Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 13, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2025 B2 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM NEWS I MANITOBA JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Bike Dump volunteers Chris Chypyha (from left), Sarah Furgale, Francis Liwanag and Jacques Gross in the workshop. Volunteer opportunities THE following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the or- ganization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to www.volunteer- manitoba.ca or call 204-477-5180. ● Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers needs new board members with diverse backgrounds and ex- periences and a strong commitment to advancing the organization’s mission. The time commitment is two to four hours monthly, with 10 meetings a year, both in person and online. The roles involve supporting the organization’s events and might include fundraising contributions. Send a resumé and statement of interest to communications@ winnipegscontemporarydancers.ca by Feb. 28. ● The Manitoba Band Association needs volunteers for its Jazz Band Festival, which dates back to 1976. It’s happening at the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Feb. 27 and 28. Numerous volunteer opportunities are available for people 16 and older. Go to wfp.to/ AbM for descriptions of all positions and to apply, or email coordinator@mbband.org by Feb. 28. ● Shelter Movers — a national charity provid- ing free moving and storage services to people and families fleeing abuse — needs movers and drivers. Move co-ordinators, who work remotely, are also needed to plan and co-ordinate the details of a move and provide on-call support that day. Must be 18 or older. Email volunteer. winnipeg@sheltermovers.com by Jan. 30. ● Buhler Gallery, located inside St. Boniface Hospital, needs ambassadors to help people access and enjoy it. Volunteers welcome visitors, provide information about exhibitions, partici- pate in orientations, meet artists and undertake various gallery tasks. Fluency in English is essential, while fluency in French is an asset. Email sbghvolunteer@sbgh.mb.ca by Jan. 31. Helping Hands for Manitobans with Breast Cancer needs board members. The grassroots organiza- tion holds monthly meetings via Teams. Apply at wfp.to/Cbj or info@helpinghands4mbwbc.com by June 30. ● The Manitoba Choral Association needs volunteers for the annual MB Sings. Roles for the event, which is happening Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, include setting up registration, managing merchandise, and supporting conductors and choristers. Responsibilities involve supervising the lunchroom, serving meals, helping with ticket sales and ushering. Volunteers should be friendly, have music or sales experience and be organized. They must also be able to stand for long periods of time and walk long distances. Lunch and supper will be provided to full-day volunteers. Apply at wfp.to/AIS by Jan. 22. ● A & O: Support Services for Older Adults needs volunteers for its Connect program. The program offers social companionship to older adults through in-person visits. Volunteers must commit to at least one hour a week in the morning, after- noon or evening, be 55 or older and have a clear criminal record. Apply at wfp.to/AFt or 204-956- 6440 by Jan. 31. ● Festival du Voyageur needs volunteers for Western Canada’s largest winter celebration, which is happening from Feb. 14 to 23 at Whittier Park. Volunteers will help create memorable experiences, greet visitors, support artists and ensure smooth operations. No experience is ne- cessary, and training will be provided, so anyone with enthusiasm can help. Volunteers will enjoy exclusive perks. Apply at wfp.to/AaH by Feb. 10. ● The Canadian Red Cross needs volunteers. The Red Cross can show you how to help when disaster strikes. Go to wfp.to/0pE, email volunteer@ redcross.ca or call 1-844-818-2155. Volunteer-run shop repairs bikes — and teaches cyclists how to — for free Getting riders back in the saddle O N a Sunday afternoon in mid-De- cember, when most Winni- peggers aren’t thinking about cycling, Jacques Gross is at the Bike Dump, replacing the rear axle on a black and purple mountain bike. As he discards a broken part, the 24-year-old amuses himself by singing to it a song by English musician James Blunt. “Goodbye my lover, goodbye my friend,” he croons. Gross got involved at the volun- teer-run, community bicycle shop shortly after moving to Winnipeg last May. Before stepping into the space, which is located at the corner of Main Street and Logan Avenue at the back of the Red Road Lodge, he didn’t know what a community bicycle shop was. He expected that becoming a vol- unteer would require “a bunch of red tape,” but that was not the case. “I just showed up and kept showing up,” he says. “Since (May), I’ve been confident