Riverview Health Centre Foundation

18/04/2026

It’s hard to talk about Cycle on Life without talking about Dee Dee Budgell-Short. Year after year, she helped make the event what it is through her enthusiasm and compassion.

It’s a compassion that will be deeply missed this year. Dee Dee passed in 2025.

Her connection to the centre began when her late husband, Harry, was cared for at Riverview after a stroke. Giving back became personal, and it was something she carried with her even after finding love again years later.

Her husband Ken Short still laughs about how they met. Online, like so many people, but with some conditions.

“I had prerequisites,” he chuckles. “I needed someone who golfed and curled.”

Dee Dee checked both boxes, and many others. They bonded over staying active, travelling, and spending time with their tight-knit group of friends.

“She was a magnet,” Ken said. “People were just drawn to her.”

Before long, they were building a life together. Cycle on Life became part of it.

“It was a drug for her,” Ken said. “She just loved doing it and loved being around the people.”

She was Co-Chair of Cycle on Life and founder of the Budgell Bikers, a team named for her and the memory of Harry. Dee Dee led them with enthusiasm and joy since 2018 — and they are riding again this year in her honour.

“She was very proud that the money being raised was going to make a difference,” Ken said.

She also helped make the event more inclusive, supporting the addition of specialized bikes so people of all abilities could take part.

Even as her health changed, she kept showing up, organizing, cheering others on, and finding new ways to be involved, including riding on one of the specialized bikes she helped bring to Riverview.

“She was always giving,” Ken said. “Hardly ever taking.”

That spirit is still part of Cycle on Life. You see it in the people who return each year and in those joining for the first time. This year, you can be part of it too.

Registration is open, sign up today: https://loom.ly/Q8fvY1g

17/04/2026

Looking to make an impact? “Join the RHCF board and you can just walk the halls to see the difference you're making.”

That’s what Leah Leibl said when asked why she serves on the board at Riverview Health Centre Foundation — and why others should do the same: You get to see your impact firsthand.

Last year, residents shared a simple wish. An updated outdoor space to sit with family, feel the sun, and spend time together. Soon after, new tables, chairs, and a firepit were added. Leah remembers hearing how grateful residents were. “It’s those moments that stay with you,” she says.

She’s excited about bigger projects too. Ones that bring the community together, like intergenerational programming and important renovations that will improve residents' everyday lives.

Leah has also discovered how many people have stories about loved ones Riverview cared for. Palliative care, but also rehab, day programs, and more. Stories that come up in conversation and stay with her.

Leah is a lawyer by trade. Board service lets her use her skills in new ways, meet inspiring people, and share meaningful experiences with friends and family.

“I think volunteering is good for both the brain and the soul,” Leah says. "Joining the RHCF board is an opportunity to learn about yourself and give back in a meaningful way."

We're looking for more people like Leah. Legal, finance, fundraising, or communications professionals who are ready to make a difference.

Could that be you? Learn more about the role and how to apply: https://loom.ly/YbcbuRM

15/04/2026

We’ve got something special for early signs up to Cycle on Life presented by Manitoba Public Insurance! 🏩🥩🎭

Register before May 15 and you'll be automatically entered to win a Winnipeg Staycation:

🏰 One-night stay + breakfast generously donated by the Fort Garry Hotel
🕯️ $100 toward dinner generously donated by The Keg
🎟️ 2 tickets to Cyrano de Bergerac (Oct 7–31) generously donated by the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

Claim your spot before May 15 and you will be entered in to win this premium staycation!

Register today! https://loom.ly/Q8fvY1g

13/04/2026

Criselle just wanted to give back. She ended up winning over $40,000 through the employee WRHA Payday Payout 50/50. 🎉

As a healthcare worker and someone who's had family live at Riverview, Criselle knows what good care looks like. She also knows what it costs.

"I always wanted to give back,” she shared. “It wasn't really about winning. It was about helping, even just a little bit."

She's been a clerk at Riverview for years, so she sees the Foundation's impact every day -- new musical instruments, the renovated tub rooms that bring comfort and dignity to residents, and so many small touches that make Riverview feel like home.

"I won, but I also got to help," she said. "That's the part that makes me happiest."

Congratulations, Criselle. And thank you to everyone who supports us and other healthcare facility foundations across the region through the WRHA's Payday Payout 50/50.

