Two Mission residents earned the Myrtle Evertt Woman of the Year award, handed out Oct. 10 at Cedarbrooke Chateau.
Teresa Yu and Marilyn MacDonald each won the honour, which recognizes individuals who are high achievers in business or a profession.
Yu is a registered nurse and certified acupressure therapist with more than 20 years experience in wellness and mental health practice. Her clients speak of how she "empowers" them by focusing on assuming responsibility for their own care and by individualizing treatment for all ages.
MacDonald's career has included work as a journalist, adult educator and a wide variety of community volunteering. In her nomination, her colleagues and friends identified her dedication to empowering others, especially her students, to overcome their emotional, physical of social barriers.
The event — which was held for the first time in Mission — also generated funds for bursaries that assist young women to undertake post-secondary education, and Mission Secondary School student Megan Shurey won the Business and Professional Women's 2012 bursary. She plans to attend the University of the Fraser Valley before attending medical school.
The Myrtle Evertts will now happen every second year, and in 2014, candidates will be nominated from the non-profit community service and sport athletic sectors.