10 hours Ago By Janine LeGal
Winnipeg’s Langside Street is a place of community and creativity. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Winnipeg’s Langside Street is a place of community and creativity. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Winnipeg’s Langside Street is a place of community and creativity.
Susan Holm has lived in the West Broadway area, with its rich and diverse history, for 25 years and appreciates her home and the many connections she continually makes. “The sense of community is so great,” said the psychologist. “I have such good neighbours.
I think there’s just a lot of people who have been here for a long time.” MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Susan Holm, one of the cats of Langside calendar founders, with neighbouring cat Foxy. Holm is also fond of her many feline neighbours, who can be spotted roaming Langside in all colours, shapes and sizes, gazing out windows, lounging on decks or frolicking in their backyards.
“There were so many strays when I first started living here. My son and daughter-in-law have two cats who were born in the back lane,” said Holm. What began with an off-hand comment from a neighbour — “Oh, the cats of Langside should have their own calendar” — inspired Holm to launch a community-minded art project.
The first Cats of Langside calendar was printed in 2022 and has continued to grow in popularity ever since, with proceeds contributing to the work of several non-profit community organizations. Holm has always had at least one cat in her home, and currently lives with two. “I don’t know all the neighbours on the street but everyone knows Archie,” she said about her friendly orange cat who delights in greeting everyone who visits.
Both Archie and his sister Apache were rescue cats and are featured in the 2025 calendar. “I think cats are all so unique and I think people misunderstand them a lot. I think they’re quite empathic creatures, very affectionate, they’re just a lot of fun,” Holm said.
Holm invited her nearby neighbours, a mother and her cat-loving daughter, to be involved. “Yafa (nine or 10 at the time), enjoyed playing with my cats a lot, so we were often having conversations about them. When the idea for the calendar was formed, I asked her if she’d like to make it with me.
In the first year, a few of the photos were hers, and at that time more were mine, plus other neighbours contributed. We also included her art. I then had the idea to try and do a fundraiser,” Holm said, adding the collaboration has continued.
“In the fall, she and I meet and go over all the photos from the year, hers, mine, and other contributing neighbours. We choose the photos and assign the months. Then I work with my sister-in-law in Ontario, who does all the design, pro bono.
” Over the last four years, Yafa, now 13 and the project’s youngest volunteer, has contributed more and more photos, and this year, most of the calendar’s images are hers with a few from other Langside residents. “The marketing is now mostly done by Yafa’s mom, Janet, who has become very enthusiastic about the project, and myself,” Holm said. “Other neighbours have been supportive and have promoted the calendar, and we’re pretty happy about our community.
Our community partners are also quite enthusiastic.” Through the sale of the calendars since 2022, the group has raised more than $20,000. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS The 2025 calendar “I feel it’s great.
I believe very much in community and philanthropy,” said Holm. “Yafa did summer programming with Art City when she was growing up. It’s literally around the corner from us, so we decided to aim the money there (the first year).
” Subsequent donations have been made to Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY), a resource and programming centre on Sherbrook Street, and Sunshine House, a Logan Avenue drop-in space focused on harm reduction and social inclusion. “The thing that we love about it is that we see that it brings joy. Even the businesses that sell the calendars are all excited about it every year.
It just makes everyone happy. Cats are happy things,” Holm said, adding she recently encountered a familiar face at a bakery. “I’m like, ‘That’s my cat Archie!’” The Cats of Langside calendar will continue as long as neighbours maintain the same level of enthusiasm.
Holm said they’ve been extremely supportive, with one neighbour selling 18 calendars every year and another neighbour buying 11 yearly to give away as gifts. Talks have already begun about a calendar for next year. “Honestly during the pandemic, who did you talk to,” Holm asked.
“Your neighbours, when you were out in the yard, and you talked about what the cats were up to. “I just believe in community. Those little interactions mean a lot, the person at the corner store, that sort of thing.
Anything that brings people together is just wonderful. It gives you a warm feeling to be able to support these community organizations that are doing really good work.” Follow the cats on Instagram ( ) and email catsoflangside@outlook.
com to purchase a 2025 calendar. [email protected].
ca Celebration United Way Winnipeg will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 5, in the ballroom at RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Ave. Cocktails and registration from 5:45-6:30 p.
m., dinner and program starting at 6:30 p.m.
RSVP by Tuesday, Jan. 28. Tickets: .
For more information: email [email protected] or call 204-924-4263. * Wiigiishin Giiwiigeenahn (help me help you, Ojibway translation) is a one-hour community walk that starts at the Pitikwe Skate Park at Portage Place every Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.
m., then winds its way via Portage, Graham, Smith and Ellice, all the way back to behind Portage Place. Donations gratefully received for hot beverages, soup and supplies for those in need.
Follow Wiigiishin Giiwiigeenahn on Instagram and Facebook. * Sunshine House and the Mobile Overdose Prevention Site (MOPS) are in need of supplies, including socks, shoes, boots, gloves, mitts, toques, scarves, jackets, sweatshirts, long underwear, backpacks, shampoo and conditioner, bar soap, razors, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, menstrual supplies and non-perishable food items for the community pantry. Make a drop-off appointment at .
Online donations can be made at or in-person or by mail via Sunshine House Inc., 646 Logan Ave., R3A 0S7.
Tax receipts will be issued. Call 204-783-8565. * Help Harvest Manitoba fight hunger.
Tens of thousands of families, children, infants and seniors visit food banks monthly and rely on your generous donations. School programs, soup kitchens, day cares and everyday people are facing daily struggles to put food on the table. Donations by phone: 204-982-3581.
Donations by EFT or pre-authorized debit payments: [email protected]. Donations in person: Harvest Manitoba, 1085 Winnipeg Ave).
* 6 Years of Second Chances, a Tails of Freedom Rescue Inc. event to raise funds and awareness, will be held Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. at Deer Lodge Community Centre, 323 Bruce Street.
Admission is $2 or two cans of cat food. Goodie bags for the first 100 people. The event will include at least 15 vendors, silent auction, bake sale and 50/50 draw.
More information via email to [email protected] or go to . * Children’s Hospital Book Market 65th anniversary sale will be held Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27 at St.
Vital Centre. Shop for great books of all genres and support sick and injured kids in your community. Book Market relies 100 per cent on volunteers, with teams that work all year to collect, sort and price books, plus those who take on roles leading up to sales, like packing up and moving books to the sale.
To inquire about volunteering opportunities please email event organizers at [email protected]. Advertisement Advertisement.