Interested in the next draw? WRHA employees can learn how to enter here: https://loom.ly/erh51g4

10/04/2026

Cycle on Life is coming up and Winnipeg Blue Bomber Alumni Association are in! Join us and you might even run into some of your favourite former Bombers 💙💛🏈

📍Location: Riverview Health Centre, 1 Morley Avenue
🗓️ Date: Sunday, June 14, 2026
⏰ Time: 8:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Register today! Link in bio 🚴

The Riverview Health Centre's Cycle on Life is just around the corner!!! Join the Bomber Alumni team on Sunday, June 14th and help raise funds in support of quality of life enhancing programs and providing essential medical equipment for patients and residents of all ages at Riverview Health Centre. Riverview Health Centre Foundation

To join the team or donate, hit the link below

➡️ https://p2p.onecause.com/cycleonlife2026/team/winnipeg-blue-bomber-alumni

08/04/2026

For one afternoon, our atrium became a buzzing bumper car arena as students from École Riverview School took to the floor.

The result? Pandemonium (the good kind). Residents cheered from the sidelines and laughter filled the hall. Afterward, students proudly presented their handmade "novel boxes" to residents, each one bursting with creativity and personality. It was the perfect way to wrap up the day -- we’d even say it was a smash hit 💥

This is what community looks like and none of it happens without you. Your support fuels moments like these. Thank you for making the magic possible.

06/04/2026

🌸 Spring market at Riverview Health Centre this Friday! 🌸

🛍️ Who: 10+ vendors showcasing unique goods & local creativity
📍 Where: Thomas Sill Auditorium (right inside our main entrance)
📅 When: Friday, April 10 from 2:30-4:30pm
💛 Why: A perfect chance to connect with the community

Whether you're stopping in to support local makers or spending time with a loved one who calls Riverview home, it’s a chance to come together and discover something special.

Vendors: Drop a comment and tell us what you'll be bringing so everyone knows what to look forward to!

See you there! 🌷

04/04/2026

Kaitlyn couldn’t walk when she arrived at Riverview. Now, she’s back every year at Cycle on Life, on her feet and cheering as a member of the Blue Bomber's official drumline. 🥁💙💛

After a serious motor vehicle accident, Kaitlyn came to Riverview unable to walk and struggling with speech. Through specialized rehabilitation, she worked her way back step by step, regaining her strength, her voice, and her independence.

Since then, she hasn’t missed a Cycle on Life. “That’s the one drumline event that I make sure I’m available for every year,” she says. “Riverview was such a big part of my life and my recovery. The day is always so special.”

In addition to performing at Bomber games and events, she’s a university student, a bassist in a rock band, a rhythmic gymnast, and a tutor teaching multiple languages. She lives a full and active life made possible through the care she received.

When you join Cycle on Life, you help make sure people like Kaitlyn have access to the rehabilitation and care they need.

Join us this year and you'll not only make a difference, but also get to catch Kaitlyn on the snare!

🚴Register today: https://loom.ly/Q8fvY1g

02/04/2026

Long weekend hours update! 📅

The Foundation office will be closed Friday, April 3 through Monday, April 6, with regular hours resuming Tuesday, April 7.

While we're away, you can still reach out:
📩 Email us anytime, we’ll respond when we return
📞 Leave a voicemail and we’ll follow up
✨ Make a donation online through our website: rhcf.mb.ca

Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and continued support. We hope you have a wonderful long weekend! 💜💛🩵🩷

01/04/2026

Call for Board Members!

Riverview Health Centre Foundation is looking for passionate individuals to join our Board of Directors.

This is an opportunity to use your skills and experience to support care that truly changes lives for residents and patients at Riverview Health Centre.

The Foundation is currently recruiting board members with expertise in one or more of the following: finance, law, fundraising, and communications.

If you are looking to give back in a meaningful way and be part of something bigger, we would love to connect.

Interested in learning more? Explore the role and how to apply: https://loom.ly/nUbuSzc

30/03/2026

Judith is always on the move. Morning exercise class, lunch with friends, an afternoon performance, cards before dinner. "I'm just on the run all the time," she says with a smile.

But she'll also tell you about the quiet afternoons with her husband, back when he was still here. How they'd attend the musical performances Riverview put on.

Robert loved music, and the concerts here were something they enjoyed. Being at Riverview together meant they got to be close during his final years, with days that were as busy or as quiet as they wanted them to be.

She still goes to concerts. Sometimes she closes her eyes during a piece Robert loved and pretends he's still here.

Your generous support helps Judith live like this, fully and on her terms, in a place that knew Robert, knows her, and lets her live life the way she wants to live it.

27/03/2026

There's an iron lung sitting inside Riverview's Heritage Museum, and rumour has it, it still works!

That's just one of the fascinating artifacts waiting to be discovered, tucked inside the Princess Elizabeth Administration Building. From a ceremonial shovel used to break ground to antique china stamped with the original hospital crest to vintage medical textbooks, every piece tells part of a story that began in 1911.

A lot has changed since then. But Riverview's commitment to putting residents and patients first never has.

Stop by and see for yourself! You might be surprised by what you discover.