Flourish Journal Stories

Shared Stories: Celebrating our Journey

Within each of us lies a story, a personal journey that we keep close to our heart. Sharing that story with others, whether whole or in part, means sharing a piece of ourselves. The following stories reveal a candid look at those we may greet on a daily basis and yet we’re often unaware of who they are or the struggles they have faced. As you read the individual stories, note the common theme that threads its way through each one, making them unique yet universally appealing.

Meet John Teichroeb, a long-time employee-owner who has worked at Friesens for an impressive 35 years! John’s early life centered around the quiet community of Blumenort South where he attended school in the neighboring town of Gretna. Once he was finished school, he worked in Winnipeg for a brief time but grew tired of the hectic lifestyle of the city and decided to find something closer to his roots.

John’s career at Friesens began with working in the Fulfillment centre, which is the hub of picking, packing and shipping books and orders to customers. John loved his role there and stayed for close to 15 years before transitioning to the Receiving department. His responsibilities include receiving all the paper rolls that come in, as well as scheduling the trucks hauling paper for both the Printers Way and Industrial Park locations. John enjoys his work schedule because of its proximity to home and he maintains a well-organized routine.

To an outsider it may seem like John has had an idyllic life, but behind the scenes, and only a handful of years ago, he faced a life-and-death challenge. John describes the life-altering moment when he was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy which is an inflammation of the kidneys causing a rapid deterioration if left untreated. A specialist in Winnipeg advised him to join a kidney transplant waiting list, which he did. While on the waiting list he ended up contracting COVID-19 early on in 2020 which severely impacted his health and kidneys, leading to an emergency hospitalization. Throughout the 10 days he spent in the hospital, 4 of those were spent in a medically induced coma before they felt he had recovered enough to be sent home. The subsequent illness and fatigue from COVID took its toll on John as he struggled from its debilitating effects. During this time, he was put on dialysis, and he slowly regained his strength, feeling a sense of normalcy. He remained on dialysis for 20 months when he suddenly received news that someone had donated a kidney for him. It was someone that John knew, “…. and the real hero of the story…” John says, but the donor did not want recognition or accolades for his truly selfless gift. So, this date is etched firmly in John’s mind:  June 16, 2022, which is the day he received his new kidney and began the road to healing. Throughout this ordeal, Friesens provided unwavering support, encouraging John to take the necessary time to heal and offering flexible work hours as he recovered. They gave him the opportunity to work afternoons once he started to feel better as he did not want to sit at home and do nothing.

We’d like you to meet one of our most beloved and long-time employee-owners, Candy Neustaeter. Candy’s journey with Friesens began in July 1997, marking 27 years of dedicated service. Known for her engaging personality, Candy’s familiar face brightens up the workplace as she goes about her daily routine, showing genuine interest and including everyone in her lively conversation, while juggling a dual role as assistant planner and mail processor. Despite facing significant challenges, including a severe vision impairment, she does not let anything hold her back.

Candy was born in Winnipeg, but her early life was marked by frequent relocations due to her father’s work as a prison guard and immigration officer. While in Manitoba she lived in the towns of Gretna, Rosenfeld, Blumenort, Altona and residence at Blue Sky. Other places she has lived outside the province include Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan and Drumheller, Alberta.

Candy admits that her childhood was difficult not only because of her physical disability, but also due to the tumultuous relationship between her parents and some of her family members struggling with addictions. This meant that Candy and her siblings had to live with an uncle for awhile so that they would not end up in foster care. It also meant changing schools often, sometimes in the middle of a school year which can be traumatic for any child. She recalls how difficult it was moving around the school system in Alberta compared to Manitoba because they did not seem to have the same resources, so she coped with the situation the best she could under the circumstances. Reflecting on these experiences, Candy shares, “Adapting to each situation as it comes, and as a kid, I learned early on to just go with the flow and try not to let things upset me.”

This adaptability has been beneficial throughout Candy’s life and career at Friesens, where she has witnessed numerous changes, from renovations and staff transitions to evolving job responsibilities. Even during personal hardships, such as the loss of her mother and brother to cancer, Candy has maintained a positive outlook, finding stability and support with her Friesens family and the community. They have always reinforced to her that she has value, not only as an employee but as an individual.

Meet Josh Miguel! His journey began in Marikina City, Philippines, where he was born and raised, later moving to Quezon City where his wife and family lived. In 2017, he moved to Canada and became an employee-owner at think4D, a division of Friesens, as a Flexo-press operator. He learned about the job opportunity when Friesens’ HR team traveled to the Philippines for a recruitment campaign.

Josh faced many challenges early in life. He lost his mother at nine, and his father worked abroad in the Middle East to support the family. Raised by his aunt and later his stepmother, Josh often felt alone and found solace with friends on the streets. During high school, he skipped classes to be with his friends and jokingly called it “…having a master’s degree in street life….” But during this time, he was also active on the internet, joining Yahoo Messenger, where he found his future wife. Once they started communicating on a daily basis, they decided to meet in person and from there the relationship grew despite initial disapproval from her parents due to his lack of job and education.

