Pembina Crossing's Richard and Karen Wiebe were farmers that diversified their operation by selling their livestock and converting their barn into a restaurant that also housed Karen's sewing business just South of Manitou. Many will remember the early days of homemade meals served from a crock pot style buffet, and later touring the loft of the barn to buy a few handmade items and trinkets.

Karen talked about the day everything changed. 

Karen and Richard Wiebe at their farewell party, before the timber frame structure was moved to Morden.

"Our first building was a livestock barn. We were part of the Country Vacation Association. We diversified our farm, and so we moved a preexisting business I had in my home, and we wanted more space, So we literally got rid of the livestock, and renovated a building into a restaurant and a business. We got it all finished, and came home from buying groceries for an event, and it was totally destroyed. Not totally gone, but totally destroyed."

The devastation of that 1998 fire did not stop the Wiebe’s from fulfilling a dream Karen and her mom had before she passed away. Hospitality runs in Karen's family, as her roots in Pembina Crossing go back to the 1800s to her great great-grandfather who was the last restaurant owner in that town.

Three years, after the insurance on the barn had been settled, Richard and Karen found investors to help them build a large timber structure that would serve the Pembina Crossing area, located south of Manitou, for seven years. Wiebe shared the challenge that faced them as the project got under way.

"The same day we put the down payment on to build that building, we also put our 26-year-old son in CancerCare," she continued. "But we had an incredible local Morden born and raised contractor come forward and helped us. He literally took over the project with us and brought it to its completion."

At their son's bedside in the Health Sciences Centre, they drew up the plans for the building, and in five months the timber-framed structure was built and ready for business.

The Wiebe's son is a cancer survivor.

"Somebody said to us when we opened the new building, 'Man, did you ever risk a lot' and I said, well, we experienced a different kind of risk that we won with."

As soon as the word started to spread Saturday morning about the Minnewasta Golf and Country Club fire, Wiebe said people started sending pictures and reaching out to them. Wiebe emotionally shared the outpouring of concern they have experienced since then.