Ruth Bell-Towns is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants who lives and operates her firm from Bracebridge. Along with running a successful and demanding practice in a field still largely dominated by men, Ruth has contributed endless volunteer hours to organizations throughout Muskoka including Rotary, Habitat for Humanity, the University Women's Club, the Bracebridge United Church and the Cellar Singers Choir.  Elinor Phillips of Bracebridge and Judith Brockhurst, also of Bracebridge nominated Ruth for her commitment to Community Voluntarism.

Hilary Clark Cole,  for the category for Arts and Culture

Hilary Clark Cole is a renowned metal sculptor who creates life-size and hand-held pieces in welded steel. Hilary came to Muskoka in 1971 and has been an inspiration to fellow artists in Muskoka as a professional welder/sculptor for over 30 years. It is the powerfully transformative nature of her work, her pioneering spirit, the wealth and breadth of this artist's work and her strength as a woman that inspired Hilary's nomination by Anita Stephenson of Gravenhurst and Christine Hodson also of Gravenhurst for the category for Arts and Culture.

Enid Powell created the Sexual Assault Intervention for Living (SAIL) therapy program in 1990 to offer the community a desperately needed service for survivors of sexual abuse. For twelve years, her counselling and therapy helped countless women through often painful and difficult life experiences. Today Enid has her own private practice and mediation service. For her ability to radiate trust, compassion and her strong desire to help people, Enid has been nominated by Jane Higginbotham of the Bracebridge OPP and Susan Daglish of Port Carling in the category of Health, Wellness and Well-being.

Jan Lucy has been the Muskoka Campus Administrator for Nipissing University since 1996. Since that time, Jan has been instrumental in growing this campus from a satellite facility for post-secondary education into a campus where two complete undergraduate degrees - Child and Family Studies and Studies in Culture and the Arts - can be achieved right here in Muskoka. For her ability to champion alternative and creative approaches to providing access to education, Jan has been nominated by Dr. David Marshall, President of Nipissing University, and Christopher Thorpe, General Manager of the Muskoka Community Futures Development Corporation in the category of Education, Training and Development.

In January 1998, Dorothy Slocum's dream of opening a fitness club in Muskoka became a reality. Nearly five years later, Muskoka Fitness Club is established as a premier fitness facility frequented by local and seasonal residents alike. As an ambassador for fitness, Dorothy measures her success through the success of club members: When they succeed, she succeeds. For her boundless energy, infectious enthusiasm, passion for fitness and practicing what she preaches, Dorothy has been nominated by Susan Smith and Mary Lee Zimmer, both of Bracebridge, in the category of Entrepreneurship.

Caitlin Veitch is a high-energy grade twelve Huntsville High School student who has been making an impression on kids and adults for some time. She was not just skiing, but teaching skiing at age 10. She's a French Immersion Honour Graduate from Riverside Public School. She's an athlete. She's been on school council. She has taken leadership training programs. She participates in telethons for World Vision. She has her own column in the Huntsville Forester to promote High School news. For these accomplishments and her genuine pleasant disposition, Christine Fiorito and Roger Bird of Huntsville have nominated Caitlin for the Young Woman of Distinction Award.