Do you know an individual, organization or employer who is working to improve the status of women on Prince Edward Island? If the answer is yes, then the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women (ACSW) wants to hear from you.
Nominations close Thursday, February 15, 2001 for the Advisory Council's 8th Annual EQUALITY Recognition Awards, presented on International Women's Day (IWD), March 8th, 2001. The awards recognize individuals, organizations and employers who have demonstrated outstanding contributions towards promoting the equality of women in Prince Edward Island. For 2001, the Advisory Council will also be seeking nominations for their new Special Recognition Award. Easy-to-complete nomination forms have recently been sent to the Advisory Council's mailing list and some nominations have already been received. The general public is also invited to submit nominations.
Selection criteria and nomination forms are available at the Advisory Council Office at 3 Queen Street in Charlottetown or by visiting the Council's web site at www.gov.pe.ca/acsw/ or telephoning: 368-4510. Nominations must be received at the Advisory Council office by Thursday, February 15, 2001. Forms can be mailed to PEI ACSW, PO Box 2000, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8, dropped off to the 3rd floor, 3 Queen St., or faxed to 368-4516.
"You can help us recognize the women and men who help make Prince Edward Island a better place," says Patricia Roy-Ballem, Chairperson of the Advisory Council. "There are women and men across this province working hard every day to improve the status of women in Prince Edward Island. We want to hear about them, their struggles and their accomplishments."
Past recipients of this prestigious award are Island women and men from all walks of life and a wide variety of groups and employers from across the province. Some examples of individuals and groups honoured over the years include:
Individual ~ Donna Lewis, Beth Percival and Julie Devon Dodd;
Group/Organization ~ PEI Rape/Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, Women's Network PEI and L'Association des Acadiennes et Francophones de I'I-P-E;
Employer ~ Colonel Gray High School GIFT program, Community Resource Centre of Montague, and Cooper Institute; and
Lifetime Achievement ~ Regena Russell, Hon. Marion Reid, Marie Burge and Dr. Betty Henderson.
A candidate's commitment to women's equality may be demonstrated through a variety of activities, paid or voluntary. It could be within the community, school, workplace, church or organization.
The categories are, with the addition of a fifth category this year :
1) Individual; 2) Organization or group; 3) Employer or Company; 4) Lifetime achievement; 5) Special Recognition Award
Each year, the focus area of the Special Recognition Award will change and reflect significant contributions made to women's equality issues. For 2001, it will focus on "Inclusion" and will be given to an individual or organization that has made a special effort or taken a leadership role to improve the status of women with physical and/or intellectual disabilities.
The Advisory Council presents beautiful framed awards, featuring the ink drawing "Rise Up, Rise Up" by Island artist Elizabeth Vessey, to those recognized in each of the five categories.
A committee consisting of representatives from Women's Network PEI, East Prince Women's Information Centre, the Federated Women's Institute of PEI, the Francophone women's community, People First, the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and the business community will choose the recipients.
Advisory Council Chairperson Patricia Roy-Ballem will present the awards on International Women's Day, Thursday, March 8 at 12 noon at the Arts Guild, Queen/Richmond St., Charlottetown. All are welcome to attend the "Brown Bag Luncheon" event.
For more information about the EQUALITY Recognition Awards contact the Advisory Council Office at 368-4510, visiting the Advisory Council's web site at www.gov.pe.ca/acsw or by emailing: peiacsw@isn.net
For more information, contact: Heidi Rankin, 368-4510, peiacsw@isn.net