BY TERESA BIRD
teresa.bird@blackpress.ca
Weeks before International Women’s Day on March 8, Kaitlyn Brennan began thinking about the women in her community and how to recognize them.
Brennan is marketing and communications manager of Qualicum Beach Café. Brennan went to general manager Lynsee Yee and the two women in business planned an event for other businesswomen in the area. The result was Wonder Women Wednesday, which happened March 8 at the Qualicum Beach Café.
More than 100 women responded to say they will attend; at least 300 showed up.
“We started handing out posters to businesses and we couldn’t believe how many women there are in business,” says Brennan prior to the event, adding the poster also went out through the chambers of commerce in Qualicum Beach and Parksville. “Now we have more than 100 people coming.”
The evening included complimentary canapes, welcome bubbly, auction and raffle prizes. Mingling, a photo booth and a balloon arch will add to the festive atmosphere. Proceeds raised from the fundraising will benefit Mamas for Mamas.
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“This is an event that’s really near and dear to Kaitlyn and I,” says Yee. “Being women in leadership and management and being able to showcase this network of individuals and especially for young women.”
Until 2021 Yee worked for Fairmont Hotels and was director of banquets at the Empress in Victoria prior to the pandemic. Brennan was a physiotherapy clinic manager in Vancouver until she and husband Eli opened the Qualicum Beach Café in 2021.
With the strong response for the inaugural event, Brennan and Yee are already planning to make it an annual event accommodating up to 300 women.
“It’s going be exciting to hopefully make this an annual thing,” says Brennan, a mother of two young daughters. “To have them get to see it and see all the women in town and women in business … it’s going be really neat to show them in this little pond that women can make such a big difference.”
Watch for notices about Wonder Women Wednesday for 2023 at the Qualicum Beach Café at Qualicum Beach Inn.