By TREENA MIELKE
The silver anniversary of the Rimbey Women’s Conference will give all those in attendance an opportunity to honour the past with dignity and respect, focus on the present by being joyfully in the moment and keep their hearts and minds open to delightful windows of unlimited future possibilities.
The conference, to be held Feb. 10 at the Rimbey Community Centre, will offer a delightful potpourri of events including relaxation, inspiration, delicious food, shopping and, last, but certainly not least, a chance to renew old acquaintances and make new ones.
Finding the Beauty Within, a topic which, no doubt, is a common thread among women everywhere, will be addressed by Kelly Falardeau who was burned on 75 per cent of her body when she was only two years old.
Now, a wife, mother, and three-time successful entrepreneur, creator and producer of a niche-market documentary called SexAbility, Falardeau will share her own personal story of how she found her own “beauty within.”
“Kelly’s personal charisma, insatiable drive and real world charm will ignite and inspire the true ‘beauty within’ for all of us,” said conference chairperson Brenda Verheire.
“Kelly has walked the runway of life by competing in a model search competition and won the People’s Choice Award,” said Verheire. “She more recently won the Fierce Woman of the Year Award in Edmonton.”
In the afternoon, the ladies will be treated to a humorous and inspirational musical cabaret by Bridget Ryan, the co-host of Breakfast Television.
Ryan, who is an actor, singer, playwright and director was chosen for the Consumer Choice Award Woman of the Year.
“Through song and story, the show is about breaking out of the box, doing what we’ve always wanted to do, tossing fear aside and going for it,” said Verheire.
This year’s conference is a milestone for a group of women in Rimbey and area who have been instrumental each February in bringing the conference to life, said this year’s chairperson.
“Over the years the conference has taken on different formats and addressed different topics of interest to women from massage, to gardening, health and wellness, motivational speakers, cooking, nutrition, fashion, comedy, art, travel, packing a suitcase, hairdressing, makeup, interior decorating, music, you name it,” she said.
“Each year this group manages, with the assistance of input on evaluation forms completed by attendees, to bring bigger and better things to benefit every woman in attendance.”
The conference was first held at the Rimbey Legion and, over the years, has been held at venues including the Rimbey Senior’s Drop-In Centre, Bluffton Hall and the Rimbey Community Centre.
Past women’s conference committee members will be honoured at this year’s event, said Verheire.
“Without the hard work and dedication of the committee members every year, this conference could not take place,” she said.
Registrations for the conference, which includes a hot, catered lunch, refreshments, door prizes and an opportunity to shop at the many vendors’ booths inside, will be taken at the Rimbey FCSS office at the Provincial Building or by phoning 403- 843-2030. Cheques are payable to Rimbey Women’s Conference, and may be mailed to Box 404, Rimbey, Alberta TOC 2JO.
Cost is $40. The cost for early bird registration before Feb. 2 in $35.