Four women who call New Westminster home have been nominated for YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards.
Catherine Ouellet-Martin, executive director of the Fraser River Discovery Centre, was at the Anvil Centre when she got the phone call, notifying her of her nomination in the non-profit or public service category.
"I'm very humbled and flattered," she said. "But it's really only a reflection of the work the entire team here has accomplished. We took a centre that had come out of a big renovation, when there was nothing in it, and accomplished a great deal in the last seven years."
Ouellet-Martin, who has been at the helm since 2008, said the list of volunteers in 2014 topped 100.
"This is thousands of hours dedicated to the centre, from staff, to contractors and the board. I'm just honoured to lead it," she added.
Board chair Stephen Bruyneel was the one who filled out and submitted the nomination form, a task he said was difficult when it came to keeping things short.
"They only give you so many words, so the hard thing was cutting it down...She's an unbelievable relationship person, being able to develop and maintain relationships with the city, with other groups in New Westminster, and expand up and down the river," he told the Record. "Whether it's Richmond or even up as far as Prince George, she's been great at that."
Bruyneel noted Ouellet-Martin is still a winner, even if she doesn't win the accolade.
"It's just an honour to be nominated. I think to be recognized in that group is really, really important," he said.
The Fraser River Discovery Centre is located at the Quay, and is a resource for research material, varying exhibits and hands-on programming.
The other nominees from New West include Lawrie Ferguson, the chief marketing and strategy officer for Coast Capital Savings, nominated in the business and the professions category. Meanwhile, Linda McGowan from the Multiple Sclerosis Society is also competing in the same category as Ouellet-Martin, while Laura Saimoto, the board director at the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall, has received the nod for community champion. Also in the running is Jennifer Kirkey, the chair of the physics department at Douglas College.
This year marks the 32nd year of the Women of Distinction Awards, which pay tribute to individuals and organizations whose outstanding activities and achievements contribute to the well-being of the community.
In addition to the 10 nomination categories, individual nominees are eligible for the Connecting the Community Award. Nominees have to select a YWCA program area they're interested in and use social media from April 22 to May 15 to promote votes. The nominee with the most votes wins the title and $10,000 from Scotiabank, to be donated to the program of her choice.
Winners will be announced on May 26 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
