Town & Country

6 WINNIPeG FRee PReSS, SATuRDAY juLY 25, 2015 M A T L O C K CallNow!204-754-2436 orTollFree1-866-995-2331 www.sunsetsprayinc.com SPIDERSAND MOSQUITOES GONE NOMOREWEBS SERVINGTHEINTERLAKE& WINNIPEGAREA UND! Takebackyouroutdoorenjoymentwithoutharmtotheenvironment. FULLONEYEARGUARANTEE. FREEESTIMATES YEARRO Preventspidernestingonyourbuilding Pay as little as $15 a month onourdeferredpaymentplanoption No More JoinUsAtOurNewLoca�on! SelkirkTownPlaza 200-366MainStreetSELKIRK ���.E��������D����.�� Jazz Ballet Tap HipHop Lyrical Twos&You CreativeMovement AdultDance AdultFitness 45 AtTeulon Green Acres Park inTeulonManitoba •AntiqueTractors •ProStockTrucks &Tractors •AlcoholInjectedand 4x4&2WheelDrive Pick-ups&Tractors Check us out at www.teulon.ca 2015 Teulon International Saturday, Aug. 15 Starts at 3:00 pm Sunday, Aug. 16 Starts at 2:00 pm GIMLI 642-8501 TOLLFREE 1-888-642-8501 www.interlake.mb.ca www.interlake.mb.ca DavidKing p:1.204.988.0420 e:dcking@tmlawyers.com RyanTurner p:1.204.988.0328 e:rturner@tmlawyers.com tollfree: 1.800.235.9009 InWinnipeg: 9thFloor 400St.MaryAvenue Winnipeg,MB R3C4K5 p:1.204.949.1312 Gimli| Bifrost—Riverton|WinnipegBeach www.tmlawyers.com www.bruderbuilt.com Flat Sheet Laser Cutting CNC Forming Tube Laser Cutting Tube Bending And More That's not the only history-related project going on. "We also have another colleague who's working on an oral history project, where we're getting recollections from older citizens of the area. The idea is to get those oral testimonies to kids in classrooms around the region." Sarginson says the mission of the heritage group is simple. "Our goal is to give area residents a sense of identity, to help with restoration efforts, and to highlight the history of the area. We've found that people who move to the area want to know about the history of the area they've chosen to make their home in, so we're doing what we can to enhance the various communities." Truth is, the Selkirk, St. Andrews and St. Clements areas are steeped in history – some of which has played a significant role in creating the fabric of Manitoba. "Moving forward, we see our role as one of doing what we can to educate people about the role their area played in Manitoba's history," Sarginson says. "In particular, the St. An- drews/St. Clements areas are growing quite rapidly, and more and more people are moving in, and saying, 'What is this area about, and who are we?' The history in the area is unique, and they want to be part of it. We want to do what we can to ensure they know what their area is all about." Take the Selkirk area, for example. In town, there's the Mani- toba Marine Museum, which houses boats that date back to the 1890s. Head over to St. Andrews, and you happen upon historic buildings such as St. Andrews Rectory and the stone-clad Ken- nedy House. "St. Andrews was, at one time, the most populous area of the Red River Settlement. All the big houses in the area reflect the Scottish and english homes of the people that settled there," Sarginson says. "The Hudson's Bay Company actually doled out land in long narrow strips at low prices so their employees could settle there. There are just so many historic buildings along the river." Sarginson says many people don't realize they have a won- derful opportunity to explore historic buildings and sites right in their own backyard. "There are buildings like the 160-year-old Thomas Bunn House, which is a stone house that was built with three-foot thick walls — a home that you can now stay in overnight. We also just restored a 110-year-old historic home (Stuart House) to demonstrate that it's worthwhile to restore structures that possess so much history. So many buildings have a history to them, and we should honour that." The Regional Heritage Group – which includes Selkirk's Mani- toba Highland Gathering, cultural organizations, church groups and the Gaynor Family Regional Library – hopes to do even more to highlight area history in coming years. "We've only been going for three years, so we feel like we're just getting started," Sarginson says. In addition to a self-guided GPS tour of Selkirk (using the regional guide), residents and visitors can take a walking tour of the town on Thursday evenings. "It starts at Selkirk Town Hall near the blue bridge. It costs $15, and after we complete the tour — which goes from 1890 to 1920, and takes just over an hour to complete — we go to a lovely restaurant in a historic building for wine, crumpets and other refreshments and foods," Sarginson says. "There's a lot to experience, so we invite anyone who's interested to come out and join us to learn more about the rich, vibrant history of Selkirk, St. Andrews and St. Clements." ❚ "Truth is, the selkirk, st. andrews