Happy March 1st everyone (side note: can you believe that it’s already March!?)! For those of you who don’t know, March is also Women’s History Month, which is SO important to me. During Women’s History Month we want to highlight so many incredible women who have helped pave the way and continue to make our world a better place. Along with celebrating the amazing achievements of women throughout history during Women’s History Month I thought it would be a great opportunity for the girls on Team Jilly to share their female role models they look up to for Women’s History Month and why. But because our team is SO big now (ah how did that happen?) we had to break this series up into two separate parts. So this is part one of two and I will let them take it away!
Mindy Crawford
Wow. I’m not even sure where to begin since there are so many inspiring women in my life! However, today in honour of Women’s History Month I would like to feature THREE incredible women who have impacted my life, contributed to my growth, and will forever leave an imprint on my heart. Each of these women are strong, independent, and have the fiercest entrepreneurial spirit!
My mom, Wanda Crawford.
My mom is probably one of the strongest, most resilient women I know. She tells it like it is and doesn’t sugarcoat anything. I’ve grown to love her honesty and openness … even if it makes me sweat a little.
Among many things, mom has taught me the importance of hard work and dedication. Somehow she is always prepared for everything. Just when I think I have everything planned out, she is ten steps ahead of me.
One of the things I love so much about my mom is her ability to make a house a HOME. From cozy surroundings to crisp sheets and delicious home cooked meals, I feel very fortunate to call her my mom and admire the fact that she can pull it all off effortlessly. Not to mention, I admire her eye for decor and styling and consider myself lucky to have picked up some of that from her. Even if that means trying to beat her to HomeSense so she doesn’t snag all of the good stuff before I get the chance to!
To say that I appreciate everything she has done, and continues to do, for our entire family would be a total understatement.
My granny, Sophie Hoy.
My mom’s mom. Speaking of strong, resilient, and someone who doesn’t sugarcoat things (except for her homemade doughnuts!), that was granny to a T! The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, hey mom?! LOL!
My granny raised my mom and SEVEN of my mom’s siblings. She was very strong willed, independent and CHEEKY! Granny always had an ear to lend and an eye for fashion. In fact, she opened up a women’s boutique clothing store in Peace River, Alberta, called “Sarah Jane Fashions” and another one a few years later in Lac La Biche, Alberta. She ran both clothing stores for around TEN years leaning on my mom to help her with the buying (is there anything my mom can’t do?!) while running back and forth between the two locations.
Granny was also an excellent cook (helloooo Ukrainian roots!), I remember watching her make perogies and sugar doughnuts from scratch over and over in the kitchen and was eager with anticipation to eat everything up as fast as I could.
While my granny isn’t with us anymore, I know she is watching from above and hopefully sipping on a rye and coke.
The photo below is my granny holding one of my cousins in her clothing store, Sarah Jane Fashions.
My grandma, Barbara Crawford.
My dad’s mom. Adventurous, daring, lover of life. My grandma graduated from nursing school and only practiced for a short time before my grandpa won her over (being the handsome cowboy that he was!) and brought her out to the farm! From there she raised four boys all while helping out on the farm from feeding the cattle, to taking care of an abandoned bear cub to performing a cesarean section on a SHEEP!
Grandma was always up for anything and enabled my creativity. Always leading me around the farm picking mushrooms, wildflowers, and collecting bones which I would later turn into crafty projects to enter in our local fair and in return, scooping up my fair share of 1st place red ribbons.
Grandma still resides in Peace River and is still a spitfire and extremely witty (with a memory like an elephant!). Not to mention, she’s a well known photographer in Peace River and turns her images into postcards which she sells at a few locations around town at the ripe age of 89!
Kristy Clavert
Princess Diana
For Women’s History Month I have chosen to feature Princess Diana.
What inspires me the most from Princess Diana’s legacy is her unwillingness to accept the world around her for the way it was and her love, compassion and charity for all. She always did what she believed was right, even when it went against societal norms or royal traditions. At the time of her death, I was a teenager and I remember hearing how she encouraged young people to follow their dreams and to live up to their fullest potential. This has inspired me many times throughout my life to think outside the box and reach for the stars! Princess Diana proved that you can achieve and surpass expectations that others put on you, even during your own personal life challenges.
“I don’t go by the rule book. I lead from the heart, not the head”- Diana
Doortje Geelkerken
Angelique Geelkerken
In honour of Women’s History Month my role model is Angelique Geelkerken, and if you couldn’t tell by the last name, she’s my mom! She is the hardest working women I know and her entrepreneurial spirit is something that inspires me so much. She works so hard every single day and the way she has established her clothing boutique Cento Wear to what it is today is truly impressive!
I am so lucky to not only call Angelique my mom, but also my best friend! Whenever something is on my mind, or I need advice I know I can vent and truly be transparent with my emotions. She always encourages me to work hard and to pursue what I am truly passionate about, and most importantly to be honest with myself.
I am proud to call her my mom and I hope one day I can be even half of the mom that she has been to my brother and I. So thank you mom for being YOU, I am so thankful to have you in my life and for all the love you give. I am so happy I am able to feature you for Women’s History Month!
Jennifer Bickley
Jane Goodall
Last year I listened to Jane Goodall’s MasterClass so she is top of mind when thinking about role models for Women’s History Month!
Jane Goodall is known for her work around climate change. She set out at the age of 26 to research chimpanzees in Gombe due to her fascination and love for animals. Since then she has had a tremendous impact on inspiring people to protect not only chimpanzees but all living beings. Jane Goodall is an example of a woman in science who was able to take a new approach and make huge advancements in her field (she forever changed the field of behavioural science!) and such an important women to highlight for Women’s History Month!
Jane Goodall’s message on climate change is so powerful because she recognizes the interconnectedness of some of the world’s largest challenges. It is evident that her work and storytelling is fuelled by the optimism and hope that she has for this world. “In order to slow down climate change, we must solve four seemingly unsolvable problems. We must eliminate poverty. We must change the unsustainable lifestyles of so many of us. We must abolish corruption. And we must think about our growing human population”
Well, there you have it, a few of the girls on Team Jilly’s favourite role models in honour of Women’s History Month. Make sure to swing back over on March 23rd for part two!
Happy Women’s History Month!
Let us know in the comments who you want to give a shout out to for Women’s History Month!
xo
Team Jilly
