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Oh what a night!

Our WOTY & YWOTY Gala was a huge success!!!!

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate these special women with us.

Congratulations goes out to all of the nominees.

WOTY:
Dr. Anna Naylor,
Christina De Palma &
Dr. Linda Rodenburg

YWOTY:
Anna Holton
Eleanor Waite &
Naomi Couture-Gagnon

You are all winners and we thank you for your contributions, dedication and passion, each one of you are instrumental in making our community better.

OBWA Woman & Young Woman of the Year Gala 2024

Date: Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Time: 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: Best Western Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre Orillia
Website: www.orilliabusinesswomen.com

Description:
Time is running out to get your tickets for the 33rd OBWA
Woman of the Year Gala!

Gala is May 22nd! Buy your tickets before May 15th!

Come out and support the amazing Women of The Year and Young Women of The Year nominees!

OBWA is looking for Sponsorships & Door Prizes from our members and from the community.
Drop off your sponsorships & door prize donations by May 15th at the latest in order to have your name in our Program and to have your name appear in our monthly OBWA Bulletin for a whole year!
It is a great way to promote your business and to give you exposure. All donations are greatly appreciated.

Sponsorship forms are now available and can be submitted online
Sponsorships & Door Prize donations can also be
dropped off to Leah before the May 15th deadline
Leah Cavanaugh
Century 21 B. J. Roth Realty Ltd,
450 West Street North, Orillia

OBWA is pleased to announce the 2024 Nelle Carter
Woman of the Year Nominees:

Linda Rodenburg
Christina De Palma
Dr. Anna Naylor

OBWA is pleased to announce the 2024 Lisa Brooking
Young Woman of the Year Nominees:

Anna Holton
Elle Waite
Naomi Couture-Gagnon


Get your tickets today for the May 22, 2024
Woman of the Year Gala - Gala Tickets are now available on the OBWA Website until May 15th

www.orilliabusinesswomen.com/GalaTickets

Ticket price is $70 for a 3 course Prime Rib Dinner also available is a Vegetarian Option of Cauliflower Steak
(please specify if you are choosing the Vegetarian dinner).

The gala will be held at the Mariposa Best Western Inn & Conference Centre, Memorial Ave. Orillia

We once again welcome this year's Emcee for the evening Radio Personality Carey Moran.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. (early arrivals will have to wait in the lobby)

Entertaining from 5:30 pm until 6:30 pm will be Harpist Rachel
6:30 p.m. -Dinner will be served

The OBWA Executive and Gala Committee would like to Thank last year's Gala Sponsors:
Orillia Area CDC
Karen O'Coin & Scott Walker Wealth Management, BMO Nesbitt Burns
Leah C. Cavanaugh - Sales Representative Century 21 B,.J. Roth Realty Ltd.
Downey, Tornosky, OLassaline & Timpano Law
Shannon Weilding - Sharp Image Salon & Spa
Sandi Raven - Remarkable Engraving
Montana Hassard - Northern Roots Hair Studio
Sarah McIntosh - BMO Orillia
Sheelagh Gunn - Seer & Spiritual Consultant
Sheona Kloostra - Happy at Home
HGR Graham Partners LLP
Gini & Jessica Stinger - Sunshine Carpet & Flooring
Susan Zaroski - Scentsy
Fairfield Inn & Suites Orillia
Corry Ticknor - EPIC Luxury Vacations
Tiffany Denena - Master Lube Rust Check
Lisa Welch Madden - LWM Law
Cara Cooper - Anam Cara Osteo & Energy
Erin Dooks - Thirty One Gifts
Shelle Hossack - Art on Meadowview
Joel Barden - Barden Home Inspections

And a very special thank you for our Gala Supreme Supporter of Gifts to the women of year and young women nominees/recipients:
Karen & Scott Wilson - Giant Tiger Orillia
Sandra Wink - Evans Flowers

If you need to contact Trisha Cuthbertson – OBWA Vice-President or another OBWA Executive Member
please Email: Networking@OrilliaBusinessWomen.com

Our 3rd and final 2024 Nelle Carter Woman of The Year Nominee (again in no particular order) is Christina De Palma. Let's get to know a bit more about Christina.

