Ace Burpee’s top 100 most fascinating Manitobans for 2024 By: Ace Burpee Posted: 6:00 AM CST Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 Last Modified: 4:18 PM CST Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 Updates

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/12/2024 (297 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been another year of Manitobans doing interesting, incredible and cool things. The hardest part of compiling this list is cutting it off at 100.

This year was especially brutal in terms of losing some amazing people in our province. Their impact was enormous and will be felt forever.

I don’t repeat names on the list from year to year — which is all fine and good until you have a situation like Skylar Park winning a bronze medal at the Paris Summer Olympics. I first had her on this list five years ago. It happens, but it stresses me out.

Anyway, enjoy and all the best in the new year.

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Joe Gardiner, Travis Avery & Jace Guilford: In southwest Manitoba sits the town of Clearwater. An underrated gem of place and home to the Harvest Moon Festival, it now also boasts a real-life, as-epic-as-Hollywood Field of Dreams.

Shout out to Free Press reporter Mike McIntyre for first reporting on this absolutely epic baseball diamond carved into a field of Manitoba corn. Spectacular job. They put the diamond to great use, hosting a tourney that raised $50,000 for the Clearwater Community Foundation.

Rana Ahmed: Rana volunteered countless hours helping the World University Service of Canada’s student refugee program. The program pairs refugees with young Canadian students who support their adjustment to university.

Along with her commitment to refugee students and working on a master of science degree in microbiology, Ahmed also volunteered with peer mentorship programs and a language-exchange program. She was named the RBC Bright Future award recipient by Volunteer Manitoba for 2024.

Melissa Shapiro: A lifetime advocate and champion for people with disabilities, Shapiro, who was born missing one hand, grew up a member of the War Amps Child Amputee Program. Now a “Champ Adult,” she absolutely crushed her role in an international Apple commercial highlighting adaptive technology.

Leanne Taylor: Paralyzed from the waist down in a biking accident in 2018, Leanne completed her first para-triathlon eight months after being injured. She became a decorated medallist on the world stage, and is now a Paralympic medallist after bringing home a bronze from the Paris 2024 Games.

Kristen Campbell & Corinne Schroeder: The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has only six teams, therefore only six starting goaltenders. Two of the three finalists for goaltender of the year in the inaugural PWHL season were from Manitoba. Schroeder, from Elm Creek, backstopped the New York Sirens, and Campbell, from Brandon, was between the pipes for the Toronto Sceptres. Campbell was declared goaltender of the year.

Genevieve Mushaluk: A corporate lawyer by trade, Mushalak became the first Manitoban to be selected for the iconic TV show Survivor in its 47-season history. She made it super close to the finale and really could have (and according to the internet she should have) won the entire thing.

Shaela Hayward: Manitoba has obviously had its share of gifted curlers, but nobody in history has ever pulled off what Hayward did this year. She’s the first to achieve a hat trick of provincial crowns in one season — winning the U18, U21 and mixed titles in 2024. She also found some time to win a national title with her U18 rink. Incredible run.

Suzanne & Marco Suzio: Since tragically losing their son Madox to a rare form of brain cancer — Childhood diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) — they’ve relentlessly and courageously fought for better outcomes for future generations. They established Madox’s Warriors in their son’s honour, and for a decade now have been raising funds and hope for childhood brain cancer research.

John Vagianos: After a nearly 50-year delicious run, Vagianos hung up the apron this year. One of the original founders of Johnny’s Maples Pizza Restaurant & Lounge back in 1977, he made Johnny’s into one of those iconic Winnipeg spots where memories are made, friendships are formed, and where you can always count on amazing food. A wonderful man. Johnny’s is still holding it down on Sheppard Street and it’s still awesome.

Ron Brunner: Brunner set a provincial record in weightlifting this year for his age category. He bench-pressed 32.4 kilograms. The age category? Over-80! True story. Eighty-one years of age and still pushing weights. Unreal.

