Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
KILLALOE – Caitlin MacDonald, who works in the Watersheds program at the Community Resource Centre (CRC), was one of 40 women awarded Coronation Medals nationwide through the Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF).
A media release from CWF states the organization was invited to nominate people for the award and, “saw this as a rare opportunity to champion changemakers in Canada’s often underseen and undervalued non-profit sector.
“The medal recipients have impacted lives and communities across the country through their work to address multiple intersecting barriers to gender equality, including colonialism, racism, ableism, homophobia and transphobia.”
MacDonald knew she had been nominated, however, nomination was not a guarantee of receiving the medal and she said it felt very good to receive the medal.
For MacDonald, CWF has helped connect her to others in her field of work across the country and helped create a network they can all tap into and rely on to push their work forward. “When I look at that list of 40 people,” she said, “I know people on that list. I’ve worked with them,” and has been able to discuss projects and ideas with peers all across Canada. MacDonald also appreciates that she has been able to connect with others working in small and rural communities who may have similar experience or issues they are dealing with. “Especially in a small, rural community, our service model looks a little bit different than in an urban area.” In a larger community, a client may approach a service provider for help once then never return. “In a small community it’s different. Sometimes people are offering things to the larger community and sometimes we’re getting support,” she said about the more close-knit dynamic of her work in a rural community. Someone may come to her looking for help, then turn around and want to give back to others in similar circumstances. “Recently we had one of our community members do a bath balm workshop,” as the workshop leader. “Sometimes, often actually, it means people have things to offer. They’re looking for connections,” she said and while the issue an individual may be facing is acute, “they’re looking for ways to connect with other people in their community”
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