Woman of Wisdom and Passion
In 2008, the Executive Board of British Columbia decided to honour a woman in our province who has demonstrated passion and wisdom in her pursuit to improve the lives of others in her community or in underdeveloped regions of the world. She has inspired others through her work. She does not have to be a member of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.
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Nomination Form for DKG, British Columbia, Woman of Wisdom and Passion Award
At the Annual General Meeting on November 7, 2020, on ZOOM, the criteria, nomination form, and the process for the selection of the Woman of Wisdom and Passion were revised. Information about the process was added to the By-Laws (see page 16 of that document). Click here to open the Nomination Form.
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At the Annual General Meeting on November 7, 2020, on ZOOM, the criteria, nomination form, and the process for the selection of the Woman of Wisdom and Passion were revised. Information about the process was added to the By-Laws (see page 16 of that document). Click here to open the Nomination Form.
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There were two nominations for this award this year (2020). It was with great pleasure that both women were awarded this honour:
Sharon Davis and Sylvia Olsen
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Sharon Davis and Sylvia Olsen
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Sharon Davis is the founder and currently a co-chair of the Vancouver Chapter of Room to Read since 2006. This is a voluntary position. She leads a team of volunteers to create awareness and raise funds. She is a member of The Global Literacy Organization that has impacted the lives of over 18 million children in the developing world. It focuses on Literacy and Gender Equality. Sharon is involved in fundraising, Business Development, Donor Development, Sponsorships, Digital Marketing, Leadership Training, and Community Partnerships. She has helped raise $4.5 million over 13 years.
Previous relevant community involvement
- Volunteer Board Member of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum 2004-2006.
- Organizing committee for the annual induction ceremony and gala (1000+ attendees).
- Co-created an online education program (Here In You) to help inspire children to strive to be their best at whatever they chose to be.
- Core of the Program involved working with the inducted Olympic athletes to share their stories to inspire youth.
- ONE TO ONE Literacy - Co-founding Member and program volunteer 2002- 2004. The is a children's literacy program that provides one-to-one tutoring to children in elementary schools during regular school hours. (Vancouver) Volunteered in the program before transitioning it with a team to its own self-sustaining non-profit.
- Big Brother's In-School Mentoring Program 2004 – 2006. Mentored students (one on one) in the school setting.
- Volunteer Board Member Indian Summer Festival (Vancouver) 2010 – 2013. Multifaceted festival bringing India culture to the masses. (literature, food, dance, politics, film, art)
- Co-founder and Volunteer of the Capacity Conference 2018. She collaborated with a small team to create an event for small to medium non-profits and charities to assist them with elevating their organizations and staying current to changes in their sector. Topics covered were collaboration, facilitation, leadership, event organizing.
The key reasons we are supporting this nomination.
I first met Sharon when I was a literacy consultant at the Vancouver School Board. She and another Room to Read volunteer met with the other literacy consultant and myself and explained the work of Room to Read to see if there was a possibility of working together. We were impressed with the vision and the materials that we saw. Room to Read is an amazing organization, initially building libraries, now focusing on primary education, and supporting girls’ secondary education all over the world. See the website at https://www.roomtoread.org.
When we met with Sharon and her colleague, we were particularly impressed with samples of the books that they had commissioned authors and illustrators to write, and who lived in the countries where they are used. The books were written in both English as well as the country’s first language. This was such a better idea it seemed than shipping books written in North America to these countries.
A businesswoman so committed to literacy really impressed and amazed me. One of my friends with a doctorate in reading was a bit skeptical about the organization until she saw a Room to Read library in Nepal and how well it was set up and used.
I have known Sharon for more than ten years and have been to many excellent Room to Read events since then. When I was teaching seventh grade, she visited my class and inspired them to fundraise for Room to Read. After seeing the incredible work of Room to Read, rather than a gift when I retired, I chose to have as my retirement gift, money donated to Room to Read and our school library.
One of the things that has impressed me most about Sharon, in addition to her passionate support of literacy, is how she has inspired and mentored young businesswomen to take leadership in the local organization. It has been great meeting some of these young women and seeing their passion at work.
Due to her work with businesses in Vancouver with Room to Read, she was asked to help a business get their more employees involved in philanthropy. This led to a new business for Sharon called Giving Well. https://givingwell.ca/
I can’t think of a better candidate for this award as Sharon is definitely a woman of wisdom and passion.
Meredyth Kezar, nominator.
Previous relevant community involvement
- Volunteer Board Member of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum 2004-2006.
