Four exceptional local women were honoured on April 5 at the 2012 Women of the Year Awards.
Quota International of Weyburn, along with SaskPower, presented the awards during a luncheon at McKenna Hall to celebrate the female contributions to the community and to the business arena.
The event's special speaker was one of Canada's most powerful women, Dr. Vianne Timmons, who is president of the University of Regina. She told the story of four generations of women in her own family, which brought the crowd to both laughter and tears. Dr. Timmons encouraged her audience to celebrate the accomplishments of women, many of whom are unsung heroes because they do what they love without expecting recognition.
Each of the winners in the four categories was bestowed with an engraved crystal vase while her bio was read by the presenter of her award and each one of the winners exhibited genuine humility and gratitude for being acknowledged.
Sandra Mryglod received the SaskPower Workplace Excellence Award. Sandra was honoured for the exceptional leadership she has displayed, particularly in the past year, since her husband passed away and she became the sole owner of Mryglod Steel & Metals Inc., as well as Mryglod Properties.
"I'm a little surprised they picked a scrap dealer," said Mryglod. "I was even surprised to be nominated. I don't particularly think that I do anything that's any more extraordinary than any other woman."
Sandra's steel company has seen record sales, has implemented a scrap bin service and has landed significant contracts since being in Sandra's care. She is known for her kind treatment of property tenants and her staff as well as her phenomenal knowledge of the steel industry, which has often been regarded as a man's realm.
Sandra Mryglod has also been involved as an active volunteer in Weyburn Minor Hockey for more than 15 years. She was nominated by Travis Mryglod.
Carmen Langevin was given the Access Communications Exceptional Entrepreneur Award.
"It was a great experience overall," said Langevin, who was commended for operating her own mobile veterinary service for the past 16 years and for exhibiting utmost care and dedication to her work.
Since her husband's passing in 2005, Langevin has owned and operated a Pure-Bred Black Angus Cattle business, Swenco Angus, with more than 100 head and 75 calves. She has since also co-founded the very successful Equinox Group.
Carmen is truly renowned for her love of animals and her passion for a healthy herd.
"The animals really, really appreciate me," said Langevin, whose work often involves semen-testing bulls in the spring and pregnancy-checking females in the fall. "Just by the fact that they don't kill me in the process of whatever I'm doing, I think that's enough appreciation!"
When it comes to human appreciation, Langevin said that every nominee deserved to win the award.
"They all just put their nose down to the grind stone and just did it," she said, adding that she was inspired by the stories of her fellow nominees.
"I pretty much do everything in my life that every other woman does," said Langevin. "Everything I do, I love doing," she said. Carmen was nominated by Adrienne and Heather Sidloski.
Joan Honig-Drouillard earned the Quota International of Weyburn Community Service Award. Joan was awarded for her awe-inspiring and painstaking ongoing contribution to the beautiful new vista at Weyburn's historical Heritage Village.
Thanks to Joan's labour of love, Heritage Village has become a must-see in Weyburn. Every house up there is now a landscaped home. She has spent countless long-hour days demonstrating a true passion for the heritage of gardening. She has created theme gardens of herbs, grasses, junipers and evergreens with varieties of plants that were treasured by pioneers.
Not only has Joan also incorporated hundreds of prairie stones and bricks into the flowerbeds and throughout the two-tier village, she has also created a walkway and seating area near the entrance, made from bricks and tindal stone from the former Souris Valley Hospital.
Joan Honig-Drouillard expressed humility and reverence for the other nominees. She was nominated by April Sampson and Judy Buzowetsky.
Chelsea Woodard received the Investors Group Young Woman of Distinction Award. Chelsea was acknowledged for sharing her talents in the community, for showing signs of true leadership potential and for her commitment to her craft.
"I am so honoured and thrilled," said Woodard of the award. "There were so many worthy candidates."
As a talented vocalist, Chelsea has won many awards, has participated in a number of competitions and festivals and has performed on the provincial Kinsmen TeleMiracle for the past five years. Last fall, in fact, Chelsea Woodard was the opening act for the Baritone group, Il Primo, at the Weyburn Concert Series. Chelsea has continued her involvement in choirs and drama productions at school and is also a dedicated member of the St. Vincent de Paul Church Choir.
"I'm only 18 years old and I feel like I'm still so young and I still have plenty of learning to do and plenty that I can do to give back to the community," she said. "I'm glad to volunteer and to share my gift." Chelsea was nominated by Valerie Wing.
Each of the four recipients of the 2012 Women of the Year Awards have the spark of passion that drives one to greatness, combined with the willingness to share of oneself. A strong, heroic woman may share her voice, her hands, her blood sweat and tears, her nurturing intuition or her keen business skills, but no matter what, she will share it with all of her heart.
