Meridian Women of Excellence Awards

05/05/2021

Indigenous women and girls are five times more likely to experience violence than any other population in Canada.

Honour MMIWG by hanging a red dress in your window or yard, donate to an organization who supports families of MMIWG, and use your voice and platform to raise awareness and end violence against Indigenous women and girls.

03/08/2021

Celebrating all women who make a difference in our communities today!

A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. From challenge comes change, so let's all bit.ly/IWD-2021

01/26/2021

Great opportunity!

'This scholarship fund provides additional opportunities for youth in our communities to succeed in their post-secondary or apprenticeship studies,' says official

12/14/2020

Project HerStory Profile | Stephanie Kehoe

Stephanie Kehoe works with the Metis Nation of Ontario as the Clinical Lead – Adults, Mental Health and Addictions.

A reader wrote to express her gratitude for the support that Stephanie has continued to offer throughout 2020, and her thanks that her treatment has been able to continue seamlessly through the pandemic.

“I hold an honours degree in Criminal Justice, diplomas in Addictions from McMaster University, Cambrian College as a Child and Youth Worker, and the University of Toronto for Counselling. I am presently completing Indigenous Social Work.
I sit on the Canadian National Aboriginal Advisory Committee with the RCMP for policing representing Ontario.”

Throughout twenty-five years of experience, Stephanie has worked in the hospital inpatient and outpatient settings to service individuals experiencing mental health and addiction issues. She has also taught mental health and addictions at the college level. She currently works under the Ministry of the Attorney General with her CACCF Certifications to counsel individuals referred by Victim Services.

“I am an International and Canadian Certified Alcohol and Drug Counsellor, Canadian Indigenous Addiction Counsellor, along with serving on the board of directors with the Canadian Addictions Counsellors Certification Federation.

Throughout the pandemic, there has been no disruption in service, as community members in need are connected through virtual meetings or by phone. The continuum of care best practice face to face has had to adapt to this dire time for our society and virtual connections have worked very well, reaching not only people living in the urban areas , but also in the rural areas. I am very excited for the present time and ongoing; to speak to those in need and have the ability to navigate them to receive mental health and assistance, with the utilization of case management. My main goal throughout the pandemic is to let people they are not alone, and here is hope to get better, and continue the message the pandemic is a moment in time, and will pass. The clients are always informed and they have support.”

11/21/2020

The chamber of commerce has been hard at work promoting businesses and highlighting business owners.

11/20/2020

Project HerStory Profile | Melissa Marchand Reynolds

Several readers wrote in to suggest our next HerStory Profile subject- Melissa Reynolds.
Her Norwex teammates describe her as a thoughtful leader, who is supportive and encouraging - even through the most difficult of times.

Melissa began her journey with Norwex five years ago, and she now leads a sales team of 1200 people as Senior Vice President Sales Leader. Melissa says, “All of a sudden people wanted to start joining my team. I resisted at first because I thought I’d lose my personal business. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. It’s the Starbucks phenomenon, the more the product is around and talked about, the more people wanted it.
So I started to grow my team. I had no idea how much I would love to be a leader. It’s incredible!! I lead a team of over 1200 people. It’s a lot of fun! I love meeting new people. I love to see women have success. Watching them succeed is an amazing feeling!”

When the pandemic hit, Melissa’s business faced a key moment. All home parties and in person sakes came to a full stop, and Melissa had to ensure that her business could continue online without the face to face interaction that the business model relied on. “When COVID hit, I had to figure out how to turn my business into a total online business. Up until that point it was half and half (online and in person), and I was lucky because I had online experience.
I decided to train my team to have success in a virtual world. We did weekly and even sometimes daily training sessions to try and ensure the success of all women on the team. It was absolutely incredible to see, and we had amazing success. We worked hard and consistently to make sure we didn’t lose our business. COVID is extremely hard but to have an incredible support system through our team is amazing!”

