Tag: Womens

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Foundation for Women Warriors CEO discusses upcoming events for Women’s History Month

Foundation for Women Warriors CEO discusses upcoming events for Women's History Month

The Vista-based Foundation for Women Warriors heads into Women’s History Month in March with a series of events to raise awareness for the issues facing women veterans and their families.

“Our mission is to serve women veterans and their children so their next mission is clearer and continues to impact the world,” said Jodie Grenier, the CEO of the foundation.

Homelessness and mental health services are some of the key areas that need to be addressed for women and their children as they acclimate to civilian life, she said.

A marine veteran, Grenier served in the United States Marine Corps from 2000 to 2005, after joining out of high school. She served two deployments to Iraq back to back, and then went to Iraq and Afghanistan from 2009-11 as a contractor.

“I came to the organization at a crossroads in my own career,” Grenier said. “I had worked for years in the intelligence and national security community and was looking to make a transition into the nonprofit sector after working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector for a number of years.”

The Foundation for Women Warriors is on track to serve 1,200 women and children throughout Southern California this year, Grenier said. The organization typically serves about 1,000 women and children each year, mostly in San Diego County.

“San Diego is so supportive of the military and we’re so grateful to have the support of our local community,” Grenier said. “If people are looking for ways to get involved, we’re always looking for volunteers.”

Events taking place in March include a virtual 5K, a screening of “Unsung Heroes: The Story of America’s Female Patriots” and a “Hike for Herstory.”

The Foundation for Women Warriors is located at 1185 Park Park Center Drive, Suite R, in Vista. For more information, visit foundationforwomenwarriors.org.

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Week of Women’s Day events planned in Collingwood

Week of Women's Day events planned in Collingwood

Projects will highlight women of Collingwood’s history, female entrepreneurs, and panellists dedicated to advocacy and leading the way in their field

NEWS RELEASE

TOWN OF COLLINGWOOD

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The Town of Collingwood will honour this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) March 8th with a series of special initiatives dedicated to celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. 

The celebrations begin with the ceremonial Flag Raising & Proclamation Ceremony on March 4 at the Collingwood Public Library. In recognition of inequities that women continue to face, including the disproportionate violence suffered by women, the Town of Collingwood has once again partnered on this observance with My Friend’s House, Collingwood’s safe haven for abused women and their children.

Next, take in the Women in Local History Project, a downtown lamppost exhibit, highlighting Women in Local History from March 4th to 13th. Ten signs celebrating business owners, war-workers, medical professionals, and sports heroes will be displayed along Hurontario Street. This exhibit is produced in partnership with the Collingwood Museum and Sheffield Park Black History and Cultural Museum.

Also taking place March 4 to 13, the Collingwood Downtown Business Improvement Area is celebrating phenomenal women-led businesses that are an integral part of the fabric of Collingwood’s wonderful downtown core. Woman Behind the Business Posters will be hung in business windows throughout the downtown, featuring pictures of the amazing female entrepreneurs behind the businesses and information about the why behind their ventures.  

All posters will also be available online linked to the Collingwood Downtown website for you to read at your leisure as you discover the depth of the female entrepreneurial spirit in our community. As you explore downtown, you will also receive a free gift with purchase from participating merchants; Bookmarks with quotes by female Canadian poets/songwriters have been distributed and many will also include a unique incentive from each business. 

On March 8, a Virtual Panel Discussion will take place at noon.  All are welcome to register for this free Zoom event featuring a panel of extraordinary individuals who will share their experiences and facilitate an open discussion exploring what it means to #BreakTheBias of gender inequity, this year’s IWD theme. 

This year’s speakers are:

  • Marcia Alderson, a singer, real estate agent, advocate for change in the Black community in Collingwood, and a proud member of the Unity Collective poised to inspire world change, community growth and the acceptance of all people all day, everyday.