Nominee: Christina De Palma
Nominated by: Staff at De Palma & Associates Legal Services

Christina deserves to be named this year's Woman of the Year because her dedication and passion is unmatched. She goes above and beyond to help other young women in the industry - from her staff, to her students, to her colleagues in industry - she helps them all, no questions asked.

She is also very well respected by her colleagues, Judges and Adjudicators, court staff and clients. Her time management skills are exceptional - people often ask how she does it all at such a high level and it truly comes down to her absolute true passion for what she does. She has grown her firm at an unprecedented rate while maintaining the highest level of integrity - something that is incredibly admirable. The paralegal industry is truly better with Christina in it.

She also then translates that same passion for her work into her classroom and her students experience a remarkable benefit from that. Not everyone is made to be a teacher but Christina truly is
and it shows in her classroom.

Lastly, her dedication to her community as a whole is a testament to her character. She will always lend a helping hand, donate money, items or time to those in need without hesitation.

Christina is certainly deserving of the Woman of the Year award.

#WOTY2024
#WomanOfTheYear
#OBWA

Let's get to know another incredible 2024 Nelle Carter Woman of The Year Nominee.

Nominee: Dr. Anna Naylor
Nominated by: Charlene Taylor

Dr. Anna Naylor is an exceptional woman. She is an inspiration to others as she demonstrates compassion to those struggling in our community; especially those disadvantaged by lack of medical care and experiencing the isolation and emotional turmoil of those facing homelessness.

Anna is a role model for women both in medicine and in the community. She identifies needs and then does the hard demanding work to provide medical care and support to help meet those needs. In everything Anna does, it is with concern and compassion to make our world and the world of those marginalized in our society, an opportunity to experience a healthier life.

There are many qualities that the Nelle Carter Woman of the Year should emulate . . . the ideal candidate should be a role model to women, demonstrate strong leadership and organizational skills, be passionate about the needs of the community, and be selfless in the time she donates to make a difference in her community.
Anna is that person.

Anna is well respected in the medical community, with her patients in her medical practice, on the committees she serves, in her community, and in her work at the Clinic at The Lighthouse.

It is my absolute pleasure to nominate Dr. Anna Naylor for the Nelle Carter Woman of the Year for 2024.

#WOTY2024
#WomanoftheYear
#OBWA

Let's meet our 2024 Nelle Carter Woman of The Year Nominees (in no particular order) and celebrate their incredible achievements.

Nominee: Linda Rodenburg
Nominated by: Kim Fedderson & Annie McCourt

Linda Rodenburg is a role model who supports and encourages women of all ages to be the best they can be. As an English professor, she won a Contribution Teaching Award (student-nominated and supported). Within her organization, she also won the inaugural Spirit of Lakehead Award in 2007, as well as the Lakehead Alumni Honour Award in 2013.
As Interim Principal of the Orillia Campus of Lakehead University, she has continued to build relationships with key community partners, including Rama Mnjikaning First Nation, the City of Orillia, County of Simcoe, and Orillia Soldiers Memorial Hospital. Working collaboratively with the University's executive team, Dr. Rodenburg represents Lakehead University in Simcoe County and supports the University's international and economic development initiatives, including acting as Coordinator and Facilitator of the Executive Leadership Program, in partnership with Georgian College.

Annie McCourt, a friend and neighbour, says, “Linda is wholeheartedly committed to making Orillia a better place. She is a tireless supporter of our community, both in her work at the University and in her personal life. She has a great gift for bringing people together and fostering relationships that make all of us stronger."

Kim Fedderson, Principal Emeritus of Lakehead Orillia, says “Linda Rodenburg's love for Orillia and unflagging commitment to the community is evident in everything she does to make our great little city an even better place to live. She exemplifies everything we would hope to see in the next generation of community leaders. Not only is her heart in the right place, she has, in the 18 years she has lived here, demonstrated her commitment as an ever-present volunteer, educator, activist, and visionary. I stress the latter because she has an inclusive vision for our city that builds on its storied past and points to a bright future that is gaining attention both within the city and beyond."

#WOTY2024
#WomanoftheYear
#OBWA