In addition to her very busy Norwex business, Melissa also teaches at Sacred Heart School in Midland, and has a very active family life. She says, “It’s a busy life, but so fulfilling. I’m lucky I’ve been able to do both.”

11/09/2020

Project HerStory Profile | Joannie Petroff
Owner, The Pebble Tree

https://the-pebble-tree-602373.shoplightspeed.com

The Pebble Tree began as a candle making hobby for Joannie Petroff in 2011, and when a retail space became available in October 2013, The Pebble Tree opened. Over the past seven years, the offerings evolved. Joannie says, “As time went on our services and offerings grew. From gifts to decor and paint. I was very fortunate to be trained by Annie Sloan herself, the guru of decorative furniture paint. With this new aspect of the store, we quickly needed more space.” In 2017, Joannie and her team moved to 248 King Street, their current home.

Eight months ago, it seemed as if the world stopped - and the uncertainty set in. Aside from owning The Pebble Tree, Joannie and her husband Chris also own Petroff’s Garage & Towing, a third generation company that celebrates 100 years in business in 2023. Joannie says, “The weight of responsibility was bearing down. All of our staff that rely on us to keep their livelihoods going. Could we do it? Was this terrible covid going to take everything from us that we have worked 25 years to build? The sacrifices that we have made over the years, and the things that we had given up to feed our family. Finally I mustered some determination, and told my husband that I wasn’t going to lose everything. I refused to let all of our hard work go to waste. It was hard enough on a personal level to give up so much. The most important thing was that everyone be safe, and healthy. Next was to dig in, and find a way.”

Petroff’s Garage was categorized as an essential business, but being in close contact with clients on a daily basis makes it an area of concern to keep staff safe, especially with the initial challenges of securing personal protection equipment. “Our struggle has been finding staff to keep up with the work coming into our shop. My husband worked 20 hour days for most of this year. Our staff went above and beyond working through this summer, and we are always grateful for them. Always.” Joannie says Chris has been a rock throughout, and continues on the family legacy in a way that does the name (and his family) proud.

The Pebble Tree was a little different. The main goal (like all small businesses who were mandatorily closed) was to keep afloat. Joannie spent many hours researching available avenues of government support and applicable regulations, but unfortunately many of them were not easily accessible to small business owners. It was difficult to find information on the requirements and protocols in the quickly evolving situation - which took many phone calls and emails to find out. Once Joannie was allowed to re-open The Pebble Tree with modified service, curbside pick-up, online ordering, shipping and delivery required Joannie to start building her e-commerce site at a rapid pace. “The biggest hurdle was finding a way to get the word out that we were still doing business. It really took all of the community to make that happen: family, friends and clients. I cried when the first online order appeared. I was flabbergasted, and so very appreciative. I have worked every single day since March 18, and I am so very thankful to be doing so. I really thought in the beginning that my business had ended. The love and support that our clients have shown for the Pebble Tree has been amazing. I made candles, and personalized signs all night, and packed orders all day. The store was turned into a shipping station. Many a day was spent at our backdoor with snow coming down waiting for customers to pick their orders up. Spending time talking to customers was wonderful, checking in with each other to see how we were all getting through this madness. I was also thankful for the phone calls, emails, Facebook messages and texts. How could I ever ask for more? I couldn’t,” says Joannie.
The Pebble Tree is currently open for walk in shoppers, as well offering alternative service - and abiding every health protocol and safety measure will not waiver in the interest of keeping everyone safe, and the store open. Joannie says, “There are many issues we foresee over the next year. Limits on inventory. Difficulty buying product. Extended shipping times. We recently found out that we are not able to order our signature gift bags for packaging. Considering this year, our motto is that above all else we are safe and healthy. We will pivot, and find another way.”