Abereham Moges: The Grade 7 student placed first in the Western Manitoba Science Fair. It was Brandon to Ottawa for Moges, whose Mood Foods research was the region’s representative at the national Canada Wide Science Fair. Inspired by the challenges faced by those with neurodegenerative diseases, Moges looked deep into the impacts of our snacking habits on our cognitive performance.

Lisa Wei: Lisa won both the provincial and Canadian National Brain Bee, a competition that highlights knowledge of the brain and all its complex function. The 16-year-old, who attends Vincent Massey Collegiate, then went on to place a very very close second in the International Brain Bee. Thousands of the most accomplished neuroscience students from all over the world attended. The Canadian title held by Wei also marks an incredible run by Manitoba students, as three of the last four national neuroscience champions are from her school. Just incredible.

Chris Tymofichuk: Basically anything and everything can be made into a world record attempt, which personally I love very much. I think it’s a fun way to live. Tymofichuk broke the world record this year for “watching a home game at all CFL stadiums in the shortest amount of time.” Awesome. It took him 364 hours (a little over 15 days) to attend a game in Winnipeg, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. He broke the previous record by 94 minutes. He also used the quest to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancers, raising tens of thousands of dollars for the Michael Cuccione Foundation along the way.

April Waters: A true leader and advocate in both her professional and personal life; a teacher in the St. James-Assiniboia School Division, Waters was the recipient of the Manitoba School Boards Association President’s Award for exemplary leadership in Indigenous education.

Cathy Merrick: Grand Chief Merrick was a trail-blazing leader, elected as the first female Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. Her passing leaves an enormous void in our province. A remarkable leader, both powerful and extremely kind, Merrick’s legacy (and legendary hugs) will live forever.

Dawna Jacobsen: Dawna is a trucker. She drives our highways year-round making sure we have stuff when we need stuff. This year, she was named a “highway angel” by the Truckload Carriers Association at the organization’s annual convention in Nashville. She earned the title after leaving Manitoba with a load in winter and heading across Ontario. Witnessing a young boy snowmobile across the highway and get hit by a car, she immediately stepped up to help save his life. Congratulations Dawna.

Al Simmons: All-time absolute legend, bringer of good times, innovator, and just a great dude. After decades of being one of the greatest children’s entertainers, Simmons is still crushing it, and was named children’s artist of the year at the 2024 Western Canadian Music Awards.

Brian Dobie: Twenty-nine years as head coach of the University of Manitoba Bisons football team. Three Canada West Conference Championships. Over 130 wins. A Vanier Cup Championship. After 50 years of high-level football, Coach Dobie called it a career in 2024. Amazing run, Coach.

Cathy Ching: Ching and her team are the first-ever recipients of the Human Rights Book Award by the Manitoba Library Association. The award is handed out in partnership with the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers, to recognize people who uphold the values of intellectual freedom while fostering inclusive and diverse spaces in Manitoba libraries. As the Winkler-based director of the South Central Regional Library, Ching stood up against people seeking to ban and censor access to literature.

Gordon Giesbrecht: He began studying hypothermia in the 1980s and over time (and after putting himself in countless precarious extreme cold situations) he became better known as Professor Popsicle. An absolute legend, his research has saved lives. This year, Giesbrecht officially retired from the University of Manitoba. He’s one of one.

Megan & Adam Schmidt: They are the founders of Activate, the world’s first active-gaming facility. Their interactive tech has taken play and gaming to an entirely new level, and the world loves it. Founded in Winnipeg in 2017, Activate already has 30 locations in North America with 40 more opening by the end of 2025. Expansion plans will next include the Middle East and United Kingdom. Megan and Adam are a massive home-grown success story.

Pat Ningewance-Nadeau & Cary Miller: The pair were instrumental in bringing to life a massive collaboration between Lucasfilm, the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council, APTN and the University of Manitoba. The project saw Star Wars: A New Hope officially released to the world in Ojibwe. Miller and Ningewance-Nadeau, both assistant professors in the department of Indigenous studies, served as a project lead and head translator respectively.

