What need has your organization addressed in the community due to Homestead Co-op support? Recreational winter activities for rural community members in the Edwin area. Skating, hockey, curling, sleigh rides, community events and fundraisers Please describe the support received from Homestead Co-op and the impact it has made We received $300 dollars which was put towards a meat draw. That draw raised $900 which will go towards maintenance, ice in the rink, building seating areas etc. All of this is organized and run by 1 person What support is still needed and how can people learn more or get involved? Maintenance of the rink and clubhouse is always appreciated, and those interested can get in touch with Brett. But the funds raised with the help of co-op go a long way! Thank you!

Exciting News from Marymound & Prairie Tides! Marymound is expanding with the construction of Prairie Tides Community Healing, a residential, culturally appropriate treatment centre for youth. On Friday, we officially marked the beginning of this much-needed project. The 10-bed facility will provide vital support to youth facing mental health challenges, substance use, trauma, and other complex needs—right here in Manitoba. Currently, many Manitoba youth must leave the province for live-in treatment. Prairie Tides will change that, offering care closer to home and keeping families together during healing. The home will feature a cultural round room and a family room where parents can stay, embracing a whole-family approach to recovery. Prairie Tides will blend western and traditional healing practices, including the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics TM, helping youth heal through personalized, brain-based interventions. This $4.5-million project is a long-awaited step toward addressing the gaps in youth mental health and substance use services in Manitoba. Thank you to our partners, supporters, and the community for helping us make this vision a reality. Together, we’re building a place of healing, hope, and connection. Follow Prairie Tides Community Healing on Facebook and Instagram for construction updates! @prairietidescommunityhealing Marymound Inc.

THANK YOU to fellow cooperative Red River Co-op for sponsoring the Veggie Van Mobile Market in 2025. Veggie Van donations support two connected causes: small-scale sustainable farming and food security in Winnipeg. Donations are used to purchase fresh, nutritious food directly from farmers which the Fireweed Veggie Van then distributes within food desert communities at highly subsidized prices. The Veggie Van model increases the accessibility of fresh, high quality produce and creates a dignified, community focused mobile market experience. Check out our website to learn more and donate! https://www.fireweedfoodcoop.ca/the-veggie-van

Recently we held our 2nd Annual Paint Challenge here at Prairie Fusion. This event was open to our community and was FREE to attend. Our evening was hosted by our dynamic City of Portage la Prairie Mayor Sharilyn Knox and our engaging councillor Preston Meier. We hosted 16 artists who volunteered their time to participate in the challenge and WOW did they deliver! The paintings created in only 20 minutes were incredible and they were all auctioned off in support of our programming! A huge thank you to our hosts and our artists who participated in this fun and interactive event. The funds raised from this event go directly to supporting our youth and child programming so that we can continue to offer quality programming at an affordable price. We are so very grateful to local business PHARMASAVE for sponsoring this event and can't wait to do it again next year. Here are some of the completed paintings! Special shout out to Sandra Proulx who came away the winner of the event!