Brandon Riverbank Inc. is pleased to announce the organization will once again be selling rain barrels, in partnership with Rainbarrel.ca. Orders are being accepted from now until June 12 with the pick-up day scheduled for June 22 at the Riverbank Discovery Centre from 11 am-7 pm. The barrels are being sold for $85 each ($10 from each sale will go towards Brandon Riverbank Inc. in an effort to raise funds for the Assiniboine River Corridor Master Plan.) Rain barrels capture and store rain water collected from roofs through downspouts. They provide chlorine-free and fluoride-free water which is ideal for flowers, vegetables, lawns, shrubs and trees. Collected water has a number of other uses including washing cars, cleaning floors, laundry and more. These many uses can provide cost savings and conservation opportunities for every homeowner, especially those who pay to have water trucked in, use a well or have a water meter installed. Purchasers have a choice of colours and each rain barrel available through Brandon Riverbank Inc. comes equipped with all the parts you need to set up your barrel. These environmentally-friendly products were once used to transport fruits and vegetables and have been refurbished and repurposed to offer years of reliable service as rain barrels. Brandon Riverbank Inc. is a non-profit, charitable organization that is responsible for the care and development of the Assiniboine River Corridor throughout our community. In June 2016, Brandon Riverbank Inc. and the City of Brandon approved the ‘Back to the River’ Master Plan – a 20-year document that guides the use and planning of this special greenspace that winds its way through our city. Many projects, large and small, will come to fruition as a result of the Master Plan and significant funding and community support will be required as we recreate Brandon’s ‘Central Park’. This is a perfect initiative for our organization to pursue, as it promotes water conservation, healthy river systems and environmental stewardship. Orders are now being accepted until JUNE 12th at https://rainbarrel.ca/riverbank/.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On June 1, 2021 shortly after midnight, police responded to a report of a fight involving multiple individuals in the 900 block of Rosser Ave.  As police arrived on scene, suspects fled.  One suspect, a 28-year-old male, was observed hiding behind a dumpster.  As police approached him, he discarded a machete into the dumpster.  The suspect was arrested, but during the course of his arrest, a 16-year-old male, attempted to prevent police from effecting the arrest by interfering.  He too was arrested and lodged at Brandon Police Service due to his intoxication level. The 28-year-old male will appear in court today on charged of Possession of a Weapon and Fail to Comply with Release Order, as he was to abstain from possessing weapons.  The 16-year-old male will be released when sober to appear in court on August 31, 2021 on a charge of Obstruct Peace Officer.

Manitoba 4-H Council Inc. is offering four scholarships, with a total value of $42,500, towards continuing education. These are available to current and former 4-H Manitoba members who must be between 18 and 30 years of age as of December 31, 2021, and have been enrolled in the program for a minimum of five years. “We are pleased to be able to offer these new scholarships, not only to current 4-H members, but also to alumni who either deferred post-secondary education right after school or those looking to return to further studies,” said Candace Tolton, President of Manitoba 4-H Council. “We very much appreciate the investment made by the Manitoba government which will fund these annual awards.” With over 100 years of youth development experience, the 4-H Program facilitates personal growth and enhances leadership skills which enable youth to become empowered community leaders. 4-H members of today are tomorrow’s future leaders. These new 4-H scholarships will allow our members and alumni to continue to develop the leadership skills they nurtured in their early years to help grow our communities and country. Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen said, “The Manitoba Government recognizes the value the 4-H program provides for our youth all across Manitoba and we are pleased to invest $1 million to an endowment fund for long term support for scholarships.” 4-H Manitoba is proud to award the 2021 scholarships in honour and recognition of four of their longest serving leaders: Fleurette Geirnaert of Mariapolis-Baldur 4-H Club – 48 years (deceased)Rona Kamfoly of Ethelbert 4-H Club – 47 yearsRose Taylor of Rorketon 4-H Variety Club – 45 yearsMargaret Buydens of Bruxelles 4-H Crew – 44 years To apply, students must write an essay on how their education will enable them to take a future leadership role in agriculture, environmental sustainability or their community as a whole. Then, they must submit this, together with a summary of their 4-H and community involvement and career plans to the 4-H office in Brandon, either by email or Canada Post. A short-list of applicants will be selected for interview. Application forms are available for download at https://4h.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/4-H-Manitoba-Leaders-of-Tomorrow-Scholarship-Fund-Application_2021.pdf The application deadline is July 16, 2021. The winners will be announced September 30, 2021 (submitted)

Westman Communications Group (Westman) is pleased to announce their 2021 #ConnectingWestman Funding Program is now accepting applications until August 1, 2021. Westman’s Funding Program provides financial aid and human resources needed to help create sustainable communities across Manitoba. Supporting the communities that Westman serves is an essential part of who they are. Organizations, charities, and initiatives that meet the criteria and align with Westman’s focus areas are encouraged to submit their application before the deadline. After the closing date for accepting applications, Westman will carefully review the submissions and make selections “We want to encourage enriching Manitoba communities, and the 2021 #ConnectingWestman Funding Program will allow us to make a bigger local impact in the communities we serve and provide them with support,” said Courtney Baxter, Marketing Manager at Westman. “In the past we’ve hosted events to raise funds for local initiatives, but we couldn’t do that in 2020 or 2021. We look forward to getting our team together for these #ConnectingWestman fundraising events in the future and feel this program allows us to continue to provide that local support in their absence.” Criteria for submission: • Initiated in one of the 46 communities that Westman serves and has a clear local impact. • Support either ongoing operational needs or a long-term project/initiative. • Promote staying, participating, engaging, and enriching Westman communities. • Fall into Westman’s focus areas of growing opportunities for technology, youth, women and education. • Haven’t received funding in the last 12 months from Westman Communications Group. If you would like Westman to consider supporting an organization, charity or initiative, visit https://westmancom.com/cw-fundingprogram for the full details and the easy application form. Westman will announce the winners in August 2021.(submitted)

The City of Brandon will be lowering the flags to half-mast to honour the 215 children whose lives were lost at the former residential school in Kamloops, BC, the survivors, their families, and all those who never made it home. The flags will be lowered tomorrow, Monday, May 31, 2021. (City of Brandon PSA)