By Brad Brown
Citizen Staff

A meeting is being planned to address a child-care shortage in Kipling.

“We’re hearing from a lot of mothers around here right now who might be on maternity leave and aren’t able to go back to work because who’s going to take care of their kids?” said community development officer Loretta Demyen, adding immigration is making the need that much more urgent.

Ideally, says Demyen, a full-fledged licensed daycare will be running in Kipling within three months, though it will largely depend on community interest.

“There has been talk of starting a community group… but we’re not quite sure how that will work at the moment,” she said. “That’s what the meetings are going to be for.

“We want to see how much demand there is.”

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Kipling Community Centre.

In other MMCRDC news, nominations are now open for the second annual Farm Family of the Year award. The award recognizes “people from the rural communities who excel in their farming achievements.”

For the purposes of the award, “farm family” may also include an individual, couple, or group of individuals who manage a farming unit together. Eligible nominees must reside in the rural municipalities of Hazelwood #94, Golden West #95, Silverwood #123, or Chester #125.

Nominations are due by March 14 and the winner will be announced at the MMCRDC’s annual meeting on March 18.

Also, a date for the second meeting of the new Moose Mountain Community Settlement Committee has been set.

The first meeting was held on Jan. 22 with representation from various businesses and institutions in the region including the Town of Kipling, Kipling Library, Kipling School, PIC, Seed Hawk, the economic/community development office, the Southeast Community Settlement Committee, and local ministerial and health care.

The next meeting for the committee is scheduled for March 4 at 7 p.m. at the Kipling Community Centre.