President’s Message February 2023
Hello Everyone!!
I hope you and yours are keeping safe and staying healthy as we continue our entrance into 2023. We are looking forward to seeing you at our February dinner meeting on the 8th. Leah has a wonderful guest speaker all lined up for you. There may even be some Valentine treats available 
Reserve your spot now so we can plan. reserve@orilliabusinesswomen.com
As well as our regular monthly (January 16) Executive Meeting, your Executive met on Monday January 23 to establish our required timeline for completing the important work in planning our 2023 OBWA Gala. Unfortunately no other OBWA members were available to attend, but I’m keeping my hopes high that some of you may be able to make it to the next one on Tuesday February 21, 11am at Fairfield Inn.
We would also love to see past Women and Young Women of the Year attend our planning sessions as well as upcoming dinner meetings leading up to and including our always fabulous Gala this coming June. Theme to be determined. Ideas? And like the old saying goes, “Many hands (and feet) make light work”, and I guarantee you will find this committee and event both enjoyable and rewarding. The time is now to learn the planning information required to create the OBWA Gala, as next year, in 2024 a new Gala Committee will be required if this event is to continue its long tradition of over 30 years of celebrating extraordinary women..
Until we see you on Wednesday, February 8th at 530pm at Kelsey’s on Memorial Ave., may you stay safe, warm and healthy.
With Warmest Regards,
Sharon L. Van Noort, OBWA President-705-790-7427
February Dinner Meeting will be held on Feb. 8, 2023 at Kelseys Roadhouse Restaurant,
405 Memorial Ave. Orillia, L3V 0T7
The restaurant will be following the Covid Protocol that is currently in place at their establishment
You must e-mail OBWA at: reserve@orilliabusinesswomen.com by 3 p.m. Wednesday February 1, 2023
to reserve your dinner reservation. Our RSVP numbers are submitted to Kelseys that day as they need to know numbers for staffing. If you reserved your dinner spot and can’t attend please contact us right away so that we can try and fill the spot with someone else that may be on a waiting list.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
There will be an event charge
of $5 for members and $10 for non members
payable at the door
You will order and pay for your meal plus your tip at the restaurant
As always we welcome all women to the OBWA and we are encouraging our members to bring a guest or two to our February meeting!
We have brought back some of our old traditions to our OBWA Dinner Meetings! Toonies for Toiletries where the money collected goes for hygiene products for those in need in the community! We will be collecting non-perishable food items and as well Clean Reusable Grocery Bags which we will donate to the Orillia Sharing Place.
As well we will be doing a 50/50 draw at each meeting! Winner of our January 50/50 of $38.00 was our guest speaker Jason Browning & his wife Jenna
5:30 – Networking – please bring your business cards & brochures with you
5:50 – President’s Welcome
6:00 p.m. – Members will order their dinners
6:15 pm – Business of the Month – Kimberly Rowntree, Client Care Manager of Team Beauchesne
RE/MAX Hallmark Chay Realty Inc., Brokerage
6:20 p.m. – 30 Second intro & our business updates
(please respect each other by keeping to the time limit)
7 p.m. – Guest Speaker – Chris Peacock – Executive Director at The Sharing Place Food Centre in Orillia
Over the past 5 years Chris has helped transform The Sharing Place Food Centre in Orillia from a traditional food bank into a food centre offering a wide range of programs that help people who are food insecure. He currently sits on the Steering committee of the Simcoe County Food Council, Chair of the Orillia Food Commitee and the Feed Ontario Advocacy Commitee. Before joining The Sharing Place, Chris worked in senior management in the printing and marketing sector. Chris lives in Orillia, with his Wife and 2 young boys.
Please note we will be collecting Non-perishable food items for The Sharing Place at our February
dinner meeting. Lets show our support to Chris and those at the Sharing Place!
7:30 p.m. – Closing words from our President
Do you know a woman who goes above and beyond in our community? We are currently looking for OBWA 2023 Nelle Carter Woman of the Year Nominations! Our Gala depends on Sponsorships from our members and from those in our Community as well as Door Prizes. If you or anyone else can assist these areas please contact an OBWA executive member for more information.
The executive is looking for OBWA members to join our Gala Committee to assist us in the preparations for the Woman of The Year and Young Woman of the Year 2023 Gala.
The OBWA had our first Gala meeting on Monday January 23, 2023. Our next Gala Committee Meeting will be on Feb. 21, 2023. Contact an executive member to find out more information & the location of our next Gala meeting. We will be meeting monthly for several months and then weekly closer to the Gala.
The Gala will take place on June 14, 2023
We would like to welcome back the past members of the OBWA that have renewed their memberships
Please note: Memberships are due & need to be paid now for you to be a
member in good standing. $100 membership fee will keep you a member in good standing until September 1, 2023. Members have the privilege of posting on social media & have their information about their business and themselves on our website as well as posting on Face Book. Non-members can attend meetings though without the other privileges. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact one of our executive members. Paypal payments accepted only: https://orilliabusinesswomen.com/OnlinePayments
Our 2022 Gala Sponsors
