Over this past week we’ve had the pleasure of asking many of our community leaders to share the Thanksgiving thoughts for this weekend. And to share some of their favorite memories, and Thanksgiving dishes. Not everyone was able to get back to me but here are the responses from those who managed to squeeze out an email, a text or a phone call amidst their very busy schedules to share! Mayor Judy Swanson - Municipality of Boissevain-Morton “I am most thankful for my family and friends! I am also thankful to live in a caring community! Our Thanksgiving is the typical turkey with all the trimmings. Homemade pumpkin pie is what finishes off a fabulous meal with family!” Mayor Janice Smith - Municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain “As the long warm summer days turn shorter and cooler it brings thoughts of the changing seasons ahead. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time, where we can gather and be thankful for all the year has brought so far. Family and friends are very important to me. Making the time to get together is what makes me thankful. I also do love pie! But.... I want to acknowledge the amazing staff of our beautiful community. Their hard work and dedication to our municipality is not always recognized. They make me proud to say, ‘Killarney, there's no better place!’” Jamie Hall - Habitat for Humanity Manitoba CEO "I am grateful for the generous hearts of Manitobans. I knew it before I came into this job, but it has been overwhelming to see the magnitude and diversity of ways that Manitobans give back. It is a blessing to live in a community so committed to each other's success. As for my favourite dish at Thanksgiving - call me 'old school' but turkey and stuffing are my 'go to'. Maybe because the aroma fills our home for hours before Thanksgiving supper and for days after. Have a great Thanksgiving!" Dale Friesen - Manitoba and NW Ontario Rep - Canadian Foodgrains Bank "I am very grateful to be working for CFGB. It’s a great place that does great work!” My favourite Thanksgiving memory: My grandma sending us all home with food in some ‘Mennonite Tupperware’ .... (margarine containers) Scott Phillips - Councillor for the RM of Sifton & Co-Vice President of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) “Yeah, we always had turkey, we always had ham, I always had all the regulars and you know everyone, doesn't matter what group of friends I hang out with, they say nothing tastes as good as grandma's or mom's ... and it's got to be those pots! Those pots are the secret recipe that have cooked for 50, 60, 70 years and boiled the potatoes, and the carrots or did whatever in it. Or that old turkey roaster. It's those pots that were the secret recipe! And of course, the love and the care. No one will make it like grandma, or no one will make it like dad. And that's the reason why.” Please listen to more Thanksgiving memories with Scott Phillips and other community leaders at the bottom of this page! Lisa Heide, President of the Boissevain-Morton Arts Council “I am so grateful to live in a community that embraces progress, accepts newcomers and supports each other. I’m grateful for business owners and other organizations that put effort into collaboration instead of competition. I’m so glad I ended up in Boissevain!” “My favorite food is my mom’s pumpkin pie, which my dad called ‘vegetable pie’ so he doesn’t have to share with his co-workers.” Michelle Pettinger Chair of the Fill my Cup Women’s Retreat “I'm thankful for family, (especially precious grandchildren), friends and God’s faithfulness. Favorite memory is our annual scavenger/treasure hunt that we do outside with our extended family – results in lots of laughs and fun!” Janet Reichert - Recruitment & Communications Specialist Brandon Police Service / Brandon Crime Stoppers Coordinator “On behalf of the Brandon Police Service, I’d be happy to share a Thanksgiving message with our Westman community. As we head into this season of gratitude, BPS is incredibly thankful for the strong partnerships we have with the residents, business owners, and service providers throughout Brandon and the greater Westman area. It’s through this collaboration and mutual respect that we continue building a safe, supportive, and vibrant community for everyone. Thanksgiving is also a time to reflect on the everyday acts of kindness and resilience we see in our city — from neighbours helping one another, to our first responders and frontline workers who remain committed to public safety, 365 days a year. Personally, one of my favourite Thanksgiving traditions is spending time with family – from sharing a meal, to board games and down time — and for our family, it’s not truly Thanksgiving without one of my mom’s amazing homemade pies! From all of us at Brandon Police Service, we wish everyone a safe, happy, and meaningful Thanksgiving.” Jacki Enns - Community Liaison, Killarney Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child "So glad we have the opportunity to share truth over the radio. I personally am so thankful for where we live, having no persecution for being a Christian. I am thankful for solid Biblical church leadership. With celebrating with both sides of the family, we have now taken to having ribs with my side, and the turkey dinner with my husband's side. And always pumpkin pie.” Greg Nesbitt, MLA for Riding Mountain “I am truly thankful for my health which allows me to continue to serve Manitobans as an MLA. I am also so grateful for the love of my family. Turkey is a tradition at Thanksgiving in my family, and I look forward to sharing time with them this year.” Sherelle Kwan, Manager of Community Events and Development CancerCare Manitoba Foundation Inc. “I love thanksgiving as it’s a great reminder to take time to stop and be grateful. I love a good pumpkin loaf, but what I think my heart, mind and soul need daily, not just once a year, is to pause and reflect on moments each day that are beautiful. I also wanted to update you that Lemonade Stands for Hope is officially at $190,000 for the summer. Earlier we announced $175,000, but it has grown since the announcement in September. Truly