ISLAND created by local Island women
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SHARING INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, HUMOUR AND INFORMATION
INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE DONA ANDERSON
courage
NANCY BROWN
JANICE HAYWARD
SARAH DAVIAU FRAN HUNT-JINNOUCHI
connection leap of faith possibility
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CELEBRATING AND CONNECTING THE WOMEN OF VANCOUVER ISLAND AND BEYOND Volume 2 Issue 3
COVER
The Big Leap
In This Issue Sooo ...
What’s with that frog on the cover?
I Am Forever Drawn Home
Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi goes back to her roots
I Think...
Ally Rees tells us why that may be dangerous
Edge-Dwellers...
Nancy Brown and people like her
Garden Party
Grace Cockburn with some autumn cleanup
Soul Searching
Maureen Eykelenboom and soul determination
What is Obstetric Fistula
Vernice Shostal and Zonta’s goal
Making a Difference
Gifty Serbeh-Dunn with a sponsor’s message
Between Two Countries
Carolyn Burns and the struggle to find home
No Tankers Off Our Coast!
Terry Dance-Bennink and the power of change
Betrayal
Kate Larsen and the longing for courage
Taking Ac on
Emily Madill and the never-ending list
A Leap of Faith
Janice Hayward and new adventures
Is It Just Me...
Sarah Daviau and the beauty of just being polite
So How Should I Be
Joyce Bezusko redefines her ‘years’
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Do you have a favourite island photo you’d like to share? Send it to: stories@islandgals.ca and your photo may be on the next cover.
Women In Wine
Deborah Wickins highlights a few winners
The V Word
Ann Baird and how we need to get back to basics
We Are Living History
Pattie Whitehouse and living our history
The Short List
Donna Lynch shares her stupid mistake list
Sisterfriends
Elaine Lakeman with friends through the storms
Universal Law
Ulla Jacobs and the Law of Free Will
Turning Lemons into Lemonade
Germana Rovinelli and the beauty of change
Springing of Courage
Dona Anderson and her ‘personal manager’
Ready to Open the Doors
Brooke Sackett and the strength to leap
Your Horoscope
Linda Standidge and what’s on the horizon
For the Love of Food
Sally Rae Dyck and a few spins on pizza
ISLAND created by local island women
gals
SHARING INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, HUMOUR AND INFORMATION Volume 2 Issue 3
Find us at www.islandgals.ca or write to us for all inquiries info@islandgals.ca 250.217.2388 Copyright © 2012 Island Gals No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Island Gals does not endorse or represent any of the products or services in this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Island Gals is published four times a year.
CELEBRATING AND CONNECTING THE WOMEN OF VANCOUVER ISLAND AND BEYOND 2
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Sooo... what’s with that frog on the cover? by Johanna Socha Publisher’s Note
Well I’ll tell you. So I was out in my garden one day pulling weeds. I don’t particularly have a green thumb and I’m always thrilled when something I plant actually grows, but I’m great at weed-pulling. It feels productive and effective, but also very therapeutic. It seems to clean out the clutter in my head and silence the noisy chatter. And it seems like I can negotiate and solve not only my own problems, but the problems of the world. I was out there one day and noticed this frog right in the middle of a huge leaf. Problem was she was pretty close to my weeding territory. I needed for her to move along and get out of my way but she wouldn’t budge. I nudged the leaf a little, but I could see her spindly little legs tighten her grip. I tried to get her on to another leaf so I could move her to a safer location, but she just backed up and gripped for dear life. I didn’t understand the resistance.
You’re a frog! Jump! I guess the problem was she didn’t know where she was going to land. So even though this leaf wasn’t the best place to be, I guess she thought it was better than the unknown.
I hear ya sista. It reminded me of something a wise woman said to me not too long ago; “You’ve got to jump off the cliff to find out if you can fly.” Thanks Sherri.
I
decided to name the frog Phyllis, after Phyllis Diller. I loved Phyllis Diller. I loved to watch her be exactly who she wanted to be. In fact, she made a career out of it. She didn’t just jump off cliffs, she pogosticked her way over them. I guess she somehow knew that wherever she landed, she’d be OK. So I decided to go about my weeding and if Phyllis didn’t want to budge off that leaf, well that was her problem. I guess I must have gotten a little too annoying and even the safety of that leaf wasn’t good enough for poor Phyllis anymore, and Phyllis decided to take the leap into the unknown.
I wanted to become me, totally me. The more me, the better. I instinctively knew this and I was right. My recipe for dealing with anger and frustration: set the kitchen timer for twenty minutes, cry, rant, and rave, and at the sound of the bell, simmer down and go about business as usual Women want men, careers, money, children, friends, luxury, comfort, independence, freedom, respect, love, and three dollar pantyhose that won’t run.
