by Rene Castro
This year’s Our Manitoba Heroes Gala was held on October 27th at Club Regent Event Centre. Five Manitobans – Dave, Mitch, Shirley, Val and Leila, accepted the Our Manitoba Heroes 2018 award. Dave Beakley is a strength coach and is teaching kids about the importance of nutrition, exercise, discipline and hard work.
Mitch Bourbonniere does many hours of community service by volunteering with the Mama Bear Clan Patrol, Got Bannock and Drag the Red. Shirley Preteau is instrumental in the creation, development and growth of Never Alone Foundation. Valarie Thompson has been chosen as Woman of the Year for the Manitoba Heart and Stroke Foundation, wrote a book for echocardiography, and is the founder of the echocardiography teaching and mentoring program in Manitoba. Leila Castro, the first Filipino to receive the Our Manitoba Heroes award, is the founder of 204 Neighbourhood Watch, a pioneer of the large social media group 204 Filipino Marketplace, and a columnist in Manitoba Filipino Journal.
Centric Productions Executive Producer, Michael Linton, gave the opening remarks. Tyler Magnaye, the DJ of 103.1 Virgin, was the master of ceremony. CBC broadcaster Marjorie Dowhos introduced Leila Castro before the latter’s interview video was shown. The event was concluded by a closing speech given by Our Manitoba Heroes Committee Chair Paul Bennet.
Husband Rene Castro (204 Neighbourhood Watch volunteer and member of MAFTI board), children Jaclyn Renee Castro and Daniel Joaquin Castro, and sister Genalyn Tan (president of MAFTI) accompanied Leila in the event. Also present were friends, and supporters of 204 Neighbourhood Watch from the Filipino and East Indian communities – business owner Rhodel Climacosa of AIM World and Climacosa Services, realtor Charmaine Hernandez of Coldwell Banker Preferred Real Estate, realtor Maneet Jassal of Landmhel Real Estate Services Inc., former long time MAFTI president Gemma Dalayoan, and Manitoba Filipino Journal publication and Hot Rod’s owner Rod Cantiveros.
In the interview video, Leila said that even if it is her name that surfaced as the awardee, for her the heroes are the volunteers who walked with her, and those businesses in the community that continue to support 204 Neighbourhood Watch and sustain its logistics needs.
Photo courtesy of Marny Barnes | Manitoba Heroes
