Amanda Dempsey - Port Carling

Chef: Caterer; Culinary Explorer and Proprietor: Dempsey Fine Foods in Port Carling. Nominated by Gilliam Woan and her mentor, Linda McAuley for the Entrepreneur Award. Amanda is recognized for her high quality, and delicious range in products, her high standards for service, and for her persistence and success in the face of many start-up challenges.

Kelly Holinshead - Huntsville

Photographer, Artist and Proprietor: Shutterbug Gallery, Huntsville. Nominated by Dale Peacock and Beverly Wood for the Entrepreneur Award. Recognized for her humble and hard working journey toward owning her own gallery, her incredible talent, and for sharing her gifts with her community for worthy causes.

Kim Knight - Bracebridge

Graphic Artist, hockey player, and mountain biker, Proprietor: Studio Bound. Nominated by Marie Hammond and Linda McElroy for the Entrepreneur Award. Recognized for facing her fears and taking a risk, her brave foray into business, her ability to overcome obstacles, and her exceptional success. Considered also by the judges for Young Woman of Distinction award.

Patricia Kingshott - Bracebridge

Civil Servant turned baker, Proprietor: Pat’s Homemade Gingerbread Cooking. Nominated by Barb Hunter and Linda Layer, huge fans of Pat and her gingerbread, for the Entrepreneur Award. Recognized for her astute and thoughtful business acumen that turned her hobby into a full time business, that was able to sustain the family income in four short, busy, hardworking years. 

Lynn Kruger - Bracebridge

Mother, Grandmother, B&B Operator, Restaurateur, and Proprietor: Kruger’s Muskoka River Bend Bed & Breakfast and Swiss Chalet & Harvey’s. Nominated by her husband Bruce Kruger and her daughter, Tricia Smith, for the Entrepreneur Award. Lynn is recognized for her significant personal, community and corporate contributions, and ability to draw out the best in any individual and to help them see the best in themselves.

Kate Warren – Bracebridge

Mother, Friend, Kidney Foundation Volunteer, Sports Swap Convener, and Proprietor: Dairy Queen. Nominated by her long-standing employee, Vicky Holm, and Rev. Sue Woods for the Entrepreneur Award. Arriving in this land as a single mother struggling to make ends meet, Kate is recognized for working hard, taking risks, remaining community minded, and being a successful multi-business owner and friend.

Beverlie Ann Robertson – Port Carling

Folk Singer; Musician; Author; International Who’s Who in the Music World; Cancer Survivor; Founding member of Kaleidoscope in the Schools, a branch of the Muskoka Music Festival. Beverlie is nominated by 2002 Women of Distinction recipient Enid Powell and Joan Wallace for the Mentorship Award. Sharing her gifts through music, Beverlie instils passion in young people, celebrates womanhood, and helps others make sense of an often senseless world.

Jeanne Pettit - Windermere

Physiotherapist; Mother; Grandmother; Resort Owner; Fundraiser; Carpenter; Environmentalist; Girl Guide Leader; 4-H Leader; 78. Neighbours and friends Nancy Hill and Connie Cain nominate Jeanne for the Mentorship Award. Kind, generous and interesting, Jeanne is appreciated for giving herself fully to every project she undertakes.

Sandra Rosewarne - Bracebridge

Career Coach; Human Resource Consultant; Trainer; Volunteer; Friend. Kim Knight and Phyllis Ingram nominate Sandra Rosewarne for the Mentorship Award. Sandra loves to help people, as a professional and as a volunteer. Her infectious enthusiasm, her networking expertise, and her commitment to helping and inspiring others have had a positive impact on countless lives.

Margaret Couture - Bala

Educator; Principal; Guidance Specialist: Retired Lifelong Learner; Community Volunteer. Friends Leigh Terry and Bev Oliver nominate Margaret Couture for distinction in Education. Margaret is recognized tonight for her commitment to supporting new teachers and her involvement in the Survive & Thrive Virtual Conference for Beginning Teachers.

Carla Veitch - Gravenhurst

Education Assistant, Extraordinary Volunteer. Teacher Dave Synnott and Trillium Lakelands District School Board Principal Pat Sheppard nominate Carla Veitch for distinction in Education. While exceptional in the school setting, and equally exceptional supporting her community, Carla is nominated for her outstanding literacy initiative at Beaver Creek Correctional Facility helping inmate dads read with their children through recorded book readings.

Kristin Lamoureux-Dalziel - Novar

Accomplished Musician; Dancer; Infectious Enthusiasm; Artist: Huntsville High School music teacher Louis Tusz and Brenda Cunningham Moran have nominated Kristin for Young Woman of Distinction. She plays the trumpet, piano, bassoon, and violin, and sings and writes her own music. Kristin is celebrated for sharing her gifts, including performing at “Caf Jams”. She has been featured on CBC radio’s The Vinyl Café.

Cynthia Watson - Utterson

Entrepreneur, Volunteer, Labour Lawyer, Proprietor: Watson Labour Lawyers.

Nominated by her husband Don Wilton and colleague Anna Chamberlain for our consideration in the Open, Entrepreneurship or Mentorship Category. We selected Open. Recognized for her determination, persistence, and encouragement of other women, and her personal commitment to overcome obstacles in pursuit of her dreams.