Thursday, May 21, 2020

For the next several days we will be showcasing each of the nominees for the Orillia Business Women's Association 2020 Woman of the Year and the Young Woman of the Year. Find out who some of the amazing women in our community are. We have focused on Allana George and Dale McKay and today the spotlight is on Carolyn-Marie Goodwin.

Carolyn-Marie is the sole proprietor of Timberwolf Custom Carpentry, a student of the College of Trades and member of the Union Brotherhood of Carpenters. Being one of only 3% of women in the trades, she has faced a lot of resistance and adversity; however, her work ethic and outstanding personality have allowed her to become a voice and face for women in the Trades.
She speaks at high schools, Youth groups and colleges inspiring young girls to follow their dreams. In 2018 and 2019 she represented Canadian women as part of the Sisters of the Brotherhood" in Vegas. She meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and in 2019 spoke a Toronto City Hall on Behalf of the Carpenters Union.

Having always been an inspiration, at the age of 10, Carolyn-Marie and her sister created Shoe Box Kids Club" for less fortunate children and won the Junior Citizen of the Year Award. Now she hosts countless fundraising events and is the Founder and Operations Manager of Uplifting Blessings. That has now expanded into Uplifting Blessing Bags of Hope which has distributed over a thousand bags containing toiletries and essential items; Uplifting Blessing Suitcases of Love providing vulnerable children with gently used suitcases filled with a range of new items including pyjamas, stuffed animals, books, slippers and bed sheets and also the physical pop-up street shop Uplifting Blessing Street Shop in front of the Lighthouse.

Carolyn-Marie has battled and survived cancer, homelessness, mental illness, abuse on many levels and countless traumas. Living openly with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, she shares her story with schools, churches and crisis-intervention trainees at North Simcoe Victim Services. She is the picture of resilience by not being hardened by her traumatic experiences. Instead it is her vulnerability and kindness that have allowed her to become one of the greatest women of our time

Posted at 11:34 AM