Nigel Webber: Authored a super-cool book, Gritty City: An Oral History of Winnipeg Hip-Hop Music 1980-2005. It’s an amazing first-hand unravelling of Winnipeg’s hip-hop music scene honouring DJ Bunny, Hard Edge Posse, Farm Fresh, Odario, Bonafide and of course, the legend, Gerry Atwell. It’s so, so good.

Katarina Ziervogel: One of the latest series in the Marvel universe is a miniseries called Echo, which is about a deaf, Indigenous superhero. Ziervogel, a deaf actor from Sagkeeng First Nation, landed the role of Taloa, the mother of the superhero. She’s actually more comfortable behind the scenes in the film business as a writer, but stepped out from behind the camera to make history in 2024. Just awesome.

Preston Heinbigner: Heinbigner, a Winnipeg firefighter, tragically took his own life this year. In a beautiful display of support for his family, Heinbigner’s co-workers, friends, and the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg fought to have his passing deemed a result of workplace injury. An inspiring result in an otherwise awful situation. Everyone involved in fighting and lobbying for his family should be so incredibly proud. Our mental health is everything, and what you’ve done in terms of moving the conversation forward and advocating for real change is monumental.

Ryan Galloway: After 22 years, and more than 1,400 NHL games, linesman Ryan Galloway pulled on the stripes for the last time in 2024. From refereeing in Winnipeg as a kid in return for a free hot dog and hot chocolate, to skating alongside the best in the world for two decades. Tremendous career. Congrats on retirement.

Dr. Norman Silver & David Berkowits: They are the founders of QDoc, a free online service that connects Canadians for virtual appointments. Since seeing some 100 patients during their launch year in 2021, they’ve grown to servicing well over 50,000 patients last year. The recognition and awards have followed. Dr. Silver was the lone Manitoban to receive one of the esteemed EY Entrepreneur of the Year Canada nods this year, and the pair have received multiple CIO Awards, which recognize Canadian organizations using IT in innovative ways.

Jeannie White Bird, Charlie Johnston & Cora Morgan: White Bird and Johnston were commissioned to create a mural on the side of a Manitoba Housing building downtown. Morgan, a special adviser on Indigenous women’s issues identified the perfect canvas at the corner of Kennedy Street and Sargent Avenue for what is now the tallest mural in the province. The result is one of the most stunning pieces of public art the city has ever seen. Giizaagiigo (You Are Loved in Anishinaabemowin), is a beacon of hope and empowerment in our city. Amazing, amazing job.

Christy Dzikowicz & Karen Chymy: Dzikowicz is chief executive officer and Chymy is director of operations for Toba Centre for Children & Youth. Toba Centre is, to put it mildly, an ambitious and absolutely game-changing effort to restore health and well-being to those affected by child abuse. Before Toba, every aspect in the process was in a different place, creating unnecessary hurdles during what is already a traumatic time. Christy, Karen and their incredible team have built something with absolute purpose, and we are better for it.

Justice Murray Sinclair: An advocate, guide, teacher, and leader, Sinclair dedicated his life to giving a voice to First Nations, Inuit and Métis in this province and across Canada. He was Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge, chief commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada into residential schools, and led Manitoba’s Aboriginal Justice Inquiry. His loss was felt by all, but his legacy will live forever.

Julie & Pit Turenne: They own and operate Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge, which is a massive undertaking in itself, but the Turennes give so much more than that to this province. From serving as Official Voyageurs for Festival du Voyageur and sitting on the Premier’s Economic Opportunities Advisory Board to guiding the Tourism Industry Association of Manitoba and Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities, The Turennes have and continue to have massive positive impact on Manitoba. On top of everything, they have made available the incredible Aikens to countless charity campaigns — raising thousands to make life better for others.

Jo Wright: Dedicated her life to bettering life for others. Wright has been a pillar of dedication, leadership and impact in the field of fundraising. From her enormous impact on social services to her work growing philanthropy and volunteerism in our province, Wright has impacted generations of Manitobans. With countless honours in her name, perhaps none was more fitting than receiving the Association of Fundraising Professionals Manitoba lifetime achievement award in 2024.