and st. clements areas are steeped in history – some of which has played a significant role in creating the fabric of manitoba." Music & Compassion matloCK FestiVal FoCuses on Community S et in the beautiful beach community of Matlock on a combination of forest, grassland and wetland habitats, the festival is now in its sixth year. It takes place on the last weekend of August, when the sun starts to dip below the horizon just a little earlier, and the dragonflies and crickets and frogs hum and chirp just a little louder. The natural habitat was part of the inspiration for Cheryl Cohan, founding artistic direc- tor and landowner of the 45-acre site, says MFMAN board secretary, jeff Diamond. He says Cohan visited a number of smaller community festivals which blended the arts in a variety of forms with education and healthy family events. It was easy to imagine such an event on her own land in Matlock. She found others who shared her passion, and the not-for-profit festival, funded by donation and sponsorship, was on. "We are very much focussed on art and sustainability, music, and health and well-being," says Diamond. "We want to be involved in mentoring people of all ages, in all these areas." In addition to the vendors who bring their hand-made wares, the big draw is, of course, the music. The festival likes to showcase performers who are serious about their art but don't necessarily have much opportunity to play in front of an audience. One festival highlight was a performance by a young woman from Flin Flon, who had completed her own mentorship program while in a treatment program. "We were able to fund her trip to Matlock for her first time performing on stage in front of an audience," he says. "She shared the challenges she faced and how music and performing was such a wonder- ful, healthful activity that was keeping her on track in her life." He says it is deeply inspiring and moving to be with those fledgling performers who not only experience their own growth, but help to grow the festival itself. The sense of compas- sion is deep, and is in fact formalized into the structure of the festival, the first in Canada to PhoTo courTesy of maTlock fesTiVal of music, arT and naTure when they say that the matlock festival of music, art and nature (mfman) is a grassroots event, they really mean it. at the same time the community organization is showcasing the talents of local musicians and artists, the folks who run the show are also working to restore and rehabilitate the "grassroots" right under their feet. HERITagE ON THE REd conTinued from Page 5 By Wendy King for the Free Press be recognized as a compassionate organization. British author Karen Armstrong delivered an award-winning TeD Talk in 2008 and used the prize money to create The Charter for Compassion, a document available in 30 languages which urges the peoples and religions of the world to embrace the core value of compassion. "We signed on as a compassionate organization a couple of years ago, which means that we follow the principles of 'do unto others' and the golden rule," Diamond says. "It is about walking in a fair-minded way, with respect for diversity, inclusive of all beings, including our land." Compassionate organizations embody a set of values that include a spirit of welcoming change and the opportunity to effectively respond to the needs of others. The MFMAN expresses that commitment in respectful partnerships with community groups to whom they provide, among other things, volunteer opportunities to help newcomers recognize their value as citizens. "We have connections with groups such as a com- munity of newcomers to Canada from Seven Oaks Immigrant Services and the Wayfinders group, as well as the Lake Winnipeg writers group and others that grow the festival's community." This year, the MFMAN line-up includes musicians Carly Dow, Kayla Luky, the Madtrappers, Nathan Rogers, Sebastion Owl, Deborah Romeyn and others. There will be workshops on sustainable land and water stewardship, music and songwriting, body- work, a kids' area and more. The hand-made village features craft jewelry, cloth- ing, art, woodwork and body products. Fair-trade coffee will be available as well as a local hotdog/ burger vendor. "We take a grassroots approach, where anybody can come and share their thing, and we have a set- ting that enables that," Diamond says. "There is a growing need to recognize the value of rural communities, and the Matlock Festival gives local individuals who come from some of these rural communities a chance to showcase their talents." For tickets and more information about the Mat- lock Festival of Music, Art and Nature, visit www. matlockfestival.ca. ❚

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