to come.

From September 13 to September 19, the full $1 from every Smile Cookie sold in Brandon will support the Brandon Area Community Foundation. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Smile Cookie campaign has raised more than $60 million for charities, hospitals, and community programs across the country - with a record-breaking $11 million in 2020. Back again for its 25th year, Tim Hortons Smile Cookie week will support charities in communities across the country, including the Brandon Area Community Foundation – one of hundreds of Canadian charities, hospitals and community programs supported through the annual campaign. For one week, from September 13 – 19, restaurant owners will donate the full $1 from every freshly baked chocolate chunk Smile Cookie purchased to support charities in their community. Guests can complete a form to place pre-orders for Smile Cookies through their restaurant in Brandon. In addition to the funds received from the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign, the Cardinal Foundation will be generously matching all funds received on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. To get a copy of the Pre-Order Form you can visit the Brandon Area Community Foundation website at bacf.ca LINK TO ORDER FORM: https://files.constantcontact.com/dd7b1b6d701/3d19632c-e16e-4d51-a252-d83b89a1f693.docx Rhonda Pardy, Tim Hortons Westman & Area ‘Our entire Tim Hortons team are so excited to be supporting the BACF this year through our Smile Cookie campaign.  The amount of lives touched and organizations supported through the BACF has us very motivated to join in making a difference…one smile at a time.  We are hoping our community has a huge craving for a warm cookie to help make the coming week a huge success!’ Dan Robertson, Chair of Brandon Area Community Foundation ‘I would like to thank Tim Horton’s Westman & Area, Rhonda Pardy, Greg Crisanti and team for the opportunity to be the recipient of this year’s Smile Cookie Campaign. All the proceeds will go to BACF’s Community Fund. This fund helps to support community projects throughout Brandon and the Westman area.  Thank you, in advance, Brandon and Westman for your generous support.’ Smile Cookie Campaign Facts  In 2020, the Smile Cookie campaign raised a record $11 million across Canada  For over 25 years, Tim Hortons restaurant owners and guests have been spreading smiles. The Smile Cookie campaign began in 1996 to help raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital in Ontario  Nationally, Tim Hortons restaurant owners support over 550 local charities, hospitals and community programs through the Smile Cookie campaign Tag or follow them on Instagram @TimHortons & @TimHortonsWestman @BrandonAreaCommunityFoundation