With our lives upended by the COVID-19 pandemic and the daily news constantly inundated with political instability south of the border—and yes, some north of it, too—it’s easy to understand why everyone has decided that 2020 was the year from hell. The social media memes reminding us of this fact will live on in infamy.
But 2020 wasn’t all bad, and we’ve got the proof. The Citizen prides itself on showcasing the exciting things happening in our local communities, and it turns out there was plenty of good news to go around last year.
This is the second part of this list. To read the first installment, click here.
• This isn’t current news so much as a particularly fun anniversary. May 24, 2020 marked the fifty-year anniversary of the Niverville Pop Festival, a.k.a. Manitoba’s Woodstock, for which thousands of people descended on a farmer’s field south of Niverville, only to become stuck there when a torrential downpour made the roads impassable. Read the full story.
• A local woman, Lisa Letkeman from Niverville, has had some life-changing experiences over the last several years, travelling all around North America to help people in the aftermath of major disasters, such as in Texas, Florida, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island following floods and hurricanes. Read the full story.
• Few people have done more for their community than what Jeannot Robert has done for his hometown of Ste. Agathe, and late last year he was selected by the provincial government to receive the MB150 medal of volunteerism. This honour is extremely well-deserved. Congratulations, Jeannot! Read the full story.
• Not all businesses suffered during the pandemic. With people looking to load up their kitchens with more local produce, CSA growers were rushing to provide farm-fresh fruits and vegetables to people all across the rural southeast. Read the full story.
• In January 2020, The Citizen had an opportunity to sit down with one of Niverville’s most beloved residents, Annie Harder. Born with a rare genetic disorder that has confined her to a wheelchair ever since childhood, Annie has a uniquely positive outlook on life that never fails to inspire people. Read the full story.
• Earlier this year, while the rest of the world was slowing down, 94-year-old John Plett was speeding up. This energetic resident of the Heritage Life Personal Care Home in Niverville made it a goal to walk 2,500 steps per day, and in the process raised money to help the MCC support food relief efforts around the world. Read the full story.
• Juan Minaya may live in Landmark, Manitoba today, but he and his family walked a long road in their immigration journey to get there. Their story gives us the opportunity to reflect on the life experiences of our neighbours and reminds us to appreciate those things we so often take for granted in life. Read the full story.
Check back tomorrow for more good news!