- Organizing committee for the annual induction ceremony and gala (1000+ attendees).
- Co-created an online education program (Here In You) to help inspire children to strive to be their best at whatever they chose to be.
- Core of the Program involved working with the inducted Olympic athletes to share their stories to inspire youth.
- ONE TO ONE Literacy - Co-founding Member and program volunteer 2002- 2004. The is a children's literacy program that provides one-to-one tutoring to children in elementary schools during regular school hours. (Vancouver) Volunteered in the program before transitioning it with a team to its own self-sustaining non-profit.
- Big Brother's In-School Mentoring Program 2004 – 2006. Mentored students (one on one) in the school setting.
- Volunteer Board Member Indian Summer Festival (Vancouver) 2010 – 2013. Multifaceted festival bringing India culture to the masses. (literature, food, dance, politics, film, art)
- Co-founder and Volunteer of the Capacity Conference 2018. She collaborated with a small team to create an event for small to medium non-profits and charities to assist them with elevating their organizations and staying current to changes in their sector. Topics covered were collaboration, facilitation, leadership, event organizing.
The key reasons we are supporting this nomination.
I first met Sharon when I was a literacy consultant at the Vancouver School Board. She and another Room to Read volunteer met with the other literacy consultant and myself and explained the work of Room to Read to see if there was a possibility of working together. We were impressed with the vision and the materials that we saw. Room to Read is an amazing organization, initially building libraries, now focusing on primary education, and supporting girls’ secondary education all over the world. See the website at https://www.roomtoread.org.
When we met with Sharon and her colleague, we were particularly impressed with samples of the books that they had commissioned authors and illustrators to write, and who lived in the countries where they are used. The books were written in both English as well as the country’s first language. This was such a better idea it seemed than shipping books written in North America to these countries.
A businesswoman so committed to literacy really impressed and amazed me. One of my friends with a doctorate in reading was a bit skeptical about the organization until she saw a Room to Read library in Nepal and how well it was set up and used.
I have known Sharon for more than ten years and have been to many excellent Room to Read events since then. When I was teaching seventh grade, she visited my class and inspired them to fundraise for Room to Read. After seeing the incredible work of Room to Read, rather than a gift when I retired, I chose to have as my retirement gift, money donated to Room to Read and our school library.
One of the things that has impressed me most about Sharon, in addition to her passionate support of literacy, is how she has inspired and mentored young businesswomen to take leadership in the local organization. It has been great meeting some of these young women and seeing their passion at work.
Due to her work with businesses in Vancouver with Room to Read, she was asked to help a business get their more employees involved in philanthropy. This led to a new business for Sharon called Giving Well. https://givingwell.ca/
I can’t think of a better candidate for this award as Sharon is definitely a woman of wisdom and passion.
Meredyth Kezar, nominator.
Sylvia Olsen is a married-in member of the Tsartlip First Nation in Brentwood Bay, on the Saanich Peninsula, on Vancouver Island. She has lived in Tsartlip for 35 years. Sylvia became passionate about the First Nations on-reserve housing conditions. In the mid 1990s she worked as a Housing Manager there trying to develop a sensible, equitable and effective housing delivery system. Sylvia worked for First Nations across the country developing housing policies and plans. She realized that the ongoing housing crisis was designed and perpetuated by the federal government.
Over the years, Sylvia has worked on national and provincial on-reserve housing committees advocating for systematic change:
~ The National Assembly of First Nations’ Chiefs Committee on Housing and Infrastructure
~ The BC Aboriginal Housing Committee,
~ The First Nations’ National Housing Managers’ Association,
~ The BC FNs Housing and infrastructure Council (currently).
In 2000 Sylvia returned to university and did a doctoral degree focused on the history of federal government housing programs on reserves in Canada. Her PhD dissertation, “Making Poverty: A History of On-reserve Housing Programs, 1930 -
1996” is powerful, being the first thorough examination of how Canada created such a disastrous situation on reserves. Sylvia has also worked with Vancouver Island University to develop a First Nations Housing Management Certificate Program. Since 2015 Sylvia has been delivering the on-line course to students across the country, the first in Canada.
Her passion and support of the Housing Managers is making a difference. While government and First Nations’ leadership are working on improving the housing system itself, this professional cadre of educated housing managers are changing on–reserve housing on the front line. One of Sylvia’s students in Nova Scotia writes, “I have come to enjoy this course even though it has been challenging. I am learning so much. I have started networking with my neighbouring community housing departments. We are partnering up to develop a housing committee. Since taking the course, I have built up my confidence and am able to share my knowledge. Thank you for that.”
