KW Oktoberfest Rogers Women of the Year awards a success

By Lisa Drew

The 46th annual K-W Oktoberfest Rogers Women of the Year awards were handed out last night in Kitchener.

A crowd of 600 gathered at Lot 42 to celebrate the great things women are doing in our community.

60 women were nominated in ten categories.

The Arts and Culture award went to Nicole Guse, a longtime fundraiser for KidsAbility. She has raised over $126,000 by putting on musical shows.

The Community Service award goes to Jane Tuer for her work in literacy locally.

The Entrepreneur award goes to Ada Bartlatt. She runs OperationsAlly to help other entrepreneurs succeed.

Group Achievement goes to the Coalition of Muslim Women of K-W. The group started in 2010. CMW now has 200 volunteers fostering understanding and leadership.

The Health and Wellness award goes to Jackie Gerlach. The nurse practitioner is an advocate for those dealing with HIV and homelessness.

The Professional award goes to Wendi Campbell. The CEO of Food Bank of Waterloo Region started her first food drive almost 30 years ago. 

The STEAM award goes to Dr. Hilary Bergsieker. The scientist and prof at UW works at getting more women into science.

Sports and Recreation award goes to Loren Gabel. She volunteers and is a member of the Canadian National Women's Hockey team. 

The Young Adult award was presented to Meena Waseem, honoured for creating positive change in the community when it comes to mental health and diversity. 

The Lifetime Achievement award goes to Joan Driver. Known to many as “Grandma Driver”, Driver has volunteered in the public schools for 49 years.  
 

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