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Join Us for the 5th Annual Art, Music & Maker Show – September 28, 2024!

Art Show Poster

We’re thrilled to invite you to the 5th Annual Art, Music & Maker Show happening right here in Grindstone, Manitoba! This exciting community event will take place on Saturday, September 28, 2024, from 12 – 4 PM at 73 Mountain Maple Lane.

Discover the vibrant talents of 29 local artists and artisans alongside performances from 19 musicians. There will be plenty of fun for all ages, with an open mic/jam session, massages, and delicious cotton candy cones to enjoy!

This event is free and open to everyone, so feel free to drop by and explore an afternoon filled with creativity, music, and great company. Whether you’re interested in visual arts, handmade crafts, or live music, there’s something for everyone!

Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate our amazing local community. See you there!


Reviving the Grindstone Legacy: A Conversation with Kim and Taylor Gerbinski

We’d like to introduce Kim and Taylor Gerbinski, long-time Grindstone enthusiasts and community entrepreneurs. In 2019, they set out to revive the original Grindstone clothing line their family had cherished years ago. We had the pleasure of speaking with them and asked a few questions. 

What made you decide to do a line of Grindstone Clothing?

Our family still had a few of the 80’s sweatshirts kicking around our cabin, that we wore regularly. We talked about how fun it would be to bring some of these retro items back to Grindstone. Originally we were just going to design and order some sweatshirts for ourselves. After speaking to some of our friends, we realized there was a much larger want for the clothing that just our cabin. It was important that if we were going to take this project on that we provided quality products and reasonable prices, so that our community could keep supporting us yar over year!

Where did you get the inspiration and designs for the clothing?

I have a three ¼ zip sweatshirt sitting in my closet, and Uncle Don always sports his retro Grindstone hat. We put those two items together and decided to bring items back in their full glory, upside down birds and all! Fortunately my husband is handy in Photoshop. We were able to take a picture of the logo on my old sweatshirt and he manipulated it so that we had a high resolution file to use for production!

I understand the profits from the sale of the clothing are used for park enrichment, can you tell us a bit more about that?

Yes, Grindstone Clothing proudly donates all profits back to the cottage community. When my husband and I started this fun project we simply wanted to bring some fun and joy to Grindstone, while contributing to the improvement of the park. Over the last 5 years we have happily donated $5,000 back to the Grindstone Cottage Owners Association, and some of those funds went directly to building the play structure at Blacks Point Beach.

And finally, what was the most popular item you have sold?

I think our most popular item has been the “original logo” hoodie. Nothing says Grindstone more than those 3 trees in front of the sun with upside down birds in the distance. If you know a Grindstoner you think should be featured, email [email protected]


Celebrate August Long Weekend at Grindstone Days 2024!

Grindstone Days 2024 Poster

Looking for an exciting way to spend the August long weekend with your family? Join us at Grindstone Provincial Park for Grindstone Days 2024 on August 3rd and 4th! This event is designed with families in mind, packed with activities, delicious food, and entertainment for everyone.

Saturday, August 3rd: Start Your Weekend Right

Begin your Saturday at 9:00 AM with a hearty pancake breakfast at Black’s Point Shelter. Enjoy the morning with vendors offering unique goods and register for the volleyball tournament.

At 10:00 AM, the fun continues with a silent auction, kids’ games, and membership opportunities. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, whether you’re looking to bid on some great items or let the kids have a blast with games.

By noon, the excitement heats up with a Poker Derby. Test your card skills and enjoy the competitive spirit!

Sunday, August 4th: Beachside Fun

Head to North Cliffs Beach at 10:00 AM for kids’ races, a fun way for the little ones to start the day. Then, at 12:00 PM, indulge in a hot dog sale, bounce around on the bouncy course/castle, and join the volleyball tournament for some friendly competition.

Cap off the weekend with a talent show at 7:00 PM back at Black’s Point Shelter. We invite you to showcase your talents and be a part of this perfect way to end the weekend, enjoying the community spirit and celebrating local talents.

Don’t Miss Out!

Grindstone Days 2024 at Grindstone Provincial Park promises a memorable August long weekend with something for everyone. If you’re interested in being part of the action and making a difference, consider volunteering. It’s a great way to meet new people, gain new skills, and contribute to your community. For more information or to volunteer, email [email protected].

Please mark your calendars and join us for a weekend of fun, food, and festivities!


A New Membership Committee is COMPLETE!

At the GCOA Annual General Meeting on April 24th, 2024, we welcomed an additional cottager to the Board and Membership Committee. The committee is now led by Howard Thiessen and Darlene Dean. Over the past year, the GCOA has diligently developed a process for maintaining and updating our cottager contact database. With this system now in place, the new Membership Committee will have no trouble keeping the GCOA membership and contacts list current. This will ensure that all cottagers are well-informed and actively involved!

See below the summary of the Membership Committee’s Roles and Responsibilities.


GCOA Membership Committee

This detailed outline provides a clear understanding of the committee’s operations and procedures, ensuring efficient management of membership affairs within the GCOA.

Introduction / Background:

  • The Membership Committee was established alongside the GCOA board to support the organization financially through membership fees.
  • Members have rights including attending meetings, voting on motions, receiving newsletters, participating in events, and accessing other benefits.
  • Membership fees are annual, due at the beginning of the calendar year, and are tied to cottage addresses.

Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Maintain a contact list of members and track contact information for other cottagers.
  • Organize, track, and collect membership fees.
  • Maintain an email distribution list for communication purposes.
  • Obtain cottage owner/lessee lists from the Real Estate Services Branch for updates.

Committee Procedures:

  1. Contact List:
    • Utilize Microsoft Excel for now, with plans to transition to Membershipworks.
    • Maintain various tabs for tracking membership status, additional emails, email distribution, advance payments, and subdivision lists.
  2. Real Estate Services Branch Cottager List:
    • Obtain the list annually, containing lessee names and home addresses.
    • Board is responsible for obtaining email addresses and phone numbers.
  3. Membership Email Address:
    • Use designated email address for membership matters, including receiving e-transfers.
    • Notify Treasurer of received e-transfers and file corresponding receipts.
  4. Payment Collection & Canvassing:
    • Collect payments via cash, cheque, credit card, or e-transfer.
    • Provide receipts for cash/cheque payments, track payments received.
    • Use credit card scanning device for credit card payments.
    • Supply flyers for marketing and information purposes during canvassing.
  5. Membership Incentive Program:
    • Manage the incentive program, ensuring members receive their discount cards upon payment.
    • Track members who have paid but not received their incentive cards and ensure delivery.

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Membership Committee launches new member incentive program!!

This year your board and membership committee has spend a great deal of time reaching out to various vendors & companies looking to see if they would be willing to support the community and join an incentive program.  Our goal was to provide more of encouragement for Grindstone Cottagers to become a member.  In the return, the vendor would gain additional traffic and business they may not otherwise had.  So, we’ve added many more additional benefits and perks to that cottager membership.

READ MORE to see all of the benefits and incentives members can receive.