enough to expand my knowl- edge … I feel there aren’t many things on a bike I can’t fix now.” Being a welcoming space that is accessible to everyone is what the Bike Dump is all about. Founded in 2005, the shop offers access to tools and a space where people can fix their bikes, free of charge. It is staffed by a non-hierarchical group of volunteers who help visitors with their repairs. The Bike Dump also offers repair workshops and sells refurbished bicycles on a sliding scale. “Volunteers come in with all dif- ferent skill levels, including zero,” says Edward Cloud, 52, who has been involved for more than 10 years. Volunteers who are new to bike repair might spend their first shifts watching and listening; others might spend 90 minutes on their own explor- ing some small repair on one of the many bikes waiting to be refurbished. “We have a lot of good education hap- pening in this space,” Cloud says. Across from Gross, Sarah Furgale is working on a blue 10-speed. As a result of an injured hip, the 52-year-old can’t cycle as much as she’d like. Fixing bikes is the next best thing. “I still want to be involved in bike culture, so I thought that this would be a good way for me to do that,” says Furgale, who has volunteered at the Bike Dump since April. “I like helping people fix their bikes,” she says. “Sometimes we get some people who are at risk or who really rely on their bikes. And so to be able to help them with something small, it’s been really rewarding.” The shop is looking for additional volunteer mechanics. People of all abil- ities are encouraged to get involved. Additionally, women and queer-iden- tifying people are invited to consider volunteering so the Bike Dump can restart its Monday-night shift where women, queer and trans people who may feel uncomfortable during the shop’s regular hours can stop by and repair their bikes. The shop is also looking to add a day-time shift where volunteers would strip parts off of unrepairable bikes and possibly build bikes for sale. A se- nior mechanic would be there to assist and teach. To get involved, visit bike-dump.ca/ volunteering or email winnipegbike- dump@gmail.com. There’s a lot of history at the Bike Dump, says volunteer Chris Chypy- ha, 60, with a lot of great people and amazing tools. “Maybe it seems like a little bit of anarchy,” he says, “but the shop is actually well run.” If you know a special volunteer, email aaron.epp@ freepress.mb.ca. AARON EPP VOLUNTEERS Vet services drying up in Manitoba’s North WHENEVER Sarah Driediger’s dog Hero needs medical attention, the Thompson, Man., woman will now have to pack up her vehicle and drive eight hours south to Winnipeg. That’s because the northern city’s only full-time veterinary clinic closed at the beginning of this year. Pet owners in the city of about 13,000 and nearby communities will have to head south for services, or rely on pop-up clinics hosted by pet rescues or outside veterinary practices, to access care for their furry loved ones. “It’s hard to find somebody. We have quite a few vets that are eager to come and help, but not to come and stay,” Driediger said in a recent interview. “Even if we have a vet once a week or once a month, that’s not enough. It’s not going to work in an emergency.” The Thompson clinic was one of two veterinary practices in northern Mani- toba. The next closest are in The Pas, about four hours away by car, or Win- nipeg. Driediger had to make such trips twice last summer with her dog, who at one point had to be hospitalized at the veterinary college in Saskatoon. While the trips went relatively smoothly for her and Hero, Driediger has heard of others who got into crash- es in snowy conditions — or worse. “There are situations where by the time you really know it’s an emergency, eight hours is too long. I have heard of people whose pets have passed away on the highway,” she said. “It’s a reality for us and it’s not good.” Driediger is part of a non-profit group in Thompson called Northern Pet Care that started two years ago to find a solution for more long-term veterin- ary care in the city. For a number of years, the city has depended on private practices that have been run solo by a veterinarian. This requires the doctor to find a space, buy equipment, hire staff and run the busi- ness while also attending to thousands of pets. This has often led to burnout and per- iods when the city has been without a vet, like it’s currently facing, said Drie- diger. The group would eventually like to purchase the building and equipment the previous veterinarian was using. It is also working on recruiting addition- al staff to make it more desirable for a doctor to relocate. Provincial laws require a clinic to be owned by a veterinarian or a veter- inary corporation. Driediger said the non-profit is working with a lawyer to see how Northern Pet Care can play a role. Dr. Ainsley