The City of Brandon was designated an official Bee City in 2018 and since then a small group of volunteers have been busy bees to share the message of the importance about native plants and pollinators here in the Westman Region.

Bee City Brandon members have a passion for Manitoba’s native plants and the bugs, birds and critters that live within that ecosystem. 

Tomorrow evening, they will be hosting an evening of information to share more on current and upcoming projects, specifically the Eleanor Kidd Park Garden in Brandon. 

"We had like a blitz, asking for volunteers to help with the weeding and the planting and we got between 35 to 40 people who signed up, but we realized that we didn't really tell them about native pollinators and why we were planting these native plants," shares Bee City Brandon Chair, Sherry Punak-Murphy. "So, that's why we're having this Volunteer Appreciation evening."

Murphy will be sharing about the further development of Eleanor Kidd Park gardens, and the importance of the various species of native plants, as well as the animals and insects and how they relate to each other.  Eugene Ross will be sharing about the indigenous significance of this park beside the Assiniboine River and the importance native plants to indigenous people.

Brandon can certainly pride itself on the beautiful flowers and arrangements that line our streets, and the gardens that adorn individual homes, front yards and backyard havens!

Murphy says everyone who is interested is invited to come and join them Wednesday evening!  

"If you live in Brandon or anywhere in the Westman Region and you want to learn about pollinators and native plants, and about the indigenous significance of those come and join us at the Riverbank Discovery Center at 7pm!"

The Bee City Brandon Volunteer Appreciation evening takes place this week Wednesday, February 7th, at 7 pm at the Riverbank Discovery Center, Brandon.

Please listen to more with Sherry Punak-Murphy below!