Jan Kocman: The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra has been around for 77 years. Since 1974, it’s had the same principal flutist. This year marks 50 years that Kocman has filled the role, making him the longest-serving principal musician in the WSO’s storied history.

Haley Hyndman: She’s a beloved advocate for and believer in a diverse and inclusive community. Hyndman is a co-ordinator at SCE LifeWorks, an incredible organization that supports people with intellectual disabilities to work and participate fully in the community. She’s also active in rural Manitoba with her work through Innovative Life Options. Hyndman has been described as a “game changer” in her profession, ensuring dignity, respect and opportunity for all.

Connor Hanska: He’s already competed twice at the national level in golf, and he’s only eight years old. Hanska, from Birdtail Sioux First Nation in Westman, has also qualified for the Flogas Champion of Champions Junior Invitational golf tournament in Northern Ireland next year, where he’ll tee off against 250 of the best young golfers from 45 countries.

The Cake-ology Team: An absolutely massive year for the bakery and its pastry chefs. Assistant pastry chef Hollie Rivera landed exclusive casting on the Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championships and absolutely crushed it. Cake-ology co-owner and pastry chef Austin Granados showcased his skills on the Food Network’s Summer Baking Championships, and also won Canada’s Great Kitchen Party Winnipeg. Granados will represent Manitoba early next year at the Canadian Culinary Championships.

Kenny Daodu: A tireless coach, teacher, speaker, trainer, published author and avid volunteer, Daodu has and continues to have a positive impact on our province. A previous YWCA Women of Distinction Award winner for volunteerism, advocacy and community enhancement, she currently (along with countless other roles) serves as president of the Congress of Black Women of Manitoba, bolstering the consciousness, education and rights of Black women in Manitoba.

Randy Frykas: A filmmaker and producer, Frykas is consistently and quietly putting together an impressive IMDB page. From producing features for APTN’s Hockey Night in Canada in Cree to various documentaries and videos, his work is exceptional. Most recently, he dropped the Outdoor Hockey Club documentary, which was screened more than 200 times in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. as part of the Warren Miller Film Tour. Its success was underscored by earning a 2024 Outside Award in the “purpose” category as well as the People’s Choice Award from Outside, an U.S. media company focused on sports and recreation (especially of the outdoor variety).

Sarah Gravelle-MacKenzie: After rediscovering a love of cycling, Gravelle-MacKenzie found there was a void in the community for senior women looking for a cycling club to fit their needs. She started Cycling with Sarah, and has cultivated a welcoming community fostering the mental and physical well-being of senior women.

Austin Woods: Woods competed in the 2024 Cooper’s Hill cheese-rolling race and is still around to talk about it. If you’re unaware, the race is that thing you’ve seen videos of periodically from England where a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down a ridiculously steep 200-metre hill and participants try and chase it down. It’s absolute mayhem, an absolute yard sale and most people come out of it worse for wear. Many people think it’s stupid, but I’m not one of those people. Woods will have that story forever.

Ken & Peggy Talbot: It’s not just their incredible philanthropic efforts in this province, it’s their total all-in approach. They’ve been there for everyone, including the Toba Centre for Children & Youth, the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg, the Humane Society and the Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg Children’s Hospital and countless other amazing organizations, initiatives and charities. The Talbots go above and beyond in all their endeavours, taking time to learn everything possible about the issues and needs, and how best to move things forward.

The Winnipeg Kinsmen: Celebrated 100 years of serving the community this year, and they remain more vital than ever. The legacy of the Winnipeg Kinsmen can be found everywhere, and has affected pretty much everyone in the province. From spearheading and being the first to fund a Children’s Hospital in 1949, to the first and all-time largest funder of Special Olympics Manitoba. They founded the Red River Exhibition in 1952. They brought the Reh-Fit Centre to life in 1977. Again, the impact of the Winnipeg Kinsmen is legendary. Today, they continue to adapt, listen and collaborate on making life better for countless Manitobans. The current executive of Hiren Shah, Christian Tardi, Kevin Turney, Blake Henson, Chris Preston, Bill Chambers and Trevor Smith are incredible individuals, setting the Kinsmen up for a second century of service.

