Raising a Glass to Women For International Women’s Day
With so many women standing up and speaking out, it is wonderful when we can stop and celebrate and lift one another up. There are many strong and inspiring women in the wine and food industry, and we caught up with a few of them to see who they would like to raise a glass of their BC wine to. Who would you raise your glass to on this important day?
Dawn Reimer of Mirabel Vineyards, Kelowna, BC:
“I would like to raise a glass to my friend Lotte Davis founder of One Girl Can. Lotte has a passion for giving girls in Africa the opportunity to achieve their potential and their dreams by building new schools and giving them an education in some of the most poverty-struck areas of Africa. When you invest in a girl’s education, you are investing in the world”
Rebecca McKinney of Okanagan Crush Pad, Summerland, BC
“Today, on International Women’s day, I’ll be raising a glass to our fearless leader, Christine Coletta aka ‘Boss Lady’. Chriss is inspiring for so many reasons. She is a trailblazer in our industry, from working in the early days for the BCWI to define and put BC VQA wines on the map, to founding the BC Hospitality Foundation to support our hospitality workers in their time of need. No task is too big for Chriss to take on; she just went to the Supreme Court to assist in the legal challenge to allow the shipping of wine across all provincial borders, no big deal! When most people were considering retiring, Chriss found another gear and started her own winery, Okanagan Crush Pad, with her husband Steve Lornie, which has established itself as a leader of innovation in the Okanagan Valley. What this lady gets done in a days’ work would make most people’s head spin, so here’s to you Chriss and the next inspiring challenge you’re going to take on!”
Laura Preckel of Singletree Winery, Abbotsford, BC
“In honour of International Woman’s Day, I would like to celebrate and raise a glass to my mom, Ildiko. My mom has always been my biggest supporter. No matter what I have pursued or what crazy idea I have come up with, my mom has always been there cheering me on. She has inspired me to be a better mom for my own son. She is funny and independent. No matter what life threw her; she handled it with grace and perseverance. She sacrificed everything to ensure we, as kids, had what we needed. My mom works hard but always makes time for her kids and grandkids. She is one of the most loving, caring, and strongest people I know and she means the world to me. Love you mom! You inspire me!”
