YWCA St. John’s is seeking nominations for their annual Women of Distinction Awards by December 1st 2017. The Award Ceremony will be held on March 8th 2018 at the Clovelly Golf Course as a celebration of International Women’s Day.

“We all know women whose achievements and stories can empower, inspire, and motivate others. Some of these exceptional women are your friends, neighbours, colleagues, and family members. Think about nominating someone you know for the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards,” said Wendolyn Schlamp, Executive Director of the YWCA St. John’s.

Women of Distinction Awards are given out annually by local chapters of the YWCA all over Canada. Here in St. John’s, the prestigious awards have been recognizing women who have created positive change in their community for more than ten years.

Schlamp says the recent municipal election, which saw more women voted onto the St. John’s City Council than ever before, makes it feel like a fitting time to be celebrating the achievements of women in St. John’s.

“Some of the recent candidates in the City Council election have been nominees in previous years. We’re mindful of the fact that women are emerging as leaders in our community and in many ways have always been leading our community. We’re really happy to see that reflected in the diversification of St. John’s City Council,” Says Schlamp.

YWCA St. John’s is inviting individuals and organizations to nominate women living in the St. John’s Metro Area who have had a positive impact on their communities. Schlamp says diversity is a core value of the St. John’s YWCA and she hopes the nominations will reflect the organization’s goal to promote inclusivity.

There are eight categories for nominators to choose from including; Young Women of Distinction, Mentorship and Education, Arts and Culture, Wellness and Active Living, Community and Social Development, Public Affairs, Business, and Lifetime Achievement.

“We hope that broad list of nomination categories will encourage people to think about women in non-traditional roles and women’s diverse accomplishments in their lives and in our community,” Schlamp said.

In addition to celebrating the achievements of local women, the Women of Distinction Awards help raise funds for the YWCA St. John’s programming including: GirlSpace, Power of Being You, and the Young Women’s Leadership Program.

YWCA St. John’s is currently looking for local businesses to sponsor the 2018 Women of Distinction Awards. Taking the opportunity to support these awards and the YWCA’s programming is a way to contribute to inspiring another generation of powerful women in St. John’s.

Click here to nominate someone for a 2017 Women of Distinction Award.