Winner in the Business Impact category Nadiya Albishchenko (podium) along with Nanaimo-Ladysmith MLA Sheila Malcolmson (far right) and Women of Influence Nanaimo Chair Blaise Hunter (purple) during the inaugural WIN awards on Feb. 7.  (Caitlin Lundgren)

By Jordan Davidson

local women of influence

‘My heart is full:’ Women of Influence Awards honours Nanaimo’s influential figures

Feb 8, 2024 | 1:57 PM

NANAIMO — A first-of-its-kind award ceremony took place in the Harbour City Wednesday, honouring the very best women, gender diverse, non-binary and two-spirited local residents.

The Women of Influence Nanaimo (WIN) Awards gala was held on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, with Chair Blaise Hunter calling it an incredible and energetic night.

“The energy of inspiration and influence truly captivated everyone’s hearts and it was just fire and emotional and inspiring, and I’m just so grateful…my heart is so full. I literally have no words and that’s a rarity for me.”

Award winners in a few of the 11 categories included executive director of the Nanaimo Brain Injury Society Kix Citton in the category of Community and Social Responsibility, editor of Nanaimo Magazine & Voyager Judy Stephan in the Matriach category, and VIU president Dr. Deborah Saucier in the STEM category.

Hunter spoke to NanaimoNewsNOW the morning after the event, still riding the high and reflecting on all the work done over the last year to make this possible.

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“It wasn’t even an idea last February. It’s something that came together within a year and started off as small, of only 200 people and maybe we could get 30 nominees, exploded into over 100 nominees that first came in, sold out with 620 and we had to expand the room and make tables right to the edges. It just all came together in support of a good cause.”

Blaise Hunter addresses the sold-out crowd of 620 people who filled the Vancouver Island Conference Centre on Wednesday, Feb. 7 for the first edition of the Women of Influence Nanaimo Awards. (Barbara Anne Photography)

All proceeds from the event went towards the non-profit Footprint in Fertility and Pregnancy Loss Support Society, which provides free resources to local parents to help them deal with those delicate issues, operated by Hunter.

She said it was amazing to see such a diverse group of people all in one room, with people coming from across the mid-Island and all different walks of life to attend.

“I really wanted to stay true to the heart of the matter of inclusivity, the heart of humanity…welcoming women, two-spirit, non-binary, and gender diverse people and really including everyone in that conversation, including all community members, including men! It was amazing to see it was not just a women’s event but a community one.”

Hunter said while they can bask in the success of the event today, plans will soon be in the works for the 2025 WIN awards.

“Definitely we’ve built a good framework now, but we can always grow and refine and evolve and be more inclusive and just grow more…we are not a one-and-done group, we will be back next year.”

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow