CAMBRIDGE, Ontario – YWCA Cambridge honoured 24 Women of Distinction nominees at the 31st annual Women of Distinction Awards gala last night held at Whistle Bear Golf Club and hosted by 91.5 The Beat’s Kat Callaghan, seven women taking home an award:
Women of Distinction Award recipients:
CJ Janzen
Cindy Ofunne
Jess Fry
Krysanne McLean
Special Category recipients:
Young Trailblazer Award – Puneet Chinna
President’s Award – Emily Pyke
Lifetime Achievement – Louise Lawrie
“I extend the warmest and heartiest congratulations to all of this year’s nominees and recipients,” said YWCA Cambridge CEO, Kim Decker. “I know the external selection committee had their work cut out for them, selecting recipients from a pool of so many inspiring women and young trail blazers.
“I also thank all of the guests who joined us to celebrate these women – the friends and family of nominees, our event partners and sponsors who helped make it a fabulous evening, and the numerous dignitaries who prioritized being with us last night. The Women of Distinction awards are about celebrating the myriad ways, big and small, that women are leading, overcoming personal or societal barriers, and carving paths for the women, girls and gender-diverse individuals behind them,” said Decker.
The evening also included a special presentation of two King Charles III medals, which were awarded to CEO Kim Decker, and long-time YWCA Cambridge volunteer and champion of the arts in Cambridge, Sue Sturdy.
YWCA Cambridge extends its heartfelt gratitude to all event sponsors and partners: Ruth Exon; Jill Summerhayes; GrandBridge Energy; Wild Heart Yoga; Ecclesiastical Insurance; Gateway Tax and Financial Services; media partners 91.5 The Beat and 107.5 Dave Rocks; Westmount Signs; Page Six Event; Die Una Photography; Southlands Wedding Co. Ltd; Pursue Event Rentals; Floral arrangements by Wild Vogel Works; content creator, One Grey Lane; musical guests, the Cambridge Youth Orchestra and Eric Bolton; and the maestro behind the scenes, Lindsey of LQ Events.
Women of Distinction is a nationally celebrated event, hosted by YWCAs across Canada. In Cambridge, more than 350 women have been recognized by these awards since 1994. The event aims to celebrate women’s contributions while raising critical funds to support YWCA Cambridge’s programs and services, including gender-based violence prevention programming for youth, women’s employment and upskilling programming, summer camps, and the newly opened women’s emergency homeless shelter downtown Galt.
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For more information: Nataleigh Ballantyne, Director of Philanthropy, n.ballantyne@ywcacambridge.ca, 519-267-6444 ext 224.
About YWCA Cambridge
Since 1948, YWCA Cambridge has been a leader in providing responsive programming and services that meet the changing needs of women, girls and gender-diverse individuals. As a member agency of YWCA Canada, YWCA Cambridge is part of a national movement known as the country’s oldest and largest women’s multi-service organization, the largest national provider of shelter, literacy, life skills, employment and counselling programs, and is the second largest provider of child care services in Canada.
