THE achievements of four local business women were celebrated at the Women in Business and Regional Development (WiBRD) Empowering Women in Business breakfast last week.
Hosted by WiBRD board member Cathy Beckman, the breakfast was a snapshot of the 2017 WiBRD Influential Women in Business Awards, with attendees hearing from a number of award winners.
Around 50 people attended the event at Commodore on the Park and heard from Trudi Shelton of Four Reasons Why, Kelsie Prowse of The Apple Farm, Sharon Disher of Barry Maney Group and Lana Joy Durik of Smiles All Round.
Ms Shelton, winner of last year’s community leader award, said Four Reasons Why (formerly Mount Gambier Winter Wear for Kids in Need) was recently incorporated.
“I noticed during my first year as a pastoral care worker at two local primary schools that children were not dressed appropriately for winter,” she said.
“As a single mother of four, it was distressing.
“I cleaned out my four children’s wardrobes and I asked a few of my friends to do the same, I started a Facebook group and it took off.
“I am now supplying nine different primary schools and anything I can’t use I donate to the Bell Tower Op Shop.”
Naracoorte business owner Lana Joy Durik said she was humbled to win last year’s best small business award.
“We are a family-centered, solution-focused psychology service,” she said.
“We aim to upskill young people and the adults that support them on how to overcome anxiety and give them strategies to deal with stress.
“Our services include individual and family therapy and counselling on site, social skills and resilience programs, training and development for health professionals, educators and care givers and we support people on the autism spectrum.”
The organisation’s entrepreneur of the year for 2017 Kelsie Prowse was recognised for the successful business model she had implemented at The Apple Farm, while employee of the year winner Sharon Disher was celebrated for her decades of outstanding service at Barry Maney Group.
Ms Beckman encouraged attendees to purchase a WiBRD membership.
“As a not-for-profit organisation, membership is fundamental to our sustainability and is great value for money,” she said.
“We still have 17 events on our calendar this year – opportunities to learn, network and meet other like-minded people.”
