The Orillia Business Women’s Association (OBWA) unveiled the winners of its annual Nelle Carter Woman of the Year and Lisa Brooking Young Woman of the Year awards at a gala Wednesday night at the Best Western Plus Mariposa Inn and Conference Centre.
The 2022 Woman of the Year is Amy Lewis, who runs a cloud-based bookkeeping practice, Lewis Bookkeeping Inc., where she frequently hires co-op students and women re-entering the workforce.
Lewis volunteers with the Salvation Army, the Orillia Silver Band and the Muskoka Concert Band, and has previously been involved with a number of Orillia’s arts and culture ventures.
“Thank you to everyone here,” Lewis said after receiving her award. “I really appreciate this. This is so honouring to be here.”
Olivia Emon, a student at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School, was named Young Woman of the Year.
Emon is involved with numerous school, athletic, and community-based activities and volunteering efforts, including shopping for and delivering groceries to Tudhope Manor residents during the pandemic, and has maintained a 96 per cent average in her studies as she prepares for a career in medicine.
“I just want to say thank you so much. I really appreciate this,” said Emon. “I was actually talking to my mom today about how overwhelming and exhausting it can be doing (everything), and it’s really nice to be appreciated, so I thank you all so much for this.”
The awards were given out at a gala hosted by the OBWA. Nominees and guests were welcomed by OBWA president Sharon Van Noort and event MC Carey Moran from Pure Country 106.
Prior to giving the awards, nominees for each category were brought to the stage for a question-and-answer session.
When asked what motivates her to be so involved with the community, Emon cited her family.
“Something that inspires me is helping everyone in my community,” she said. “I’m really close with my family, and that’s really important to me. They’ve always been there, and I think everyone coming together is really inspiring, and it just means that you’re not alone in life and that you always have that support system there.”
When asked what motivated her to pursue medicine, Emon — who will attend Queen’s University for kinesiology next year — pointed to her parents’ medical careers.
“Both my parents are in the medical field … They have always been a big inspiration in my life,” she said. “I love to help people, and I think it’s most important to me that, at the end of the day, I could come home and say that I helped care for another person and made someone better.”
Lewis said her mother-in-law has been one of her greatest inspirations on her journey.
“My mother-in-law is one of the most hardworking women I’ve ever met in my entire life,” she said. “I’ve known her since I was 15, and she’s been there for me, for everyone I’ve ever known. She’s the first person that (if something was needed), she would just drop it. She’d be there. She’s … one of the most amazing people in my life, and inspired me a lot just to be there for others.”
Asked what advice she would give a younger version of herself, Lewis said, “You are loved, and you are so beyond worthy, no matter what you think of anything.”
This is the 31st year for the Woman of the Year award, and the 17th for the Young Woman of the Year award.
More about the recipients and nominees may be found here.
