International Women's Day 2024
The Aoraki Foundation Women’s Fund proudly hosted an International Women's Day Celebration on Friday the 8th of March, for the first time this year (and for the fifth year in South Canterbury). A gathering of 140 women (and three men) from our community took place at Sopheze on the Bay, marking a momentous occasion dedicated to honouring women throughout South Canterbury and their remarkable contributions.
Three inspiring speakers shared their journey, uplifting the atmosphere of the night.
Felicity Bruce shared her journey to becoming a WoW finalist (World of Wearable Art) and the challenges she faced along the way.
Hannah Barnes spoke on her transformative wellness journey and brought a refreshing perspective on health and wellbeing.
Lytoyah Lee, transformational coach, spoke to us with her story of radical self-responsibility, triumph and manifesting your dreams.
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Woman of the Year award. Erin Thomson the recipient of the Woman of the Year award for 2024, a dedicated grandmother and former preschool teacher, was recognised for her outstanding contributions to making a difference and going above and beyond for her Fairlie community.
“I love all the people who live in Fairlie. It really feels like home.’’
“I just get a lot of enjoyment out of it all,’’ Thomson said.
You can read more about Erin in Rachael Comer’s Stuff article
Congratulations also to Tania Clark, Rachel Dunstan, Kimble Henderson, Brenda Warren, Kate Forster, Shelley Harvey, Gaz Hodge, and Anna Leger for their Woman of the Year nominations.
The event also contributed to the Aoraki Women's Fund. Through donations and a successful raffle run on the evening, approximately $2,000 was raised for the fund. A huge thank you to all of the local businesses who supported the raffle and donated prizes.
Additionally, the event allowed us to thank and acknowledge the commitment of new regular donors — Michelle Pye, Beth Park, and Sange Malama with special Women’s Fund lapel badges.
Events such as International Women's Day emphasize the deep impact of the Aoraki Women's Fund within our community. This occasion not only honours the accomplishments of extraordinary women like Erin Thomson but also propels us towards our continual goal of growing our endowment fund — to sustainably support local women and girls in South Canterbury forever.
Every donation, whether large or small, monthly or one-time, plays a vital role in creating a lasting impact on women's lives in South Canterbury.
"It was truly an honour to come together with the incredible women (and three men) of South Canterbury to celebrate International Women's Day at this annual event." - Chairperson, Tam Johnson
The next event, “Inspirational Women's Luncheon," highlighting influential women and their life experiences that have positively impacted our community is set to be held on Friday, May 24th. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more information.
To learn more about the fund and contribute, please visit the Aoraki Foundation Women’s Fund website.