Manitoba 150

ManitobaMuseum.ca @ManitobaMuseum Discover the deep history of our province AT THE MANITOBA MUSEUM © Manitoba Museum/Ian McCausland Dan Vandal, MP Saint-Boniface - Saint-Vital 204-983-3183 Terry Duguid, MP Winnipeg South 204-984-6787 Jim Carr, MP Winnipeg South Centre 204-983-1355 Happy 150 th Manitoba! Bon 150 e Manitoba ! Proud to be part of Manitoba's 150 year history! pitblado.com WINNIPEG, MANITOBA Relationships. Respect. Results. Manitoba is home to many fun and interesting landmarks and destinations. Explore 150 encourages Manitobans to discover them in 2020. EXPLORE ALL MANITOBA HAS TO OFFER In honour of Manitoba's 150th anniversary, 2020 is the perfect opportunity to take a day trip or two to revel in all our province has to offer. I t will be easier than ever to plan your adventure and dis- cover hidden gems all over Manitoba with the Explore 150 app, available through Google Play and the App Store. With a panoramic focus that stretches across the province, the app features 150 exciting attrac- tions to rediscover or experience for the first time. Created in partnership with Travel Manitoba, Explore 150 offers instant reward by way of unique Manitoba experiences and the potential to win one of several prizes. Throughout 2020, app users can check in at attractions, landmarks and must-see destina- tions to earn entries and try their luck in monthly draws valued at $1,000 or more. At the end of the year, grand prizes will be up for grabs through a final draw. Designed by Manitoba-based Tactica Interactive, the Explore 150 app will showcase 150 desti- nations, and pinpoint them on an interactive map. Each check-in point features a description writ- ten by Red River College Creative Communications students under the guidance of a communica- tions mentor. Red River journalism instructor Joanne Kelly says the co-opera- tive project will benefit students, their mentors, and all Manitobans who access the app. "It's a huge opportunity on many levels. The students are learning about their province and they're also working with com- munication professionals on a mentorship level," she said. The ripple effect extends far beyond the classroom since the students gain an appreciation for unique destinations throughout the province. "The students are learning about places in Manitoba they may not have known about. They're learning to write for an app in a short, punchy style that's engaging. They're connecting with someone in the industry who can help them find their own voice," Kelly said. "As communication profes- sionals, they need to know more about the province. They need to understand what makes Manitoba so special." By working on the Explore 150 app, the students take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play an important role in Mani- toba's 150th anniversary festivities. "I think it changes the way they look at Manitoba," Kelly said, "and I think it changes the way they look at their role as communica- tors in Manitoba." For Amanda Lefley, a volunteer co-ordinator of the Mentor 150 program, the project provides an opportunity to connect experi- enced communicators in Mani- toba with up-and-coming com- munications students. "Everything is going to be geared towards celebrating the province as a whole and ev- erything we have to offer," said Lefley, a past graduate of Red River's Creative Communications program. "A lot of the mentors that have been involved are also past grads, so it's great to have that full circle. We were all once in those shoes." Looking at the bigger picture, the Explore 150 app will be appre- ciated by people right across the province, she added. "Manitobans will be very inter- ested to read about all the dif- ferent locations and destinations with Explore 150," Lefley said. "It's going to be really inspiring and hopefully will reinforce things people already know about. It might also open up their eyes to some hidden gems that are lo- cated throughout the province." And in case discovering Manitoba through the app isn't enough, those who explore with the app are eligible to win a variety of prizes, many of which highlight destinations around the province. The grand prizes include a trip for four to Churchill courtesy of Calm Air and Lazy Bear Expeditions, and a $10,000 DIY outdoor kitchen package from Barkman Concrete Ltd. To really get things going in January, the monthly prize is a travel package to Asessippi Ski Resort, which includes two vaca- tions — summer and winter — for four. In 2020, get out and explore Manitoba! WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019 7 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: MIKE DEAL, RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES; SUPPLIED; JASON HALSTEAD BY JENNIFER MCFEE BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES

• Cover