White Bear First Nation mom wins $1,500 shopping experience

Louise BigEagle · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 06, 2025 6:15 PM EST | Last Updated: November 6

The archetypal victor of a $1,500 buying acquisition for azygous First Nations moms says learning she had been chosen came arsenic a relief.

"I admit it truthful much, it came astatine a clip erstwhile I was beauteous disquieted astir the upcoming period and past conscionable the alleviation of knowing that things are going to beryllium OK," said Star Maxie, from White Bear First Nation.

The Newo-Yotina Friendship Centre successful Regina precocious made a telephone retired for nominations for a monthly Mama Bear Made it Happen contest, looking to admit azygous mothers who are making ends meet, juggling responsibilities and managing it to marque it hap for their kids.

The relationship centre was offering the victor a $1,500 buying acquisition for things similar groceries, clothing, household items, oregon child-related needs. They received 580 nominations and enactment from assemblage members wanting to assistance retired with the giveaway.

Maxie said winning the giveaway came arsenic she was astir to look the 5th day of her babe son’s death.

"The day is ever the toughest and conscionable surviving done that and conscionable reasoning it's different twelvemonth without the headstone," said Maxie.

A information of her buying acquisition volition spell toward a headstone for her son, thing she said was a immense relief. 

Maxie was nominated by her girl Twyla, 19, who hopes to go a paramedic past a firefighter and is presently doing online courses to bash so.

"I emotion my ma and we've been done a batch and increasing up raising maine arsenic a azygous mom, she deserves the world," said Twyla.

Twyla Maxie and her ma faced homelessness and the nonaccomplishment of her grandma, babe member during the pandemic.

Twyla said she and her ma cried a batch erstwhile she recovered retired she was nominated, and the brace shed tears of joyousness erstwhile they learned Star won.

Star Maxie and her girl Twyla Maxie. (Submitted by Star Maxie)

She said she is grateful for her ma to get this acquisition and each she has done for her.

"What I've experienced increasing up, conscionable watching my ma beryllium similar the biggest leader successful my life," Twyla said. 

Taylor Apperley, an intensive lawsuit co-ordinator and programme co-ordinator with The Newo-Yotina Friendship Centre said the monthly giveaway was created to uplift women, particularly mothers. 

"We cognize azygous moms don't ever inquire for assistance and they whitethorn request it much than anyone else; there's nary harder occupation than being a mom," said Apperley.

Apperley said erstwhile she called Star to fto her cognize she won, it was beauteous affectional and she could perceive her excitement implicit the phone.

"She conscionable seems similar the astir deserving idiosyncratic and the mode she's handled her triumph is inspiring; her communicative is inspiring," said Apperley.

Apperley said the winning parent not lone gets a buying acquisition but they get to person a self-care attraction whether it's a mani-pedi oregon a massage.

Star Maxie said she thinks this is simply a erstwhile successful a beingness experience, a immense blessing, and she volition nominate idiosyncratic successful the future.

"For them to beryllium moving a contention similar this, it's beauteous immense and there's rather a spot of good deserving women retired determination I tin deliberation of," said Star Maxie.

Maxie said she’s besides going to get a hand-mixer and electrical kettle and spell buying with Twyla with her remaining winnings.