The second annual YWCA Women of Distinction awards is just around the corner, and Angel Anderson, president of the board of directors at the Y, wants to make sure everyone who wants to go in Thompson has a ticket in their hands.

The award ceremony and dinner is taking place at the Juniper Centre on March 20, and will feature cocktails and dinner and entertainment by local artists such as Carl Bennet, Mike Juneau, Amy McConnel, and Carol Lussier. The event looks to honour women whose activities and successes have led to the well-being of the entire community. There are five different categories the nominees have entered into, including community building and volunteerism; health and active living; non-profit and public service; arts, culture and heritage, which is a new category; and the young women of distinction category, which focuses on women aged 25 or under.

This year’s nominees include Sue O’Brien in the non-profit and public service and arts, culture and heritage categories; Brandee Albert in the community building and volunteerism and arts, culture and heritage categories; Freda Lépine in the health and active living and arts, culture and heritage categories; Jan Hall in the arts, culture and heritage category, Donna Wilson in the arts, culture and heritage and community building and volunteerism categories; Colleen Smook in the volunteer and community building category; and Stella Locker in the volunteer and community building and non-profit and public sector categories.

“It’s really important to recognize the achievements of women in our community and to raise awareness of what some of these women do,” Anderson says. “I was so amazed when I read through the applications…I had no idea how involved these women were in the community.”

Aside from recognizing women who have done a lot of work in the community, the event also serves as a great fundraiser for the YWCA, which offers many community programs. Tickets cost $45 each, and buyers will get a $20 tax receipt when they purchase one. Anderson says around 80 of the 200 tickets have been sold so far.