Jordyn Dyck: Her day job as an arborist with Trilogy Tree Services has morphed into competing on the world stage in tree climbing. She’s a four-time winner of the Prairie Chapter Tree Climbing Championships. Along with several impressive performances at major competitions across North America, Dyck will be representing Canada at the International Tree Climbing Championships in New Zealand.

Ida Albo: Already a member of the Order of Canada and the Manitoba Business Hall of Fame, Albo continues to innovate and move things forward. As co-owner of the iconic Fort Garry Hotel, she’s made it into a version of itself that would rival any in its 111-year history. This year she also revived Yoga Public, adding another business to a downtown that needs it. She represents the Premier’s Business and Jobs Council, was instrumental in the revival of Winnipeg’s Central Park and was an early force in the creation of Plaza Skatepark. She’s a lot of things and they’re all awesome.

Janessa Dumas Colomb: She’s done an excellent job advocating for care on behalf of the over 140,000 children who visit the HSC Children’s Hospital every year. As the 2024 Champion Child, Janessa — battling Stage 4 kidney disease — and her awesome family shared their story of resilience and hope to ensure better outcomes for all Manitoba families. From Mathias Colomb Cree Nation in Pukatawagan, she’s the first Champion Child from a remote northern First Nations community, and she absolutely crushed it in her new role.

Tréchelle Bunn: A proud member of Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation, Bunn excelled at hockey at a young age. She went on to play at both the University of Calgary and University of Manitoba, but hockey is just one small part of her overall story. Bunn is the founder of the Reconciliation Run half-marathon, which starts at the Birtle Residential School and ends at Birdtail Sioux Dakota First Nation. She was elected as a youth chief of the Southern Chiefs Organization and is a Manitoba Indigenous Youth Achievement Award recipient. She’s done so much, and at 24, has an incredible future ahead as she pursues a law degree.

Kenny Boyce: Has done an incredible job over the years as manager of film and special events for the City of Winnipeg. He makes great things happen. He connects people. He’s a champion for our city and province and amplifies our voices outside our borders. There are a lot of moving parts in his role, and Boyce handles it all seamlessly. He was recognized this year by ACTRA Manitoba with the Wayne Nicklas Award for his outstanding contribution to Manitoba’s film industry.

Rhayne Vermette: She’s a primarily self-taught artist from Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes and has achieved incredible things in both film and visual art. Her first-ever feature film, Ste. Anne, was named Best Canadian Film at the Toronto International Film Festival a few years ago. Since then, she’s continued on her creative path and was shortlisted this year for the Sobey Art Award, one of the most prestigious awards in North America for visual artists. Her work received its own exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada, and she has a new film coming out next year.

Divine & Eric Labaupa: They are the owners of Kickerfish, a company that is “all things fishing in central Canada and beyond.” They hustle hard. There’s The Casting Deck podcast, they run some incredible tournaments, both open-water and through the ice, they stage the Winnipeg Ice Fishing Show, which draws thousands and tons more. Great people who do great work.

The Smith Family (Ashley, Keeson, Jaylee, DawnJae & Jason): A couple of years ago, Ashley shared with the family her dream of building a travel destination with a deep connection to the land and beauty of Riding Mountain National Park. They established Turtle Village, a stunning off-grid glamping and ice fishing village. Every single member of the family has a role in Turtle Village, and they all know their stuff as they’ve been living off grid in a turtle shell of their own for years. They’re absolutely crushing it and their dream destination has already received the Indigenous Tourism Award from both Westman Tourism and Travel Manitoba, and won the 2024 International Tourism Award for Best World Project for Sustainability, Conservation and Cultural Preservation.

Fontine: Manitoba has always been home to a massive amount of musical talent, and the music scene right now is as good as any era in our history. Fontine is yet another incredible talent. She has around 7,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alone, a service for which she has also been tasked with curating official playlists. Fontine was named Indigenous Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Her voice is stunning. Well worth a listen.

