Outstanding women recognized in impressive gala

Corey Wells has reason to be surprised by her recent win at the 16 annual Esquao awards: the awards were created by the Institute of the Advancement of Aboriginal Women and she works for IAAW.

“It is very overwhelming, humbling, that other people think highly of you and the things you have done,” said Wells, who was among 20 Aboriginal women honoured for achievements in their communities.

Wells took home an award for her years of dedicated service in the category of community involvement.
Spanning over a couple of decades, her depth of experience, contribution, and involvement in the community is extraordinary.

Wells has consistently been involved in helping children and their families, worked with the Wood’s Home Foundation, provided mentorship as a school counselor and directed a treatment centre for Aboriginal youth. If that wasn’t enough, she is now working with the IAAW, and running her own agency providing intervention, prevention, grief and loss training and cultural awareness training with child and family services, foster workers and parents. In the summer she teams up with her father to run summer tipi camps.

Wells has a poignant message for today’s youth: “persistence and patience will get you through. Things happen. Not everything is going to go your way. Don’t give up, keep going. If that path doesn’t work for you, then find another.”

The Esquao awards are not about competition. The awards are designed to recognize Aboriginal women in society. Fourteen categories cover a wide spectrum from arts to trades to a special category dedicated to honouring those serving in the Canadian armed forces, police, fire and emergency services.

“There are women from such vast amount of communities all over Alberta that as long as their community and the people around them feel they deserve recognition, who is to judge that?” said Wells.

The approach to the nomination process is unique and driven by those closest to the nominees. A detailed nomination form must be completed and includes three letters of recommendation.  The first 20 nominations are recognized with the prestigious Esquao Award. Since its inception in 1995, over 300 women have received recognition for their hard work and dedication.

The Circle of Honour award was presented to Dr. Maggie Hodgson, a member of the Nadleh Whuten Carrier First Nation, who has worked locally, nationally and internationally. She spearheaded a national health promotions initiative called “Keep the Circle Strong, National Addictions Awareness Week.” This initiative started with 25 communities and has since grown to 1,500 communities across Canada with 700,000 people involved.

Other recipients were Angel Dawn Rain (Edmonton); Donna Leeking (Drumheller) for the Dorothy Daniels Justice; Donna Many Grey Horses (Calgary) and Kay Half-Edm (Edmonton) for health and medicine; Leona Boyer (High Prairie) for Colleen Klein’s Children’s Future; Malvina Moore (Edmonton) for the Corporal Bertha Houle; Melissa Dawn Isaac (High Prairie) and Kayla Fayant (Fishing Lake) for aspiring young woman; Phyllis Grace Steves (Edmonton), Alice Strawberry (Rocky Mountain House) and Karen Telford (Myrnam) for education; Rita Auger (Wabasca) and Cecilia Morin (Enoch) for lifetime achievement; and, Valerie Findlay (Edson) and Verna Wittigom (High Prairie) for community involvement.
Themed Angels Among Us, the gala was a celebration of Aboriginal women. Hosts Georgina Lightning and Nathanial Arcand, as well as an impressive line up of Aboriginal entertainers, ensured the evening was one to remember. The event was held May 26 at the River Cree Resort.