  • Muckpaloo Ipeelie, an Inuit cultural teacher, public speaker, and owner/operator of “The Urban Inuit Identity Project”. Muckpaloo is a Medical Laboratory Technologist helping to bridge the gap between Inuit people and the circle of care by being proactive against systemic racism and changing the stigma against Indigenous people.

  • Dr. Marissa Rodway-Norman, a senior psychiatrist with more than 30 years of clinical experience and has assisted or led research resulting in the establishment of the North Simcoe Muskoka Trans Health Care Hub of Orillia. She has also spear-headed educational opportunities about trans-medicine and has served as a research consultant to the Gilbert Centre of Barrie, Laurentian University, and the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health.

  • Jill Proud, the facilitator of the session, who has coached and mentored high achieving leaders from seasoned entrepreneurs to Olympic athletes for over 20 years and launched the Women Presidents’ Organization South Georgian Bay Chapter.

Take this opportunity to listen to and learn from these impressive individuals of strength, courage, and hope who have been instrumental in bringing about change in a world still learning to #BreaktheBias. With this virtual event being free to participate, the Town of Collingwood encourages participants, in lieu of a ticket purchase, to consider donating to one of the charities of choice selected by this year’s speakers: 

To register for the panel discussion or for more information on International Women’s Day, please visit www.collingwood.ca/IWD.

Since 2019, the Town of Collingwood has been recognizing International Women’s Day annually on March 8th because we believe in gender equity and seek to improve the lives of all women and girls (trans and cis), two spirit, and gender diverse peoples through cultural, legal, economic, and social change. 

Collingwood’s International Women’s Day celebrations are proudly sponsored by Devonleigh Homes, RBC Dominion Securities, RBC Royal Bank of Canada, Miller Thomson LLP, Collingwood Foundry, Royal Canadian Legion Branch #63, Eager Beaver Services, Baker Tilly and an anonymous community donor. 

About the 2022 International Women’s Day Theme #BreaktheBias

A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day! Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality and collectively, we can all #BreakTheBias.

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Paulina Nogaj Wins Three Events as Akron Dominates Women’s MAC Championships

akron-mac-2022

Paulina Nogaj Wins Three Events as Akron Dominates Women’s MAC Championships

The Akron Zips were the dominant team at this weekend’s Mid-American Conference Championships, held at Bowling Green University in Ohio. The Zips scored 896.5 points to beat second-place Buffalo by 177 points, while Miami University took third. Akron earned a measure of revenge after Buffalo beat the Zips by seven points at last year’s championships (held in April due to COVID-19 concerns), ending a seven-year win streak for Akron at the conference meet.

Leading the way for Akron were Paulina Nogaj, who was named swimmer of the meet after earning three individual victories, and Sarah Watson, who took two wins and was named outstanding senior of the meet.

Team Scores:

  1. Akron, University of            896.5   2. University at Buffalo           619.5
  3. Miami University (Ohio)         429.5   4. Ohio University                 367.5
  5. Eastern Michigan University       354   6. Bowling Green State University    339
  7. Ball State University           243.5   8. University of Toledo            233.5

Nogaj earned victories in the 50 freestyle (22.37), 100 butterfly (51.76) and 200 butterfly (1:58.24), while Watson grabbed first in the 200 IM (1:56.86) and 100 free (48.70). In other individual events, Akron’s Gail Workman won the 1650 free (16:42.05), and Weronika Gorecka took first in the 200 back (1:53.89). Andrea Fischer was the winner in the 200 breast for Akron in 2:10.68.

Akron also won all five relays. On day one, the team of Madelyn Gatrall, Paula Garcia, Watson and Sofia Henell took first in the 200 medley relay in 1:37.28, and Watson, Gorecka, Victoria Kaufman and Nogaj won the 800 free relay in 7:07.09. Thursday’s action saw Nogaj, Watson, Rachel Schiffli and Henell take the 200 free relay in 1:28.98.

