YWCA names Women of Distinction

By Dale Woodard on March 10, 2021.

Even in times of pandemic and uncertainty Rachel Nicol still managed to find the silver lining.
The Lethbridge swimmer who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Summer Games and is looking for a return trip to the Olympics in Tokyo this summer was one of four women honoured at the 45th Annual YWCA Lethbridge and District Women of Distinction Awards, held Friday via Zoom Conference.
Joining Nicol as this year’s honourees were Shannan Little (STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Carrie Takeyasu (Leadership and Management, Finance) and Ruth Scales McMahon (Lifetime Achievement).
This year’s Women of Distinction Awards theme was Hope For The Future.
“I think those are really good words to use for this, we’re all in a place where we’re hoping things get a little better, but it’s so important to make sure we’re living in the moment,” said Nicol, who won the Young Women Of Promise Award.
“It’s great to hope for things, but it’s also really important to acknowledge where you’re at right now and finding the small happiness in the day.”
When the 2020 Olympics were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nicol worked with swimmers at clubs across Canada as a mentor.
“One of the things I talk about is going through my story about swimming and the trials and tribulations I’ve had, but there are always those little sparks of goodness,” she said.
“I went to the Youth Olympics when I was 17, I went to the Olympics and I was in the NCAAs and, further down the road, the Commonwealth Games. You can see throughout time these dots on the map that in retrospect, you can say how you see one thing led to another.
“But when you’re in the moment, everything is really uncertain in the future and for me, I had no idea when I was younger that I would have any chance of making the Olympic team because it’s so far away.”
Nicol said living day-to-day in a time of a pandemic can make it difficult to have prespective.
“But I think further down the line, maybe a year or two or five years, we might be able to look back at this hard time that we’re all getting through and see how it has led to one thing or another that we can’t see right now.
“We can look back and say ‘If that had never happened, I would have never grown as a person or I never would have had this opportunity or had met this special person in my life now.’
“I think there’s hope for the future and looking back we can see how this unique situation had unique outcomes further down the line.
“I’ve gone through lots of hard stuff with swimming and those kinds of things and they’ve ended up leading to good things even though they were really hard at the time.”
Accepting her award for STEM, Little – who grew up a farm girl in Champion – acknowledged her love of science and agriculture as well as members of her family and women who have influenced her along the way.
“I’m a farm girl. The soil of this land runs through my veins and I want to recognize the women who lived on this land and explored its mysteries before me,” she said.
“To the generations of our mothers who held down second jobs off the farm and aspired to their own careers like my mother, Donna.
“Let’s also acknowledge the current women in agriculture who have moved the term from farm wife to farmer, yet struggled to be recognized as full players in the industry. Some of whom are right now fighting to protect our headwaters.”
Little said she has been privileged to work with world-renowned scientists in her career.
“But there is still work to be done,” she said.
“We know that women have not achieved equitable representation in STEM fields and that women with STEM degrees are more likely to be unemployed or under-employed than their counterparts.
“There is an absence of women at leadership levels in STEM fields. This is the leaky pipeline. Bias still exists and this bias is additionally challenging for women of colour. Diversity in an organization is the key to creativity and innovation.
“The issues facing society are complex and challenging and we need to ensure that women are represented in policy, in decision making and science.
Takeyasu, who works at the University of Lethbridge as associate vice president (Finance), is also a runner and dragonboat enthusiast.
“To me, that’s no different than your work experience or anything else you do. It’s how you work together,” she said. “I’ve had the pleasure of working and volunteering with many past alumni and it’s still shocking to me to be joining such an amazing group of women who have done so much for the Lethbridge community.”
Takeyasu spoke of the women she has worked alongside at the U of L.
“In my career I’ve been extremely fortunate to work at the university and to work with a lot of amazing women.
“They have been my managers and my mentors and they have truly believed in me, encouraged me and really challenged me to go beyond my comfort zone. You really need those types of people to help motivate you.”
Takeyasu spoke of her boss, Nancy Walker, who is the vice president of finance and administration and a past Women of Distinction honouree. She was also Takeyasu’s nominator.
“Nancy and I have been colleagues for many years,” she said. “She has taught me so much about focusing on the positive and about what true commitment and dedication really means. She’s also a dragonboater and a good friend.”
Takeyasu also acknowledged her family.
“We are such a close-knit family and we support each other through life’s highs and lows. I think thats’ what we all need for hope.”
Scales McMahon earned the Lifetime Achievement award.
“Overwhelmed and humbled are a few of the emotions I’ve experienced since I received the phone call,” she said.
“As we story tellers know, the number three is the magic formula of story. The YWCA logo of the three triangles, body, mind and soul.
“The three sides of a triangle, developing the talent, expressing the talent and sharing the talent. It is this philosophy of embracing the whole human that makes receiving this honour cherished beyond measure.”
Scales McMahon also recognized her family and primary community.
“The theme of this year’s celebration is Hope,” she said.
“As the mother of two young adult women and as a staff member at Winston Churchill High School, I bear witness to the many talents and skills our future leaders have learned, honed and shared this past year.
“Flexibility, resilience, patience, courage and standing strong in the face of uncertainty, how can we be anything but hopeful?
“I have great faith in the communities they will build.”
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