And she landed right in the bowl of lettuce I had just picked out of my garden. That soft landing must have been a nice relief for Phyllis, who by now was probably so stressed from not wanting to leave that leaf. Ahhh Phyllis. If you only knew you’d land in that lettuce, you’d have jumped a long time ago. But who knew? Not Phyllis. I think we could all use a little Phyllis Diller in our lives. I know I could.
Aim high, and you won’t shoot your foot off. ~Phyllis Diller
Island Gals would love to hear from you! Write to us with your comments at: publisher@islandgals.ca ISLANDgals.ca
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taking A
CTION
“the grass is always greener W
by Emily Madill
HERE YOU WATER IT”
am a devoted ‘To Do’ list maker. When I ‘focus’ on creating a certain result in my life, whether personal or professional, I am more apt to take the steps that eventually help me reach my goal. The key for me has always been to write my goals down. Then each day I write down at least one thing I can do, no matter how big or small, that will help me get there. There are those who snicker and make fun of my quirky lists and ‘Type A’ behaviour; however I find something very powerful in the act of putting pen to paper. Having my goals before me in such a visible and accessible format is a strong reminder to take action and keep my dreams in motion. When I put a dream, a goal or even a task on the back burner that is exactly where it stays. Life gets busy and there are always a number of things that pull me in different directions. When I take a good look around at the current state of my life and results I’ve created it becomes very obvious what kind of effort I’ve been putting in. If I don’t like what I see, I can ‘course correct’, take action and move forward. If I’m happy with my results I trek on. I like to believe we all can achieve our deepest desires and dreams; it’s a matter of believing we can, and then going out and doing something about it. I don’t feel success is limited to a select few. Achieving personal accomplishments and attaining dreams generally happens for those who take action and do something to help make it happen.
I
Author Unknown
We all have our roadblocks and obstacles to overcome on the journey of actualizing dreams; some are faced with more obvious and challenging barriers than others. The one constant is that the future isn’t written in stone. I believe I am an active participant in shaping my future and I have a choice in how much effort and action I apply in my life. Emily lives on Vancouver I find Pema Chodron’s Island, BC with her husband quote: “The future is and two sons. She has a degree completely open, and we in Business and Psychology. are writing it moment Emily believes in the to moment” to be very importance of teaching inspiring. I am not children accountability and suggesting that in order empowerment from a young age. She enjoys writing and to take action and achieve creating anything that will success everyone must inspire others to believe in write down their goals, themselves. Being a mother is and carry around lists and the most creative job she has reminders of what they had to date. will do. There are many www.emilymadill.com different techniques that support taking action; do what works best for you. Whatever method we each choose to take, may we all make the most of our moments on the journey to reaching our deepest desires and dreams.
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what is obstetric fistula
by Vernice Shostal
Advancing the Status of Women Worldwide Through Service & Advocacy
In cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (NFPA), improving maternal health and working toward the elimination of obstetric fistula and the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity in Liberia is one of Zonta’s International projects. Liberia has an estimated population of 3.5 million people with a maternal mortality ratio estimated at 990 deaths per 100,000 live births. Four women die every day in pregnancy or childbirth. With lack of health care, 54% of women deliver their babies at home. Fistula, almost unheard of in high income countries, or in countries where obstetric care is available, is caused by sustained pressure of the baby’s head on the mother’s pelvic bone, damaging her soft tissue and pelvic nerves, causing a hole - or fistula - between the vagina and bladder and/or rectum. The pressure prevents blood flow to tissue and eventually the dead tissue peels off, damaging the original structure of the vagina, resulting in constant leaking of urine and/or feces through the vagina. In most cases, the baby is stillborn. In some cases the mother is paralysed. Often there is a stigma associated with this condition in the community and women suffering from fistula are abandoned by their families and marginalized by their communities – a long way from achieving a balanced status for women. It is still a common belief that obstetric fistula is sent as a punishment for wrongdoing! Traumatic fistula, as a result of rape, in a country with little or no access to a gynaecologist, adds to the psychological trauma, fear and stigma that follows rape including the risk of unwanted pregnancy, vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections, decreased chances for women to get married, find work A patient attends a literacy class or participate in the larger (GMB Akash/Panos Pictures) community.
If you are, or have been, a business executive or professional seeking to improve the lives of women worldwide; promote women’s human rights and equality, share with other professionals, or form international friendships, membership in the Zonta Club of Victoria may be for you. Visit www.zontavictoria.org, or email zontavictoria@yahoo.ca.
Teenage girls face higher risk of obstructed labour
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2011 Fistula Campaign Launch parade in Kataka, Liberia
Interlinked root causes of obstetric fistula are associated with early marriage (many girls are in their early teens) and older women who have delivered many children. Child bearing before the pelvis is fully developed, malnutrition, small stature and general poor health are underlying factors. The average cost of fistula surgery and post-operative care is approximately US$675, while the cost of social rehabilitation for a fistula survivor (provision of skills training and psychosocial support) is US $1,300 on average. The 2012-2014 Zonta International Service fund commitment to eliminate obstetric fistula in Liberia is US$1,000,000. Zonta’s goal to end obstetric fistula in this African country includes: preventing fistula from occurring in the first place; providing quality treatment for women and girls living with fistula; rehabilitate and reintegrate fistula survivors; provide support to women with inoperable cases. Since 2008, Zonta International has been the major funder of the Liberia Fistula Project, a UNFPA supported initiative to end the condition in Liberia.
