The Annual Family Fun Day hosted by the Neepawa Settlement’s SWIS program took place on August 20, 2024 at the Riverbend Park. This event is a wonderful chance for newcomers to mingle, make new friends, and enjoy time with their families. Approximately 80 newcomers and volunteers attended, including individuals from the Philippines, Russia and a family from British Columbia who were originally from Vietnam.

The day featured opening remark from Alicia Poitras, Settlement Worker,  a message from Sherry Francis, the Constituent Assistant of MLA Jodie Byram and Liway Cabrera, a Filipino immigrant sharing her newcomer journey. She emphasized the need to open up yourself to different opportunities available and explore and learn from different cultures. “Five years ago I was like most of you who came here to Canada to explore and look for better opportunities. So I came here and the Settlement helped me a lot to settle in our new community and knowing our community and exposing myself to different kinds of people. So maybe I think as a word of encouragement is to explore all the opportunities that we have at the Settlement like the English Language proficiency to better communicate with other people, not only with our fellow Filipinos but also other immigrants as well and Canadians. I think even if you are good in English, it’s different when you learn the Canadian way or the Canadian language is also different. So it’s better to explore that opportunity to develop our confidence more to communicate with different kinds of people.” said Cabrera.  

It was a highly successful event, brimming with games, food, and music, making it a standout experience for many newcomer families. The success of the event was bolstered by the generous support from various organizations, individuals, and local businesses. Newcomers look forward to this annual gathering with great enthusiasm, as it provides a cherished opportunity to connect and celebrate with the community.