CEO Sleepout An Eye Opener

Written by Daryl Braun/Michelle Sawatzky/Allen Penner for Steinbach Online on Friday, 19 September 2014

Cardboard box where Dorinda Penner spent the night

About 60 people slept outdoors Thursday night in Steinbach's K.R. Barkman Park as part of the CEO Sleepout. The annual event is organized by Today House, the local homeless shelter.

Lindsay Smith of Steinbach works for Siloam Mission in Winnipeg and spoke to the group. She says many of the homeless in Steinbach are not visible.

“This is what we call the hidden homeless or the under-housed, so they don't have safe, affordable, appropriate housing. They may be couch surfing, they may be staying with family or maybe they are staying in a place that's too small for the amount of people in their family or the amount of money that they're pouring into rent doesn't allow them to pay for anything else. Some folks are spending 80 to 90 per cent of their income on rent. That's not affordable. I believe that's what you are starting to have in Steinbach.”

People who took part in the sleepout, like Dorinda Penner from Sunshine Nursery and Greenhouse, say it was a big eye opener.

“We think we understand what homeless people go through but we don't. It's hard. I brought myself a box, thinking that would give me more shelter and stuck it in some shrubs. But you turn over and then there's a noise and then you roll and then you think, oh this is really hard on my back, and then you roll again and it's hard the next morning to get up and function normally.”

Penner says the sleepout reinforced the need for the community to support services like Today House.

Shannon Kehler is the Shelter Coordinator at Today House. She says they see a lot of people throughout the year.

“It's not every night which is a good thing. We don't want to be busy every night, hopefully. It comes and goes, it goes in spurts. The weather is definitely a factor, the winter is a lot busier than the summer.”

Today House spokesperson, Doctor Curtis Krahn, says there is an ongoing need for more volunteers and financial donations to sustain the operation of the shelter.

Group discussion on the poverty challenge led by Kyle Penner(Photo by Moni Loewen)

Participants gather at KR Barkman Park for instructions(Photo by Moni Loewen)

Hanover School Division principals set-up at KR Barkman Park (l-r) Eldon Dueck, Rod Kehler (in black), Shelley Amos(Photo by Moni Loewen)

Guest speaker Al Wiebe(Photo by Moni Loewen)

This article originally appeared on SteinbachOnline.com on Friday, 19 September 2014. 

Used with permission

Thousands Raised at 12th Head for the Hills

Written by Chris Sumner for Pembina Valley Online on Monday, 08 September 2014

Head for the Hills participants enjoy the view of the Pembina Valley

More than $68,000 was raised Saturday during Eden Foundation's 12th annual Head for the Hills event. 172 registered riders travelled either a 36 kilometre long road or trail course through the Pembina Hills.

“Twelve years ago we started this thing, because I enjoy bikes and I had friends who did, and it's a healthy pursuit,” said Eden Health Care Services C.E.O. James Friesen after he came off the course. “The event has just grown every year, and we say at what point will this thing level off, and it still continues to climb.”

The ride is designed so any one can participate, and that proved true when 80 year old's Jake Gerbrandt and Dave Lumgair completed the event within minutes of each other.

Kyle Berg was the first to cross the finish line

The first to cross the finish line was Kyle Berg who rode the road course, and told us after catching his breath it's easy to see why supporting the organization is a great idea. “Look at what they stand for, and then if you look around, a lot of the services in the Winkler and even Southern Manitoba area, this organization plays a huge part in some of the mental health services that go on, and sometimes things you don't even know they are involved in.”

Friesen says the ongoing support means a lot.

“Part of my ride along the way is the privilege of visiting, in terms of why are you doing this ride, and the personal stories I've collected over the years are extremely powerful and gratifying to myself personally and also to the organization,” noted Friesen. “Everyone's affected by mental health (and) mental illness, either themselves, family members, or friends. That connection is something that is a strong part of this event.”

Altona's Team Bunge was the highest fundraising group. John Loewen was the highest fundraising individual.

This article originally appeared on PembinaValleyOnline.com

Head for the Hills 2014

The weather was great for the 172 riders who came out for the 12th annual Head for the Hills bike ride through southern Manitoba's picturesque Pembina Hills.

A few instructions before the ride begins.

Bungee had the biggest team again this year and went home with the trophy for the most amount of money raised as a team.

Bungee 2014

There were two routes available; one by single track trail and another by a combination of road and trail.

We had a couple of breaks in the ride to refresh and then it was back to business.

  

 It's all got to come to an end sometime, so here we are two miles from the US border sitting under the warm sun, enjoying burgers and fries (fries from our friends at Crystal Spring Colony near Niverville) and something cool to drink.

 

We had a fine complement of young riders under 13 years of age.

And we were pleased to have Mr. Lumgard and Mr. Gerbrandt join us again as riders; both now officially 80 years of age.  They're an example to all the rest of us.

The Bungee team were the trophy winners for the most money raised as a team.

John Loewen from Morden was the largest individual fund raiser.

and we got to give away two more bikes to worthy fund-raisers.

The bikes were donated by Tinker Creek Cycle, Country Cycle, Time-Out Sports along with Southern Potato.  Without these and our other generous and faithful partnerships, this event would not be what it is today.

Keep in touch and watch for more announcements of upcoming events and the 2015 ride.