Four Burnaby women are in the running for the YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards.
Nancy Keough, the executive director of the Kettle Society, has been nominated in the non-profit and public service category. The organization helps people with mental illness by providing housing, employment and support services.
"Nancy takes everyone, whether it's someone who's homeless, or someone who comes into the drop-in centre, she takes them exactly where they are and just respects everybody," said board chair Brenda Lea Brown, who filled out and submitted Keough's nomination form. "She's always understood, as a woman and as a feminist, that treating a woman with mental health issues is a little bit different than treating a man."
Keough started with the Kettle Society in 1978, working on and off as a social worker until 1991, when she took over the top job.
Of the many inroads the society has made under Keough's leadership, Brown cited a few examples, including pushing for a women's lounge at the Kettle's drop-in centre at Venables and Commercial Drive.
"She understood that if you're the three out of 10 people who happen to be female and you walk into a big drop-in centre, you need a place to go and have a private shower. Female clients could begin their own recoveries feeling safe," she said.
Keough was also the driving force behind Peggy's Place, a transition house for women disabled by mental illness who have experienced domestic violence.
"That particular building, I spent five years at meetings asking, 'What about our transition house application?' They must have got so sick of me saying it, I think they finally decided to fund it," Keough said, jokingly during an interview with the NOW.
Keough, who has lived in Burnaby for 30 years, also helped the drop-in centre acquire a part-time nurse.
"Nancy had been to nine funerals one year. She was discovering people were more unhealthy, not mentally, buy physically, suffering from things like diabetes," Brown said. "She then put together a proposal, and as a consequence, funding came forward for a part-time nurse."
As a grassroots organization, Brown noted the Kettle Society has grown to a $12-million operation, with more than 100 staff members.
When asked what word best describes the self-proclaimed feminist, Brown answered with "heart."
Keough said the nomination - her first - is humbling.
"There are women out there working for change in the world. I think it's a good message, especially for my daughter and granddaughters, and my sons, too," she said.
Other nominees from Burnaby include Vivian Eliopoulos with Vancouver Coastal Health, Lianna Mah, the vice president of business development at Associated Engineering, and Sandra Singh, the chief librarian at the Vancouver Public Library.
This year marks the 32nd year of the Women of Distinction Awards, which pay tribute to individuals and organizations whose outstanding activities and achievements contribute to the well-being of the community.
In addition to the 10 nomination categories, individual nominees are eligible for the Connecting the Community Award. Nominees have to select a YWCA program area they're interested in and use social media from April 22 to May 15 to promote votes. The nominee with the most votes wins the title and $10,000 from Scotiabank, to be donated to the program of her choice.
Winners will be announced on May 26 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
