It's been seven weeks since the refugee reception centre opened in Gretna. The community hosted an event earlier this week to bust myths about refugee border crossings.

Several area residents came together on Monday night at the Gretna Prairie Centre to hear myth busting presentations from four panelists. The panelists included three former refugee claimants like Yahya Samatar, who swam across the Red River from North Dakota into Manitoba in 2015 and an immigration lawyer.

Robyn Neustater is a volunteer at the Gretna Reception Centre and a resident of the community, Neustater said she did not know what to expect going into the event.

"I was looking for to the opportunity to learn more about refugee experiences coming into Canada. We had three former refugee claimants tell their stories of how they came to Canada, why they choose this country and how they are now contributing to society. It was also very interesting to hear about some of the myths from the immigration lawyer and what takes place legally during the refugee claim process. The event started off with a quiz asking us to answer questions about refugee claimants, I discovered that what I had been hearing and reading in the media is not always true and can easily change people's perceptions. One thing that stood for me for sure was when the topic came up of refugee claimants receiving more money on social assistance than a senior on a pension and we were presented with documentation that proved that was completely a myth."

Neustater added that the event was an eye opener for her and many others, noting she hopes everyone that attended will share what they have learned with their friends, neighbours, and communities in hopes to end the stigma over asylum seekers.