Anju Bajaj: A STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) adviser and educator, Bajaj is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and innovative learning environment. She’s a STEM Educator and Global Citizenship Award recipient, recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal recipient. Bajaj also serves the community in countless other roles, from sitting on the board of both Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba and Volunteer Manitoba, to leading the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology. A tireless leader, we are so lucky to have her.

Rhonda Head, Georgianna Blacksmith, Avery Pelletier, Ava Meconse & Ja’Kiera Lynch: For starters, Rhonda Head has been on the fascinating list before (2019), and while I never repeat names, the mezzo-soprano from Opaskwayak Cree Nation has for the first time in her incredible career been nominated for a Grammy. So stoked for her. She also took the stage for the third time at Carnegie Hall in New York City, performing Handel’s Messiah and was joined by Georgianna, Avery, Ava and Ja’Kiera, members of the Arts for Manitoba Indigenous Youth Chorus.

Elder Mae Louise Campbell: A trailblazer in the field of healing Indigenous women and girls, and in helping organizations incorporate Indigenous teachings and spiritual values. Just an incredible person, speaker and advocate. She’s changed countless lives for the better. For almost two decades, she was keeper of Grandmother Moon Lodge, a healing lodge serving thousands. Her work continues as one of the co-founders of Clan Mothers Healing Village. An Indspire Award Laureate, Elder-in-Residence at Red River College Polytechnic and for the University of Manitoba’s faculty of social work, Campbell’s impact on our province is immeasurable.

Emily Dingwall: It’s perhaps the single-greatest grad photo ever. Fresh from graduating from Duke Marlborough School in Churchill, Dingwall posed for an absolutely epic shot on an iceberg in Hudson Bay. The photo drew worldwide attention.

Kristie Pearson: A tireless community champion, advocate, and philanthropist, Pearson is very hard to keep up with. She’s the founder and president of Linking Hope, a not-for-profit that connects support to those in need. She’s on the board of Clan Mothers Healing Village, has chaired the United Way of Winnipeg campaign and is currently co-chairing a capital campaign for the downtown YMCA-YWCA. She’s a recent recipient of a Winnipeg 150 medal, the 2024 Friends of Riverview Award recipient from the Riverview Hospital Foundation, and a game-changing advocate and fundraiser for the Rainbow Resource Centre. She makes things happen.

Daniel Hidalgo: Guided by empathy and unity, Hidalgo has turned lived experience into action. He is the founder of CommUNITY204, a non-profit responding to the needs of some of the most vulnerable among us. Having grown up in the child-welfare system, Hidalgo understands the value in connection and collective strength. CommUNITY204 has fed tens of thousands, provided hundreds of mattresses to those without, found housing for dozens of people, and much, much more. He is also the co-founder of the SABE Peace Walkers, a de-escalation team patrolling Osborne Village.

Chad Posthumus: The first player and captain in Winnipeg Sea Bears history. An absolutely beautiful person. His basketball journey took him all over the world, but his return to Manitoba to continue his pro career in his hometown was special. Posthumus sadly and suddenly passed away in November, but his impact will live forever. He treated people with genuine kindness, made everyone feel seen and special, and approached everyday with sheer joy. RIP big man.

Victoria Gwendoline: A singer-songwriter first, Gwendonline also acts, and she’s really, really good. She landed the role of Harley in a new Amber Sekowan-Daniels produced sitcom called Don’t Even. Streaming on Crave, the show follows the post-graduation life and times of two best friends in Winnipeg in the 1990s, and it’s super good. Gwendoline was just tremendous in her role.

Alyson Shane: Our community lost a passionate and caring cheerleader and advocate in Shane. After founding Starling Social a decade ago, she selflessly used her marketing company and prowess for good. Shane was a recipient of Volunteer Manitoba’s Spark Outstanding Pro Bono Consultant Award, and donated her time and talents to countless organizations, including Manitoba Music, Vote Open Winnipeg, Winnipeg Women’s Community and many more. She will be missed and remembered fondly by many, forever.