amazing. I’m also deeply grateful for people's generosity, love, compassion, and kindness. I get to see that in the work I do at the foundation every day, and it is a true blessing.” Darryl and Cindy Hartwig, Manager & Admin Adult and Teen Challenge Denare Beach/Flin Flon "Thanksgiving is such a beautiful time of year. It is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and give thanks for the many blessings we have been given. “One of my favorite life verses is 1 Thessalonians 5:18: ‘Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus,' I love this verse because the foundation of this is that the Lord is sovereign and good, so even in ALL things. I know He is with me. My favorites during this time, colored leaves, and warm fall air beautiful sunshine. My favorite Thanksgiving foods is hands-down Pumpkin Pie. My mother-in-law would make one of her famous salads, pink salad. It is one of my favorites.” “This year has been a year of uncertainty, but in the midst of it all I am THANKFUL for much! ~ Cindy Hartwig One of Darryl's favorite verses is Colossians 3:17, ‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.’ "My favorite time of year is fall. I grew up in the Ottawa Valley, seeing the vibrant colors of the maple trees turning to shades of stunning reds, painting the landscape into a picturesque scene of God's glory." Darryl finds peace and sollace from spending time in the bush. Whether he is bird hunting or just taking in every ounce of peace and serenity, it leaves him with heartfelt thanks and time to reflect. There is so much to be thankful for. "Having a thankful attitude is the best heart posture to have." Killarney’s Canadian Foodgrains Grow Project (When I think of the FoodGrains harvest that we had last month I’m thankful for community that supports each project. It amazes me each year at how many people give of themselves and their finances each in their own way. From donations to time and machinery to tend and then harvest the crop, to preparing food for well over a hundred people. I’m thankful for this community that we live in and who sees the value of the FoodGrains Bank and our Grow projects and all the other community CFG projects. ~ Betty Sawatzky) Killarney committee members: “What am I thankful for? Family is definitely one, freedom of my country, and religion. The fact I can walk with pain but very little, my wife who treats me too good and makes me all my favourite dishes. Favorite foods? Stuffing and turkey and mashed potatoes. Life is good.” ~ Barry Reimer ~ “I have just recently received texts from Brighton and Joe from Malawi saying they are doing fine and asking about us here in Canada. I always struggle as to how to respond. I know life is hard for them there and here life is so good. I am thankful for family, that we have the freedom to get together. Brighton has lost a son because of the living conditions in Malawi. As for favourite food at thanksgiving we usually have ham or turkey and it is all good. We don’t have to struggle to get our daily food.” ~ Dan and Hertha Penner ~ "We are truly blessed for such wonderful support in so many ways. I know that the project helps make a difference in the lives of those who need our help. For Thanksgiving it is tradition to have turkey and ham and ‘Muriel’s turnip casserole’. For the blessing, we go around the table and each of us share what we are thankful for. Sometimes what the little one's share makes us smile and sometimes what is shared makes us all pause and be truly thankful for even the smallest of things. May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.” ~ Betty and Dennis Turner Chelsie and Daniel Zylstra - Directors of Turtle Mountain Bible Camp “My favourite Thanksgiving dish is sweet potato casserole :) YUM! I am so incredibly thankful for the community of friends and family God has given us. We recently experienced a loss in our family, and old and new friends in our community came around us to offer support, encouragement, and meals. We are in awe of the kindness and generosity of others and can't imagine life without them! Happy Thanksgiving!” - Chelsie Rena Booth-Navid - Westman Youth for Christ, Executive Director “This Thanksgiving season, I reflect on the joy of family. What is it about family that brings gratitude but its connections. Memories flooding back generations of homemade pies, cranberry sauce from the can, sleeping men after supper while we as children play games at the dining room table that was pulled to the center of the living room. I am thankful for connections with God, family, youth and communities of Westman. I am thankful for health. I have walked alongside many who have fallen ill or who have died. I am thankful to Hope. To have a future that holds hope in today and many tomorrows. I am thankful to walk forward with certain kindness and mercy all our days. I wish to share the blessing over you this holiday season, ‘May the Lord Bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you: The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.’ ~ Numbers 6:24-26 Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!” Please listen to more Thanksgiving thoughts from more of our community leaders including former CJRB Morning Show Host, Jamie Giesbrecht who now serves the Pembina Valley through Golden West Radio station, The Eagle 93.5 FM. (In alphabetical order) Colleen Robbins, MLA for Spruce Woods Grant Hamilton, Marketing / Communications Brandon University ~ Raised money for Leukemia research through Tour 21, an international cycling challenge to follow the same route as the Tour de France 2025 Jamie Giesbrecht, Morning Show Co-Host The Eagle 93.5 FM Jo-Anne Lewis, Executive Director Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation Mike Waddell, Candidate for Reeve for the Municipality of Cornwallis Pastor Bryce Martindale, New Life Assembly Church Killarney Pastor Chris Barnes, Calvary Baptist Church Killarney Scott Phillips, Councillor for the RM of Sifton & Co-Vice President of Association of Manitoba Municipalities Tim Chapman, CEO of the International Peace Garden Blessings on you and your families during this Thanksgiving Season!