{"id":17684,"date":"2025-02-20T02:15:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T02:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/ywca-highlights-5-southern-alberta-women-of-distinction-lethbridge\/"},"modified":"2025-02-20T02:15:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T02:15:43","slug":"ywca-highlights-5-southern-alberta-women-of-distinction-lethbridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/ywca-highlights-5-southern-alberta-women-of-distinction-lethbridge\/","title":{"rendered":"YWCA highlights 5 southern Alberta women of distinction – Lethbridge"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Ahead of International Women\u2019s Day<\/a> next month, the YWCA<\/a> is honouring some of the women who create a better world for everyone.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This year, Lethbridge\u2019s recipients include a cardiologist, lifetime activist and high school student, among others.<\/p>\n

Anna Campmans, the youngest recipient, may still be in Grade 12, but she\u2019s already making a huge impression in her community.<\/p>\n

Her mom, Michelle, is at a loss for words.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\u201cIt\u2019s huge. It\u2019s actually hard for me to talk about it without being emotional.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Campmans was nominated by one of her heroes, Mallory Kristjanson, a family school liaison officer at Catholic Central High School.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first day that I met Anna Campmans, I knew that this was a young woman of distinction, a woman of promise. From the very first day that she walked into the school at Catholic Central High School, she lit up the hallways with not only her love and her compassion for others, but her vibrancy to give kindness to others,\u201d said Kirstjanson.<\/p>\n

\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Michelle Campmans says when she heard the news, it was easy to believe because of the incredible work her daughter does every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnna first told me that Mallory had nominated her for an award, but she didn\u2019t say which award. She just proudly said that Mallory had nominated her for an award. When I found out which award it was, it was the Women of Distinction. I was just overcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lorien Johansen works with the YWCA and she says families are often just as, or more, excited than the recipients.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a lot of cases, women are nominated by a member of their family. Whether that is a spouse or partner, or a child, it often comes from coworkers and friends who have watched this woman move through life with passion and dedication,\u201d said Johansen.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\u201cThey feel that their friend or their spouse or mother or colleague should be recognized.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Click
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

For the young recipient, it was an honour to be nominated by someone like Kristjanson.<\/p>\n

\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI was excited to be nominated for something and especially by Mallory. I look up to Ms. Kristjanson so much, she\u2019s an incredible beacon of positivity in our school and I admire so much, so being recognized by her was incredible,\u201d said Campmans.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Get\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n

Get daily National news<\/h3>\n

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

While high school can be more than enough to keep many students busy, Campmans has also spent time volunteering with 4H, the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen and the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre. On top of all that, she is currently the student council president at Chinook Central High School.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stick to a very strict schedule, mostly for my own well-being. I find it much easier to stick to a schedule rather than doing things all over the place. I have school and I work hard and I focus in my classes, that\u2019s probably what makes it the most easy, is if I just take care of the things I have to do anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite her staggering schedule, those who\u2019ve worked with her say she always strives to achieve even more.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was wonderful, she was really truly lovely. She had this thirst for knowledge as well and she was very receptive to all sorts of expertise that we all share here on the team,\u201d said Laura Oviedo-Guzman, a coordinator with the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Click
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n\t