Dr. Rehman Abdulrehman: Dr. Abdulrehman is a clinical and consulting psychologist, published author, TEDx speaker, podcaster and the founder of #CelebrateEverything. #CelebrateEverything is a blueprint for workplaces, organizations and society at large to consult when it comes to improving inclusion and building community through celebration of holidays and observances. Through his own initiative, and partnerships such as Folklorama, Dr. Abdulrehman is truly creating community and fostering education.

Mark Dolphin: After an incredible near-18-year run, Dolphin has hung up the Mick E. Moose mascot suit he sported at both Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose games. Voted the No. 3 mascot in the NHL by Sports Illustrated, he’s made both game days and thousands of public appearances special for so many.

The Winnipeg Ghostbusters: If you need someone to call to make your event special, call the Winnipeg Ghostbusters. They’re an entirely volunteer-run group who, clad in full Ghostbusters gear, use their platform to bring joy to thousands and also raise a ton of cash for charity. This year alone they were able to raise almost $40,000 for groups like the Children’s Hospital, Madox’s Warriors and the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ Field of Dreams Foundation. They’ve also rallied the community for blood-donation drives. They’re awesome. Founded by Kris Rutherford and Adam Giardino, they were quickly joined by Brian Teichroew. The lineup also includes (apologies if I’ve missed somebody) Andrew Royal, Jeremy Jeffery, Chris Reid, Brandon Dewar, Adam Wilton, Steve Rogowsky, Michael Cumbers, Robert Sabo, Vanessa Mancini, Matthew Gerrard-Macmillan, Nicole Rutherford, Evie Lapp and Junior Busters Faye Sabo, Will Reid, Scarlett Rutherford, Sadie and Lucas Wilton, and Stella Teichroew.

Kathy Tran-Riese: Tran-Riese is the founder of KayTran Eyewear, a company that makes eyeglasses for people with low nose bridges. She impressed all the Dragons on a recent appearance on CBC TV’s Dragons’ Den. Tran-Riese received significant offers from three of the show’s venture capitalists, before shaking hands and securing a deal with longtime Dragon Manjit Minhas.

Niigaan Sinclair: A gifted Free Press columnist and professor, his latest book, Wînipêk: Visions of Canada from an Indigenous Centre, won the Governor General’s Award for English-language non-fiction. Sinclair, while clearly a gifted writer (he’s been named Canadian columnist of the year at the National Newspaper Awards), is also, without question, one of the best orators this province has ever seen.

Jessie & Shane Halliburton: They are the co-founders of The Sobr Market, a shop dedicated solely to non-alcoholic beers, wines and mocktails. From occupying a tiny corner of a Good Local shop a few years ago, Sobr Market has now had to move into its third location due to its swelling appeal. The popularity and societal acceptance of not drinking has risen dramatically over the past few years, as has the quality and variety of non-alcoholic drinks. Jessie and Shane are all over it, and have continued to expand their presence in Toronto along with upsizing here. Love to see it.

Daniel Perry: This dude is hardcore. Perry participated — and completed — the Iditarod Trail Invitational. It follows the same infamous trail used in the dog-sled version of the race, but Perry competed on a bicycle. He finished the gruelling race in three days, 21 hours.

Kevin Selch: Selch is the founder of Little Brown Jug Brewing Company. A former economist, he’s grown LBJ into so much more than just a craft brewery, and he’s much more than just a brewery owner. Amongst many things, Selch has assumed the role as the newest board chairperson of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and is the recipient of the 2024 Dr. Dick Smith Appreciation Award from Our Own Health Centre for his unwavering support of the LGBTTQ+ community.

Mitch Funk: Sadly, Funk succumbed to a battle with cancer this year. He was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, front people in Winnipeg music history. Fronting both Personality Crisis and Honest John, Funk was incredible to watch and his vocals were his alone. A towering, riveting figure and a beautifully kind person.

