New Rainy Rive Drugs pharmacist hails from the Phillipines

By Ken Johnston
Editor

There’s a new face behind the pharmacy counter at Rainy River Drugs.
Kweenne Tacata has been hired to be the Pharmacist/Manager of Rainy River Drugs. Earlier this spring the store was taken over by Sunset Country Medical; a group of three partners from Southern Ontario.
At the time they were looking to hire a full time pharmacist to work here and about six weeks ago Kweene arrived in Rainy River to do just that.
Tacata hails from the Philippines where she studied to be a pharmacist. She was originally recruited by Zellers to come to Canada and work for them. After she accepted their offer she had to attend the University of Toronto where she did six more months of schooling. Once she passed she did her training with Zellers and then was hired to work in a Zellers pharmacy in the Trenton-Belville, Ontario area.
However, Zellers recently announced they would be closing the store she worked at. So she began searching for new employment. She saw the posting for the job with Sunset Country Medical and called them. Before long she was gainfully employed in Rainy River.
Tacata said that her original goal was to move to Australia where she has family. However, she came to Canada with friends and does not regret the move.
“People are great here. They are very nice and it is very quiet,” said Tacata. When she first arrived she stayed in former Rainy River Drugs owner, Sarah Berg’s, house. Now she is renting the Sixth St. home that Sunset purchased.
However, Tacata said being on the water was amazing and she hopes to some day own a boat.
At the present she is very busy. Surprisingly she said, “It is busier here that it was at Zellers. There were about ten pharmacies there, only one here!” She said she likes being busy as time passes quickly.
She also is very impressed with the new renovations Sunset did to the store here just after she arrived. “The pharmacy is very well designed and easy to work in. The old one had steps up and down. I like it all on one level.”
Tacata works five days a week at Rainy River Drugs and is slowly getting to know people here.