View From the Legislature

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to stand in the Manitoba legislature and honour the incredible work of two of Steinbach’s finest community initiatives; Southland Church’s annual Thanksgiving Food and Clothing Drive and Steinbach Community Outreach. Volunteers play a huge part in being able to make these initiatives possible and I was pleased to have Southland Church’s Thanksgiving Food and Clothing Drive co-coordinators Scott Rickey and Grace Hiebert, along with core team members Crystal Klassen, Ange Funk, Rick Siemens, Jewel Martens, Kim Neufeld, and Joel Wiebe join me at the legislature. Steinbach Community Outreach members Myra Gerbrandt, Irene Kroeker, Hilda Doerksen, Tammy Bekkering were also in attendance to be honoured.

Steinbach and the surrounding area have always been known for its generosity of spirit and passion for volunteerism, two of our community’s greatest strengths. Volunteers run our rinks, maintain our parks, run our food banks, and make our recreation programs possible. It is important to thank those who come out and give their time to our community and one of the great examples is Southland Church’s annual Thanksgiving Food and Clothing Drive. For the last 12 years, local volunteers collect donations of food, clothing, household goods and toys, with over 35,000 pounds donated this year alone. That is enough to fill more than 100 tables with clothing 18 inches deep and still have boxes of clothes left over for restocking. 937 volunteers participated this year, with 1,400 hampers distributed and 2,647 people in need receiving food and clothing. This is always an exciting event for our community, as we have a chance to reflect on the many ways we have been blessed and show our gratitude by giving to others.

Another example of exceptional generosity in our community is Steinbach Community Outreach. Formed in 2008, Steinbach Community Outreach assists people in Steinbach who are struggling to meet their essential needs. They focus their energies on the poor, homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless by filling the gaps left by other programs. This means providing food, clothing, bedding, and toiletries to those most in need. It also means welcoming, listening and connecting people with other services like the local food bank, soup kitchen, and volunteer shuttle service.

On behalf of the Manitoba Legislature, I want to congratulate Southland Church’s annual Thanksgiving Food and Clothing Drive, and Steinbach Community Outreach. Thank you for your hard work, your dedication to our community, and your compassion. You continue to inspire us and demonstrate the best of Steinbach and Manitoba.