Dorthe Dahl-Jensen: For her work studying ice cores and countless contributions to the world’s understanding of human-induced global warming, Dahl-Jensen received a Frontiers of Knowledge award. Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, the Frontiers of Knowledge Foundation recognizes international excellence in research and academics. The award has made its way to Canada only a handful of times in the past 20 years, and Dahl-Jensen’s discovery, that over the past 800,000 years, carbon-dioxide concentrations due to natural variability have never reached the levels recorded in the 21st century, made international headlines.

Raeesa Hoque: She’s amazing. Hoque is part of the CCUNESCO National Youth Advisory Council, and founded the Youth Wellness Circle. The Youth Wellness Circle provides creative, simple and effective mental wellness resources to children and teens. She is also the 2024 winner of the B’nai Brith Manitoba Diverse Minds Creative Writing Competition for her now published book, I Don’t Fit In.

Chimwemwe Undi: Undi is Winnipeg’s Poet Laureate, a Winnipeg 150 medal recipient, a John Hirsch Emerging Writer Award winner and this year dropped her debut full-length poetry collection. Her work Scientific Marvel was deemed the best in the country, receiving the Governor General’s Literary Award in poetry.

Tyrell Hall: In Thompson, a competition is held annually to determine a King Miner. The competition includes pipe-fitting, hand mucking, nail driving, log sawing, steel packing and other tests of skill required in the mining profession. Hall is the current champ and therefore holds the title of King Miner.

Joseph Fourre: The founder of the Singing Red Bear Foundation and its No Thanks, I’m Good campaign. After tragically losing his incredible son Harlan to drug poisoning in 2023, Fourre has been a tireless advocate for what is an increasingly toxic and poisonous drug supply, one that is killing countless people. This year marked the first-ever Fentanyl Awareness Day, an initiative led by Fourre and his team. He’s made a massive impact already, with much more to come.

Cloe Wiebe & Andrew Koropatnick: The pair are behind the super-hot dual-concept café and bakery Crumb Queen/Andy’s Lunch. They’re just crushing it. Wiebe was selling baked goods as quickly as she could make them in her bachelor-apartment kitchen during the pandemic. Koropatnick has worked in fine dining for over a decade with a passion for Italian comfort food. Since the pair teamed up and opened a brick-and-mortar location in Osborne Village that often has lineups, the eatery has been named a finalist by EnRoute Magazine for best new restaurant in Canada and was designated one of Air Canada’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada last month.

Gavin Barrett & Joel Baker: Their skateboard company, Scam Skate, just celebrated its 10th anniversary. Starting out by printing some T-shirts in Portage la Prairie, Scam morphed into creating their own skateboards from scratch. Their products are entirely designed and manufactured in Manitoba, something previously unheard of in the industry. It’s an incredible run and they continue to evolve, offering custom one-off skateboard decks, a huge lineup of long-boards, custom printing and more.

Patty Wiens: Her day job is at the University of Winnipeg, but Wiens is also the first-ever and current Bicycle Mayor of Winnipeg. Her role involves advocating for and working collaboratively on cycling infrastructure, safety and long-term planning. Wiens also sits on the board of directors of Bike Winnipeg.

Genalyn Tan: She’s had an incredible impact on Manitoba’s Filipino community, and her work continues today in multiple capacities. Tan is the former president of the Manitoba Association of Filipino Teachers, and was a major force in securing a Filipino Bilingual Program at Meadows West School. She is also the current director of the Rondalla program, a group of passionate and talented musicians and vocalists preserving and showcasing the best of the culture. She’s made Manitoba better for so many.

Karen Clark & Amanda Zapotochny: Both are incredible volunteers in their community, and both are recipients of the 2024 Lieutenant Governor’s Community Leadership Award from Volunteer Manitoba. Clark is a multi-disciplinary artist in Flin Flon and a tireless advocate and champion for northern artists. She was nominated by Mentoring Artists for Women’s Art. Zapotochny has taken on a Herculean humanitarian effort in Portage la Prairie, settling 42 different Ukrainian families looking for a safe place to live.

Ace Burpee has worked in radio for years in almost every capacity, and is well-known for the hundreds of charitable events and causes that he donates his time to every year. He is currently the host of The Ace Burpee Show on 103.1 Virgin Radio.