Five Olds and area women nominated for Central Alberta Women of Excellence awards were honoured during a dinner at Our Flames Restaurant May 28, held by Olds Institute and its Community Lifestyles Committee.
The nominees are Jody Carrington, Maureen Gustafson, Lucinda Watkins, Lisa Nicholson and Christa Duquette. Winners will be announced June 6 during the 11th annual Red Deer & District Community Foundation’s Women of Excellence Award Gala.
During the evening, those who nominated these ladies for the awards outlined why they did so.
Bernice Lynn nominated Maureen Gustafson.
"I am honoured to have nominated Maureen Gustafson, a jewel in the community," Lynn said. "She quietly exudes spiritual health; one of the seven dimensions of health in her life.
"Her own health and beliefs are evidenced and modelled; whether she is engaged with her family, her church or the larger community.
"To support her family and community, Maureen became a volunteer extraordinaire, volunteering in leadership and other positions for 18 years at her children's schools -- or it may have been longer but I have estimated that.
Lynn said Gustafson has volunteered for 40 years at her church as well as in music programs and sports activities her family was participating in.
"Intuitively, Maureen modelled spiritual health values and all her volunteer activities. People volunteered -- and still volunteer -- to assist Maureen in her many endeavours.
"She encourages motivation and innovation and ideas and action in completing tasks ...ensuring everyone celebrates their successes," Lynn said.
Lynn said filling out the nomination form enabled her to learn more about Gustafson.
"You think you know somebody, you think you know what they're doing and you find out that you thought they were awesome and then they're actually even more awesome," she said.
Jen Forscutt nominated Lisa Nicholson.
"I have the privilege of introducing to you a woman who has turned her challenges of (being) a mother into a much-needed not-for-profit community-based foundation," Forscutt said.
"Lisa needed funds to help care for her daughter Hope's medical bills and equipment. She searched for financial assistance throughout Alberta to no avail.
"Knowing that something had to change, she put out a tin can and asked for other peoples' pocket change. The community came through for her. She decided she needed to come through for others, and with that, Hope4MVCKids was founded," Forscutt said.
"She used her strong and powerful voice as an advocate for families with children with health-care costs and needs, not only in our community, but in our province."
Joy Cavin nominated Jody Carrington (who was unable to be present for the dinner) and Lucinda Watkins.
"Dr. Jody Carrington is a high-energy -- just ask her about the Great Canadian Death Race -- tell-it-like-it-is mother, wife and psychologist," Cavin said.
"Her busy practice in Olds is only a small part of what she does in the mental health field. She volunteers with her son's hockey team, ...within her community. Her passionate love for families and school stats has translated into a job that has her travelling all over Alberta.
"This loving woman offers her time and talent to the community of Olds for conferences, community sessions and some one-on-ones. For Jody it's all about connections, relationships and running," she added.
Cavin said Watkins is "dedicated to health and fitness." In fact, she noted Watkins is a hiking guide "if anyone is looking for one," having earned her personal training certificate in January, 2018.
Watkins is also the founder of Olds Lending Shelf, an organization that provides clothes for children in need. It also supports women who require dress wear for job interviews and new jobs but don't yet have the resources to obtain them.
Watkins started Olds Lending Shelf in 2008. It was so successful she soon took over her husband's garage. But quickly, that wasn't enough space, so a shed was donated by the Rotary Club of Olds.
Nowadays, Olds Lending Shelf is housed in the United Church basement.
"Lucinda is a consummate learner. She is an inspiration and she's committed to helping and encouraging others in our community," Cavin said.
Kathy Doyle spoke about Christa Duquette. She did not nominate her but those who did were unable to be present for the occasion so she chipped in.
Doyle noted Duquette was born in Olds, is the daughter of Larry and Laurel Arvay and is married to Dean Duquette. They have three children and farm east of Olds.
Duquette is a doula.
A doula is a woman experienced in childbirth who provides emotional support, physical comfort and advocates for a mother’s wishes. Doulas supplement medical professionals by caring for the client’s emotional needs.
Duquette began her doula training in February 2012.
After completing that training and being certified to serve as a doula, Duquqette began training to provide the hypnobabies technique, which proponents say creates a peaceful, relaxing and more comfortable pregnancy and childbirth experience.
Duquette completed that training in 2016. She also became certified in dancing for birth training, "which combines her 12 years of belly dancing with her passion for the birth process," Doyle said.
Duquette volunteers as a member of the Red Deer Doula Association, the doula program at the Olds hospital, the pregnancy care centre in Olds and the Calgary Care Centre.
"She is instrumental in helping expand an awareness of birth options and birth support, encouraging the normalization of support during birth and the acceptance of doulas by care providers," Doyle said.
"She feels blessed and fortunate every time she attends a birth and is able to share in that intimate experience."
Community Lifestyles Committee co-chair Rita Thompson also spoke.
"A community that primarily focuses on the bottom line and economic development will have a social deficit," she said.
"The women who have been nominated this year for the Women of Excellence Award are dedicated and committed and work in our community to ensure that we do not have a social deficit.
"By recognizing the women present here tonight for their excellence, we are showing our gratitude and bringing awareness to the importance of their work and initiatives in our community.
Their work and initiatives support "the ability of future generations to maintain a healthy supportive and caring community," Thompson said. "We are grateful that the Olds Institute gives us the support we need to work towards that vision.
"Doing the work in community as we are, sometimes feels like pushing water uphill. Change is hard. It means learning to love enough to let go of what we think we know and understand to be true. Hope always springs eternal," she added.
Olds Institute vice-chair Greg MacIntyre, who served as MC for the occasion, also spoke.
"I'm really glad that this event takes place -- that we have the opportunity to honour such wonderful people who do lots and how many times would go unnoticed if people didn't take the time and the initiative to do that, to honour them," he said.
Leona Staples, Olds College Board of Governors chair, has also been nominated for a 2018 Women of Excellence Award in the agriculture category, but not by Olds Institute. She is from Red Deer County.