Key Reasons We Support Sylvia
Lennor met Sylvia at a speakers’ event on the Saanich Peninsula and asked her if she could come and speak to the South Vancouver Island DKG chapter in the fall of 2015. Sylvia came, and had our members and guests mesmerized with her passion to help the First Nations across our country. Sylvia also told us about the Cowichan Sweaters. At age sixteen she was immersed in her family’s knitting tradition and marketed them from her home until interest faded around the world. Her master’s thesis became Coast Salish Knitters, which also became a National Film Board documentary. Sylvia has written many books for young and older children as well as histories and essays. Sylvia is definitely a worthy Woman of Passion and Wisdom.
When Sylvia read what we are presenting she was thankful and replied, “Thank you so much. I believe that by telling the knitters’ story I have helped the public appreciate a story that was not understood, but I don’t think that is as clearly educational or life changing as the Housing Managers. Thank you for this opportunity. While reading your piece I realize that, in fact, the VIU course is a very big deal. I am going to Toronto to do a presentation on it and it truly has changed lives and changed housing for many people…that’s a big thing. I was the one who made it happen, but I had an amazing woman at the Vancouver Island University who was also committed and helped me … so the university was very supportive. It took a lot of effort.”
Lennor Stieda and Cathy Harrower, nominators.
Over the years, Sylvia has worked on national and provincial on-reserve housing committees advocating for systematic change:
~ The National Assembly of First Nations’ Chiefs Committee on Housing and Infrastructure
~ The BC Aboriginal Housing Committee,
~ The First Nations’ National Housing Managers’ Association,
~ The BC FNs Housing and infrastructure Council (currently).
In 2000 Sylvia returned to university and did a doctoral degree focused on the history of federal government housing programs on reserves in Canada. Her PhD dissertation, “Making Poverty: A History of On-reserve Housing Programs, 1930 -
1996” is powerful, being the first thorough examination of how Canada created such a disastrous situation on reserves. Sylvia has also worked with Vancouver Island University to develop a First Nations Housing Management Certificate Program. Since 2015 Sylvia has been delivering the on-line course to students across the country, the first in Canada.
Her passion and support of the Housing Managers is making a difference. While government and First Nations’ leadership are working on improving the housing system itself, this professional cadre of educated housing managers are changing on–reserve housing on the front line. One of Sylvia’s students in Nova Scotia writes, “I have come to enjoy this course even though it has been challenging. I am learning so much. I have started networking with my neighbouring community housing departments. We are partnering up to develop a housing committee. Since taking the course, I have built up my confidence and am able to share my knowledge. Thank you for that.”
Key Reasons We Support Sylvia
Lennor met Sylvia at a speakers’ event on the Saanich Peninsula and asked her if she could come and speak to the South Vancouver Island DKG chapter in the fall of 2015. Sylvia came, and had our members and guests mesmerized with her passion to help the First Nations across our country. Sylvia also told us about the Cowichan Sweaters. At age sixteen she was immersed in her family’s knitting tradition and marketed them from her home until interest faded around the world. Her master’s thesis became Coast Salish Knitters, which also became a National Film Board documentary. Sylvia has written many books for young and older children as well as histories and essays. Sylvia is definitely a worthy Woman of Passion and Wisdom.
When Sylvia read what we are presenting she was thankful and replied, “Thank you so much. I believe that by telling the knitters’ story I have helped the public appreciate a story that was not understood, but I don’t think that is as clearly educational or life changing as the Housing Managers. Thank you for this opportunity. While reading your piece I realize that, in fact, the VIU course is a very big deal. I am going to Toronto to do a presentation on it and it truly has changed lives and changed housing for many people…that’s a big thing. I was the one who made it happen, but I had an amazing woman at the Vancouver Island University who was also committed and helped me … so the university was very supportive. It took a lot of effort.”
Lennor Stieda and Cathy Harrower, nominators.
Past Recipients of this award are:
2008 - Lorrie Williams
2009 - Lennor Stieda
2010 - Jody Paterson
2011 - Jonquile Hallgate
2012 - Anne Thompson
2013 - Muriel Endersby
2014 - Louise Paulson
2015 - Hilary King
2016 - Sheila Pither
2017 - Shirley Lang
2018 - Daphne Bramhan
To read more about these past honoured women, click here.
This page was created in 2009, and was last edited on November 11, 2020, January 3, 2021.
