Arielle Marshall and Tanner Wachal welcomed a baby boy, Arthur, at 9:18 am at Selkirk Regional Health Centre on Saturday, Jan. 3. He was the first baby born in 2026 at the health centre.

Arthur weighed seven pounds and was 19 inches long. His parents are from Winnipeg.

“Selkirk has a great labour and delivery ward which is why we are grateful to have delivered here,” says Wachal.

Wachal’s mom, Charity, is an RN at Selkirk Regional Health Centre and was present for the birth of her grandson along with Dr. Bunkowsky who delivered him.

Chair of the Selkirk Hospital Gift Shop volunteers, Betty Milkowski, maintained a tradition by gifting Arthur diapers, playpen, toys, blankets and clothing to celebrate the arrival of the first baby of 2026. She said the volunteers make the New Year’s baby gift tradition possible.

“Thank you to all the volunteers for all their work running the gift shop. They make it possible for us to donate to the family of the New Year’s baby every year,” says Milkowski. “This has been going on since the first hospital was built in Selkirk and the original ladies auxiliary was founded. Congratulations to new parents Arielle and Tanner!”

In 2025, 455 babies were born at Selkirk Regional Health Centre compared 443 in 2024.

Anyone interested in delivering a baby at Selkirk Regional Health Centre should call 204-482-2150 or email [email protected] to be connected to family medicine obstetrics or midwifery services.

For a tour of the obstetrics unit at Selkirk Regional Health Centre, please call 204-785-7402.

From left to right: Arielle Marshall and Tanner Wachal accept a gift from the Chair of the Selkirk Hospital Gift Shop volunteers Betty Milkowski for New Year’s baby Arthur (centre) who was born Jan. 3 at Selkirk Regional Health Centre.