In April 2021, Joannie’s business will be expanding. A sister shop, DeFerrari Designs & Furnishings will be opening next year, in addition to changes at the flagship store. “We have some exciting things that are coming for 2021! We will be a full paint workshop store. Teaching all aspects of decorative painting for your home. We will still offer gifts, candles and decor.
DeFerrari Designs is my dream. It will be me-showcased in all ways. Our newest wall paint line Farrow and Ball will be following us to the new location. Accompanied by wallpaper, fabrics, and Kate our colour specialist. 2020 certainly has been a year to remember. I wish everyone health, happiness and love. We always send our best wishes to you, and I am forever grateful.”

11/06/2020

Project HerStory Profile | Debbie Noonan Duval and Amanda Charlebois-Rouleau

Managers, CLH Developmental Support Services
www.clhmidland.on.ca

CLH Developmental Support Services is a partnership of caring people working together to provide services to children, youth and adults who have developmental support needs through a wide variety of specialized programming. CLH Developmental Support Services supports over 1400 people across all ages.

The work of providing these supports and programming has been completely re-imagined to due to the pandemic. Closures of much-loved programs such as CAPS, the pause of work and social outings, and the utilization of technology to stay connected to family and friends has all had a significant impact on people supported.

Debbie Duval, Senior Manager of Adult Services and Amanda Rouleau, Manager of Individualized Supports and Planning have been recognized by several staff members who have written to the Women of Excellence Awards to express their appreciation for their leadership during COVID-19.

Nearly every aspect of the day-to-day programming and operations overseen by these managers has changed, shifted gears, or has been re-invented in some way - from the largest ideas, to the smallest details. All of these changes have been critical to the protection of those most vulnerable from the devastating effects of COVID-19, but these changes have been most difficult for some.

Debbie has been employed at CLH (formerly
Community Living Huronia) since 1994, where she began as a direct support staff, then as a team lead, before making the jump to staff scheduler, supervisor, and program manager. Debbie now
oversees adult programming, including the scheduling of 21 residential locations, CAPS (day program), the Supported Independent Living Program, and the Supported Employment Program. Several of Debbie's colleagues expressed admiration for her fortitude and dedication. Sarah Wilcox (Staff Scheduler, CLH) wrote us to say, “During a time of uncertainty for supported individuals and the front line employees that work so hard to keep them safe, there is another hero that helps us all keep it together. Deb has not only been a mentor to many, but her dedication, hard work and ability to be a strong leader and serve those in this organization has been a sense of security for us all. No matter what comes our way, we know that we can get through it with her in our corner. Thank you for everything you do for those around you. You truly are an inspiration to so many, to do better, be better and accomplish great things!”

Amanda Rouleau has been employed at CLH since 1994. She began her work there in the residential program as a direct support staff, then as a team lead, and as a residential supervisor for more then a decade, before becoming a program manager. She has recently taken on the challenge of a new role as the Manager of Individualized Planning and Supports - a role she says she is very much looking forward to! Amanda says that part of the challenge throughout this time has been keeping up with the changes as they come in this rapidly developing situation. “The greatest challenge while managing the pandemic has been to be able to respond to the quickly changing guidelines and to be able to keep people connected and informed. I’ve been amazed by the resilience of the people we support, and our direct support professionals. Everyone is doing their part, and that is what makes it work.” Direct Support Staff Amanda McKinnon wrote us to say, “Amanda Rouleau taught us that we as staff can face even the biggest challenges and still make it work. That empowered us so that we could persevere through even a global pandemic. We learned that we really are a solid team.”

Amanda McKinnon went on to say, “We can always count on these two amazing managers to have our backs, help keep us safe and keep the people we support safe. They listened openly and honestly to staff concerns and worries - and they worked around the clock. Through vacation time, through meals, weekends, evenings - you name it. They took staff calls even when they were supposed to be off the clock. They encouraged staff to get creative, and cheered us on when we did. When staff were afraid and overwhelmed, they didn't judge. They offered care and concern and looked for ways for those worries to be eased. One of the most valuable things was that even in the face of the worst moments, they reminded me to laugh when you could. The support they have provided has been invaluable to not only me, but many others.”

