In celebration of the 10th annual Quota International Women of the Year awards, Weyburn charter member Isabelle Butters took the stage at McKenna Hall on Wednesday, to speak about volunteering and the strong commitment and contributions of the outstanding nominees that were up for awards.
In introducing Butters, Quota chair of the Women of the Year awards Kathy Coroluick said, "Isabelle is an influential figure of the community, who has been recognized with international, national, provincial and local awards for her community service and achievements to local organizations." Isabelle is a former general manager of the Weyburn Co-op, and a former city mayor (she was the second woman in the province to be elected mayor).
Addressing the importance of the Women of the Year program, Butters said, "Over the last 10 years, there have been 144 women from our community who have been honoured (with awards) for outstanding accomplishments, dedication in the workplace, and as volunteers for a variety of programs."
"It has been said that you never really learned to live, until you have done something for somebody who can never repay you," said Butters, stressing the importance of volunteering for the nominees in all four award categories. "This is what Quota is all about. While we can not always be hands-on, we can provide funding to assist other programs. In the past 25 years Quota has donated over $88,000 locally, and many hours are spent raising funds to meet the demands for dollars."
"The love of service to those who are less fortunate is very evident within our community. It is those untiring volunteers that make Saskatchewan the top spot in Canada in terms of the rate of volunteering at 55 per cent."
"We are well aware of the many volunteers in this community," said Butters. "I firmly believe that any good we can do should be done now, because we pass this way but once. Many of you (at these awards) have been very generous in contributing dollars, time and talent to our community; so where would we be without all of you?"
The recipients of the 2010 Weyburn Quota International Women of the Year awards were Pat May for the SaskPower Workplace Excellence award; Leah Knibbs for the Access Communications Exceptional Entrepreneur award; Vicki Leas for the Investors Group Young Woman of Distinction award, and Laura Chapman for the Weyburn Community Service award.
Pat May is an audiometric technician and a certified diabetes educator. Her career of 33 years in nursing has involved a number of positions, and has been in her current role as manager of home care at the Sun Country Health Region since 2003. She was nominated by the Country Women's Association and Connie Milligan.
"I am both thankful that I have been able to make a contribution (to my workplace) and so thankful to the people who nominated me and all those who I have worked with over the years. I wouldn't have won this award without those people and it has been an amazing time shared with all of them," stated May. "Every part of health care is a very important part (of the community), and as health care professionals we are very privileged to be in this position."
Speaking to the awards program, May said, "I think it is very important (to recognize all women in community), and I appreciate the Quota Club for recognizing the accomplishments of all the women here today."
Leah Knibbs opened the Knibbs and Associates Human Resource Consulting Ltd. in 2002. It offers human resource services such as mediation and statistical analysis of issues in the work force. She was nominated by Ilene Miles.
"I was very proud to be nominated and to be selected," said Knibbs on receiving her award. "The challenges in my industry is the credibility issue, geographical issues and some of the requirement issues of ensuring every job is completed to the client's satisfaction. The challenges of starting up a business was getting the knowledge base that was required, and of course to create networks and getting your name out in the industry."
"Of course, this award is not about me," Knibbs insisted, referring to the fact that it was the 10th year for this awards program. "I think it is critical that we celebrate what women do and have some mentors and heroes for our young people. The more we raise the profile of females in business, or in the community, and give recognition for that I think that our young females will have better role models and be inspired."
As a young woman, Vicki Leas has employment experience in web development and as a computer technician, she has her license as a realtor, and in 2009 purchased the Welsh Kitchen and Bakery with her husband Daniel. Leas was nominated for the award by Linda Rudachyk.
"I was just honoured that Linda thought of me for this award, and surprised," replied Leas. "It is important to give back to the community, because we all take a little bit from it."
"All awards that honour the volunteers in our community, including this one, (are essential). We sometimes take for granted what the community does for each other," added Leas.
Chapman is a charter member of both the Weyburn and Area Council on Child Abuse and the Weyburn Committee Against Family Violence. She has been a United Church board volunteer and a Weyburn Public Library board member. In addition she has been active in home and school organizations and is a Red Cross volunteer. Chapman was nominated by Yvonne Von Hagen, Tannis Marshall and Donalda Neill on behalf of the Grace United Church.
Her reaction to receiving the award was, "Shocked, and felt very fortunate," said Chapman. "Those of us who are fortunate enough to have a good life need to get out and work, and give something back in appreciation. (In particular for these awards) it is the nominators who have the true generosity of spirit. They did all the work for the nominees and really these awards belong to them."
"Weyburn is very special in my eyes, because I have lived here all my life," added Chapman. "I think it is a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family. I would never retire anywhere else, because I couldn't do without my friends."