Dyson understands the challenges of operating a clinic in Manitoba’s north. Dyson and his wife have owned Northern Veterinary Clinic in The Pas for the past 26 years. The small animal clinic services the town, nearby com- munities and First Nations. For the past several years, the Dys- ons have also fielded more requests from people in Thompson, particularly for surgeries not offered there. The couple has had to deal with burn- out, challenges retaining staff and iso- lation throughout their time in The Pas, a town of 5,600. “It’s not easy to find somebody who’s prepared to take on challenges and work in less-than-ideal conditions, be- cause that’s kind of the reality of it,” he said. But, he added, for an adventurous person who thrives in a demanding setting, practising in the North can be rewarding. In the meantime, pet rescues, includ- ing the Thompson Humane Society, are working with organizations in the South to bring relief services through- out the year. The Winnipeg Humane Society’s One Health program is scheduled to put on four clinics this year offering spay and neuter procedures, vaccines and im- plants. The program hosts remote clin- ics in rural and northern communities with scarce vet services. Veronica Dueck, the program’s man- ager, said gaps in veterinary care are detrimental to health and safety in those regions. “We’ve seen it many times that (viruses) will go through a community and will wipe out a very high percent- age of the dogs in the community,” she said. “That’s very preventable just with a vaccine, but if there’s no veterinary services offered, that’s impossible.” Dueck is calling for more vet pro- grams and more incentives for Indigen- ous students to help address the short- age. “Having regular veterinary services is just a relief for most pet owners.” — The Canadian Press BRITTANY HOBSON CREWS BATTLE FIRES IN TWO VACANT HOUSES THE Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to two fires early Saturday morning in separate vacant and boarded-up buildings. At 2:24 a.m. WFPS responded to reports of a fire in a vacant house in the 200 block of Powers Street. At the scene, crews saw flames coming from the house. Firefighters attacked the fire, declaring it under control at 2:46 a.m. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. WFPS crews previously responded to a fire at this location in March 2023. At 6:26 a.m., WFPS responded to reports of a fire in a vacant house in the 400 block of Aberdeen Avenue. At the scene, crews saw smoke coming from the house. Firefighters initially launched an offensive attack, but deteriorating conditions forced crews to switch to a defensive attack. Firefighters are using aerial ladders to extin- guish the fire and are expected to be on scene throughout the morning. Residents should avoid the area. One firefighter sustained an injury while working on scene. Paramedics assessed the firefighter and transported them to hospital in stable condition. The cause of the fire is under investigation. No damage estimates are available. WFPS crews previously responded to a fire at this location in November 2024. MAN CHARGED AFTER WEAPONS FOUND ON Friday at approximately 3 p.m., the Winnipeg Police Service responded to a report of an armed male in a parked vehicle at the intersection of Home Street at Notre Dame Avenue. The registered owner, returning to his vehicle, had seen a broken window and a male asleep inside with an edged weapon and a firearm visible. The owner summoned the police. Attending Tactical Support Team (TST) members with Central District General Patrol officers contained the vehicle, safely got the person out, and arrested him without incident. An imitation air pistol and a machete were seized. A Winnipeg man has been charged with possession of a weapon, possession of firearm, and other related offences, as well as failure to comply with a probation order and failure to comply with condition of a release order. He was detained in custody. NESTAWEYA SKATING TRAIL EXTENDED THE newest section of the Nestaweya River Trail is now open. The ice-skating trail now extends three kilometres along the Assinibo- ine River from The Forks Port Rink to Hugo Docks. Beginning next week, the river trail crew will move to the Red River and work on ex- tending the trail toward the Norwood Bridge and beyond. Winnipeggers are invited to donate toward the Nestaweya River Trail this year by “adopting” a metre through Trail Together campaign in support of The Forks Foundation. Over 750 metres have already been adopted. Those interested can make a donation of $50 and put their name on a metre of river trail at theforks.com/trailtogether. The Forks only tests ice on the official trail. All other areas are not tested and people are asked to stick to the marked trail only. Current skating and ice conditions can be found at theforks.com/skate. BRIEFS ;