Annual Gert Beadle Award

• Who is Gert Beadle
• Purpose of Award
• Nomination Process
  
• Criterion
  
• Nomination Form

Who Is Gert Beadle?

Gert Beadle was in her sixties when she joined the struggle for women’s equality.  As a poet, she used her gift for words as well as her motivating energy to establish the Women’s Crisis Homes Incorporated, which grew to include a women’s centre, rape crisis line, women’s health collective, a women’s credit union, and a feminist newspaper.  Gert also received the “Person’s Award” in recognition of improving status of women, as well the “Order of Canada” in 1986. She also wrote for several women’s publications, and published three poetry books, but she never used her literary gift for personal gain – instead, she donated the proceeds of her book to various women’s centres, including ours.

However, while her achievements are impressive, they are not the heart of what is truly inspirational about Gert.  It is her positive energy, belief in solidarity, and her feminist philosophy that draw inspiration.  She believed that the women’s movement was a movement, and as such should always be moving forward and never take root.  Gert recognized the fact that women contribute to this movement at very many levels and in very many different ways.  More importantly, she never lost sight of the fact that it takes a whole movement to create change, and that we are much more than individuals when we become part of such a movement.  In an article in KINESIS in 1989 she wrote:  “I believe that woman’s relationship with women is more important than any other relationship today, for through it we find ourselves, find our power, find our heart and have the courage to risk again and again for a more human world.”

Gert’s spirit lives on in the words she has penned, the women she has inspired, and the organizations that she has helped create and nurture.  In order to help her legacy “scatter like seeds”, we have established this award which will reflect the values and philosophies of the grassroots feminist movement. 

The aim of the Gert Beadle Award

The aim of the Gert Beadle Award is to recognize the value of the invisible work that is done at the community level to enhance women’s equality.  The Kelowna Women’s Resource Centre understands that the process of change towards women’s equality is a slow one, and that it requires perseverance, determination, commitment and above all solidarity and teamwork.  That is why the criteria for this award is so broad – we hope to recognize work done at all levels, as well as the diverse needs, experiences and values of women.

The nominee must be a woman over the age of 18 or a group in the Kelowna area, and committed to women’s equality and social justice.  The winner will be chosen by the Gert Beadle Nominations Committee.  The award is monetary and is presented at the annual International Women’s Day Celebration.
 

NOMINATION PROCESS:

1)    Nomination forms filled out completely

2)    A narrative, no more than 500 words, that explains how the nominee has contributed to the struggle for women’s equality

COMPLETED NOMINATION PACKAGES NEED TO BE RECEIVED
NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 19th, 2010

Completed nomination packages should be mailed to:

Kelowna Women’s Resource Centre – Gert Beadle Award
1492 St. Paul Street
Kelowna, BC
V1Y 2E6

Or  Email:
(please put the award title in the subject).

Criterion:

• Live in the Kelowna area
• A woman over 16 years of age
• Must be committed to advancing women's equality and social justice

Nomination Form:
 Downloadable here: Nomination Package

In no more than 500 words describe the nominee’s contribution to the struggle for women’s equality.  The statement should include a description of activities the candidate has undertaken that relate to promoting the equality of women.