On Friday, Gatrall, Garcia, Nogaj and Watson won the 400 medley relay in 3:31.67, breaking the previous conference record of 3:33.43 set by Akron in 2019. Finally, Nogaj, Schiffli, Abby Daniel and Henell took first in the 400 free relay in 3:16.54.

The other standout swimmer of the meet was Miami’s Nicole Maier, who won the 500 free in 4:44.19 and then took the 400 IM in 4:08.94, smashing her own MAC record of 4:11.30 set last year. Maier was aiming for a third title in the 100 free, but she ended up finishing in second (48.71), just one hundredth behind Watson. Meanwhile, Buffalo diver Tori Franz was also a double winner, scoring 318.75 on 1-meter and 322.95 on 3-meter

Buffalo also got a pair of swimming wins, from Sawyer Bosley in the 200 free (1:46.94) and Katie Pollock in the 100 breast (59.92), while Bowling Green’s Daisy Platts took first in the 100 back (52.19).

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2022 Women’s MAC Champs: Akron Sweeps Day 4 Events to Reclaim MAC Crown

2022 Women’s MAC Champs: Akron Sweeps Day 4 Events to Reclaim MAC Crown

2022 MAC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS

Team Scores
1. Akron – 896.5
2. Buffalo – 619.5
3. Miami – 429.5
4. Ohio – 367.5
5. Eastern Michigan – 354
6. Bowling Green – 339
7. Ball State – 243.5
8. Toledo – 233.5

The Akron Zips are officially back on top in the MAC, posting a decisive team victory at this year’s championships. Akron takes the title back from Buffalo, and has now won the MAC title 8 of the last 9 years.

The Zips had all but guaranteed victory heading into the final session of the meet, but they would go on to sweep Saturday night’s swimming events for good measure.

Things started in the 1650 free, where junior Gail Workman got into a tough battle with BGSU’s Kellie House and Toledo’s Jovana Duric. Workman would get her hand on the wall first by two seconds, however, swimming a 16:42.05.

We then moved into the 200 back, where Akron junior Weronika Gorecka pulled off an upset, beating 100 back champion Daisy Platts (BGSU). Platts used her superior speed, getting out to a 55.00 on the first 100, ahead of Gorecka (55.59). Gorecka was able to hold on to the pace better, and took over the lead on the 3rd 50, then grew it further through the final lap. She touched in 1:53.89, not far off the meet record of 1:53.12. Platts was 2nd with a 1:55.17.

The next race saw two of the top swimmers of the race, Akron’s Sarah Watson and Miami (OH)’s Nicole Maier, go head-to-head. In the 100 free, Watson was able able to get the better of Maier in a down-to-the-wire finish, clocking a 48.70 to Maier’s 48.71. The pair essentially swam stroke-for-stroke the whole way, making this one of the most exciting races of the meet.

Akron had an enormous team performance in the 200 breast, taking the top 4 spots. Senior Andrea Fischer led the way, swimming a 2:10.68, with Paula Garcia touching 2nd in 2:11.59. Madeline Dyer came in 3rd, swimming a 2:12.29, while Sara Bozso touched 4th with a 2:14.46. Buffalo’s Katie Pollock, the 100 breast champion from Friday, took 5th with a 2:15.09.

Individual racing concluded with the 200 fly, where Akron’s Paulina Nogaj, another top swimmer of the meet, emerged victorious in a time of 1:58.24. Nogaj led the race from the start, and managed to hold the lead through the finish.

In the final event of the meet, the 400 free relay, Nogaj led her team off with a 48.97, a time which would have been good for 3rd in the individual 100 free. Rachel Schiffli swam 2nd, splitting 49.26, then Abby Daniel went 3rd with a 49.28. Sofia Hennell anchored the team in 49.03, getting Akron into the finish for a 3:16.54. Notably, 100 free champion Sarah Watson wasn’t on the 400 free relay, as she had already competed on the other 4 relays this weekend.

Buffalo’s Tori Franz picked off another diving event, winning 3-meter with a score of 322.95.