When his girlfriend became pregnant, Josh realized he would have to take control of his new family’s future by seriously looking for employment. He eventually found work at a commercial printing company in Mandaluyong and worked there for seven years. While he worked, his wife continued with her education, studying to be a nurse and raising their son with the help of her parents. Suddenly a rare opportunity presented itself – a chance to work at a printing company in Canada! Josh applied and was quite shocked that he passed the test.

Reflecting on life in the Philippines, Josh believes he would have struggled to make ends meet due to the high cost of living. Once he moved to Altona, Canada, he was pleasantly surprised by a number of positive differences: the clean air, slower pace, and friendly community, especially noting how kind and approachable his co-workers have been.  There was only one drawback: the dreaded prairie winters complete with blizzards and biting cold!  His first winter was particularly tough without a vehicle, requiring him to wear “full battle gear” just to go to the grocery store.

Leslie Perring has been an employee-owner at Friesens for 9 years, and her story began long before she was born. It’s a tale that would be impossible to tell without the courage, bravery and dedication of two men: Leslie’s grandfather Lawrence, and her great-uncle Jim Parks. Leslie proudly shared the story of these two young men who, driven by duty and patriotism, enlisted in the army at a young age to fight for their country’s freedom and for future generations.

Leslie explains that her grandfather enlisted at 19 years old while her great-uncle, Jim, lied about his age so that he could join the army at just fifteen. They were among the first wave of Canadian soldiers to land at Juno Beach, Normandy, on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

During the beginning of summer, Leslie took an early “holiday” for a very special reason. She had been asked to join her great-uncle Jim Parks at the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France. Together they attended the event as part of the Canadian VIP contingent. Jim, who served with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles (nicknamed the “Little Black Devils”), is the last survivor of his regiment. At 99 years old, he remains an inspiration, his mind as sharp as ever, with a personal goal of reaching 100.

Leslie shares an interesting side note about a young history enthusiast, Frédérick Jeanne, who met Jim Parks more than a decade ago during an anniversary event in Winnipeg for the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. Fred, who grew up near the D-Day beaches, was deeply moved by his grandmother’s stories of how the Little Black Devils saved their family. Meeting Jim and hearing his firsthand accounts of the Battle of Normandy inspired Fred to write a book, “Hold the Oak Line,” with Jim’s help and contributions from veterans, archive assistants, Leslie, and the president of The RWR Museum.

In 2011, Fred returned to Winnipeg to begin research for the book, which was launched in 2014. But Fred’s homage to the volunteer soldiers didn’t stop there. He adapted the book into a documentary film titled “Little Black Devils — From Juno to Putot,” shot in France where the battle took place in 1944. The film, premiered in France during the 80th anniversary of D-Day events. It portrays Jim, his brother, Leslie’s grandfather, and their infantry, highlighting the tremendous impact and efficiency of the Canadian army.

Introducing Josiah, an employee-owner at Friesens for 3 years now, who worked for a year in production before being hired on in the IT department, troubleshooting all our computer glitches and technical issues. The transition was somewhat overwhelming because the workload changed from a physically demanding pace to one that was more cerebral in nature, but it was the right fit for someone who loves computer technology.

Before coming to Canada 5 years ago, Josiah’s life began halfway around the world in a city called Mandaluyong located in the Philippines. It was a very different life than the one he has now in Canada. For one thing Mandaluyong, just east of Manila, is an urban environment with a very fast-paced, slightly chaotic element that contrasts sharply with the rural, leisurely pace of Altona, Manitoba. And for another, computers were a luxury in the Philippines, but since his father worked closely with computers as a bit of a “side hustle”, Josiah was able to indulge his interest once a computer was brought into the home.

The decision to move to Canada and ultimately settle in Altona was made by Josiah’s father who was hired by Friesens approximately 2 years before and within a year’s time he was able to bring the rest of his family to Canada. But moving to another country, in the midst of winter, and more poignantly during the height of the pandemic, was very overwhelming. Josiah describes how his day consisted of going to work, doing his job and then coming home. Social distancing required little to no interaction with other people, and he had few friends at that time. It was a lonely time, and he missed his friends, relatives and routine in the Philippines, but he knew there were better days ahead.

In the beginning, it was a struggle to be faced with so many challenges all at once: a new country, new way of life, speaking English as his primary language now, the cold Manitoba winters, and his first job fresh out of school.  Josiah was uncertain if he would be able to find a job in IT, which is the career path he was hoping for, but the opportunities presented themselves and Josiah was quick to respond. He is incredibly thankful for being given the chance to work in a department that he feels most comfortable in and is grateful for his coworkers who readily share their wealth of knowledge, patiently mentoring him through the learning process. He is also thankful to Friesens for providing such a supportive work environment and showing how dedicated they are in retaining their employees.