Women support and recognize women in business through awards
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY—Red Rock Indian Band Elder Norma Fawcett and the other New Beginnings Circle members were recognized with the PARO Fundraising Circle of the Year award on Nov. 17.
“It was a very exciting day today — our group won an award and it was for being very hard working people in our area,” Fawcett says. “I’m proud to be part of the New Beginnings Circle.”
Fawcett says the circle of women from the Nipigon-Red Rock Indian Band area were recognized for the chicken pot pies they baked as fundraisers in the area. The circle began operating in 2000.
“Levina [Collins] organizes/bakes chicken pot pies,” Fawcett says. “She sells them and they raise a lot of money. Everybody helps somebody in our area.”
The New Beginnings Circle meets monthly to offer business and personal support, to network with women in business and to provide fellowship and support.
“We have something to look forward to,” Fawcett says. “I think everybody needs that, the togetherness and feeling good about each other. And this does make us feel good.”
The New Beginnings Circle received the award at PARO’s 2016 Enterprising Women Awards, which was held to celebrate regional entrepreneurs, at the Victoria Inn in Thunder Bay.
“We do a lot of community support,” says Germaine Banning, a member of the New Beginnings Circle whose mother was from Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek and father was from the Red Rock Indian Band. “We also donated the canopies for Rotary Park [in Nipigon].”
Banning, who owns the Edgeview Restaurant in Nipigon along with her husband, adds that PARO also offers grants and loans to new businesses.
“I haven’t taken advantage of these as of yet, but I know that half of the amounts that they give for the first loan is forgivable,” Banning says. “So if it is $1,000, you only have to pay back $500. But what I mostly love about the whole PARO program is that they provide support as peers. When we sit down at a table, we network. It’s just a wonderful program — it’s just a great feeling for women to be supporting women and women in business.”
PARO’s full-day event included a tradeshow, workshops, speed mentoring sessions and a keynote lunch featuring Zahra Al-Harazi, survivor of two civil wars and CEO and creative director of Foundry Communications.
“These women are an integral part of our community and the economy,” says Rosalind Lockyer, PARO’s founder and executive director. “Despite the unique challenges women entrepreneurs face, these enterprising women have thrived and PARO hopes that everyone will leave the event feeling the inspiration and enthusiasm that was all around us.”
Gabby Cross, a citizen of Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba, operator and owner of Norma Jean’s restaurant in Thunder Bay and a PARO Circle member, was also recognized with the PARO Alumni Award.
“We opened on Monday [Nov. 14], so we’re brand new,” Cross says. “Yesterday was our busiest day, and boy was it a lot of fun. A lot of people from the downtown area are realizing that we’re open.”
Cross previously operated Gabby’s Spuds and More in Thunder Bay.
“It was the best bag of fries in town,” Cross says.
Other award recipients include: Brette Cain for New Business of the Year; Liisa Hymander for Established Business of the Year; Kaija Saarinen for Young Entrepreneur of the Year; Taylor Gorrie for Social Entrepreneur of the Year; Dayle Passley for Building Bridges of the Year; and Jesse Roberts of the Thunder Bay Public Library for PARO Partner of the Year.