Quick Escape 
We all know an amazing woman who has stepped up in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Let her know she has made a difference and nominate her for YWCA Hamilton’s 2021 Women of Distinction Awards – a special edition of this longtime event that honours the women who have rolled up their sleeves in response to the pandemic.
Here are ten women you know who would be eligible for an award:
1. A delivery person.
She’s your friendly mail carrier, courier, or the delivery person from your local grocery. Perhaps she’s the driver who always delivers you takeout meal with a smile and a wave. Or, perhaps she’s a truck driver who has delivered essential goods throughout the pandemic.
2. A volunteer from your neighbourhood or religious community.
Do you know someone from your mosque, church, or synagogue who made hundreds of homemade masks? Or someone in your neighbourhood who has rallied your community to support others during the pandemic? Nominate her!
3. A family doctor, nurse practitioner, public health worker, or pharmacist.
These professions are often the first people we turn to with questions about our health. She may be the public health nurse who checked in on you after you or a loved one showed symptoms or tested positive for Covid-19. Or, perhaps she is the physician or pharmacist who soothed your worries and provided exceptional advice.
4. Your grocery store cashier.
Grocery store employees have been among the unsung heroes of the pandemic. If you know someone who has risked their health and safety to ensure our grocery stores are running smoothly, be sure to nominate her.
5. Your child’s teacher or care provider.
This woman has shown both courage and caring as she has helped our youngest citizens through the pandemic. Perhaps she is a teacher who has shown up at school every day, while constantly adjusting to shifting public health guidelines. Maybe she is a daycare employee or Early Childhood Educator who has worked tirelessly to provide a safe place away from home for babies and toddlers. Or, perhaps she is an in-home caregiver who has provided invaluable care.
6. Your student, intern, or a young leader in your community.
Do you know a young woman or girl who has shown exceptional passion, ingenuity, or leadership in your community? Perhaps she has mobilized fellow students within her school to do good, has set an example among her peers, or refuses to “go back to normal,” as normal was never good enough. Nominate her for our Young Trailblazer award.
7. Your custodian.
These women have made our lives safer by ensuring our workplaces and public spaces are safe and clean. She has shown up since the beginning of the pandemic, even at greater risk to her own health.
8. A long-term care worker.
She has endured months of uncertainty, risk, and heartbreak as she cares for vulnerable older adults. She has shown bravery and strength every time she has shown up for work.
9. A business owner who has pivoted to respond to the pandemic.
Do you know someone who shifted their production to produce hand sanitizer or PPE? Or, perhaps she has taken great care of her staff teams and shown exceptional innovation in her response to the pandemic through her new ideas or approaches within her business operations.
10. A first responder.
She is a paramedic, firefighter, or police officer who has shown compassion, bravery, and stamina as she handles emergencies in the city, all while handling the heightened risk of COVID-19.
These are only a handful of the vocations that are eligible for the 2021 Women of Distinction Awards. Be sure to nominate the women in Hamilton and Halton who have made a difference and shown courage in the face of Covid-19.
Hurry! Nominations close at midnight January 11, 2021.