11/02/2020

There’s still time to send your suggestion to us for Project HerStory! Help us write a profile on a woman deserving recognition in North Simcoe (Midland, Penetanguishene, Tiny, Tay, Beausoliel First Nation)!

10/31/2020

Project HerStory Profile | Carol Currie
Artist and Co-owner, CLAUSTRO

www.claustro.ca

Carol Currie is a visual artist who began her work studying and drawing at a very early age, and for the last 30 years, has been painting Georgian Bay landscapes. After moving to Midland in 2002, CLAUSTRO opened to the public.

Working in her studio, Carol has created hundreds of those masterful artworks for which she has become so well known. Carol also works collaboratively with her husband Stuart Leggett in a three-dimensional medium which they have coined "Sculpted Paintings". The couple markets their work through galleries and various province wide art shows.

Since March, major changes have abounded for Carol. “Like almost everyone, we have undergone massive changes and restructuring of our lives and our livelihood. Prior to the pandemic, my husband Stuart would market our artistic creations by attending up to 25 art shows annually, but as of writing, shows through to mid-2021 has now been officially cancelled, and we are down in sales of our prints about 70%.”

Those who know Carol’s story know that she is no stranger to challenges. She has had to reinvent herself as a left-handed painter after working right-handed for the entirety of her career, due to a right side severe tremor brought on by a rare tumour. “With Stuart attending shows for 4 years, we were gaining momentum while my left hand was honing its skills. Then the pandemic hit and we lost all 25 shows due to cancellations and now no future marketing at shows. I miss the interaction and inspiration that people provide me at shows. We all have our own stories, and I enjoy the sharing of struggles and overcoming obstacles!”

Carol’s original paintings are commissioned by collectors and designers alike, and she is thankful that those orders can continue. However, as a result of the cancellation of in-person shows, her work is no longer being viewed by as large an audience as it was previously, which presents obvious challenges. To overcome this, an increased presence online through their website and social media has allowed them to make inroads with marketing. “I have found a new, and previously untapped market for my work. This caused us to create a more efficient shipping procedures, across North America, and abroad,” says Carol. “During our Mother’s Day sale, I created a video every day for a week prior, featuring specials for different products.” At the same time, the Midland studio has been completely renovated and rejuvenated to facilitate renewed (but limited) in-person viewing of her works, while at the same time respecting the need for social distancing.

In early November 2020, Carol will be starting work on her largest left-handed painting to date, a commissioned triptych measuring eight feet by eleven feet wide. This massive work in progress can be viewed online
on their website which will be updated with videos and photos, as well as on their social
media accounts.

When Carol was asked what she is looking forward to in the future and what she is thankful for, she says: “I am looking forward to resuming one-on-one interactions with friends, family, clients and the many students who have attended my regular art lessons. I am also keen to resume a solid schedule of local and out-of-town art shows. We are also getting Stuart’s carving studio setup again for new sculpted works (hoping for 2021). This too is very exciting! We are very appreciative of all our clients who continue to support us through these challenging times, and allow me to bring my passion of the raw natural beauty of Georgian Bay into your homes or offices.”

10/30/2020

One of our Committee Members Extraordinaire - Lois Irvine! Thank you for everything you do for us - and our community!

The wonderful team at North Simcoe Community Futures Development Corporation is dedicated to helping small and medium businesses access a variety of services and capital. Please feel free to contact Lois anytime!
For more information on services, please visit: https://nscfdc.on.ca/

10/29/2020

Thank you MidlandToday.ca for the feature on Project HerStory. Now, more than ever - it is our hope that our community will as we continue to make HerStory history in North Simcoe!

Women of Excellence Awards organizers shifted focus after their annual event was cancelled to create a unique series celebrating area women