Next issue: Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Rwanda. A former high school teacher from the prairies, Vernice enjoys writing, cooking, gardening and golfing for fun. She is inspired by people who work together to promote a world where men and women are considered equal. Mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Vernice and her husband, Peter, live in Victoria.
Two women wait for surgery to repair obstetric fistulae
ISLANDgals.ca
Fistula survivor afforded new skills for business opportunity
I am forever drawn home...
By Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi
I
grew up on the shores of beautiful Quatsino Sound in an isolated Indian village. I only need to close my eyes and I am taken back—to the warm summer’s sun on my face and the sound of the ocean softly caressing the beach. I can still hear the crickets, and the woodpecker with the bright red cap that hung out by the old school for as long as I can remember. The tide is low; the smell of seaweed is intense. The huckleberries are so vivid in my mind’s eye that I’m sure I can smell them, though I know they have no scent.
M
y mother, brother and sister are buried here, their graves marked with majestic carved killer whales that symbolize our maternal family’s crest.
I hate leaving them here—but where better to rest? Here, they can oversee the ocean, and safeguard the ancient burial island and our treasure of memories.
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ISLANDgals.ca
I
am forever drawn home. As I grow older I realize that that yearning—that tugging on a deep sinew that binds my heart and soul together near those shores—is what inspired me to start a kayak business in the early 90s with my husband Marc. We created a voyage called Ancient Voices that honoured the annual journeys of my youth; departing by kayak from Coal Harbour, the trip included stops at some traditional village sites along the way, including Quatsino, Oyakumla and Clienna in Winter Harbour. Every summer, my family would travel from Quatsino to Winter Harbour for the fishing season, where we would all bunk into a one-room shack with my grandparents. That small cabin at Winter Harbour would one day burn down, taking the life of their grandson—my fifteen-year old uncle Bobby, and shortly afterward, my grandparents went out to sea and never returned. They were considered to be lost, but I believe they went out with the intention never to return. Their deaths—their broken hearts—are commemorated with a small modest totem pole in the park in Winter Harbour. I didn’t return to Winter Harbour until 20 years after they died, and Ancient Voices allowed me to travel back in time, physically and spiritually. Ultimately, I am who I am today because of the land on which I was raised, the ocean on which I travelled, and the teachings of my grandparents and extended community. What I recall most throughout my life is that I never stopped dreaming. I would dream of meeting Elvis in person, travelling to far-off places, joining Nancy Drew as she solved another seemingly impossible mystery, and even of working in a restaurant (a favourite game I acted out with my cousin Eleanor). I had boundless dreams. ometimes I think today’s youth have lost the ability or desire to dream. I’m still dreaming, and I believe that’s why I have experienced such a rich journey in my work, entrepreneurial endeavors, and play.
S
I recently resigned from my role as the Director of the Office of Indigenous Affairs at the University of Victoria, to wholeheartedly join forces with my husband Marc in establishing and marketing our restaurant: Evedar’s Bistro in Langford. We didn’t know much about the food industry when we began this new adventure, but from the boat and kayak rental business we knew that customer service and creating a wonderful customer experience are keys to any successful endeavour. We strive to excel in customer service and have worked diligently to create a team of like-minded people. Nonetheless, I am still that young girl from the village, forever connected to my childhood and the traditions of my people— especially those of my loving and nurturing grandparents and those early dreams which continued to emerge. I did make it to Graceland, and have traveled to many far-off places; I still have a collection of those old Nancy Drew books on my shelf, and have owned two restaurants. My time here on Coast Salish territory has been memorable, and for the time being we call Victoria home. Of course, I am ever dreaming about the next part of my journey, my next adventure, opportunity and challenge. But in the end, my feet will always stand in spirit on two shores, joining Quatsino Sound and Winter Harbour. In this I am reminded of my grandpa’s words, “Jsinau (my Indian name), you are a smart girl, you will talk for our people someday.” I hope I have proven him right. I want to acknowledge Kerissa Dickey for providing editorial support. Marc and I invite you to visit us at Evedar’s Bistro. Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi holds a Bachelor of Social Work, UVic; Master’s of Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University; PhD Candidate, UVic - Doctor of Philosophy, Dept. of Education Psychology & Leadership Studies (currently withdrawn). Along with her husband Marc Jinnouchi they have a successful restaurant in Greater Victoria and owned and operated North Island Boat & Kayak Rentals. Fran was the inaugural Director of the Office of Indigenous Affairs at the University of Victoria, Director of the Saanich Adult Education Centre and acting principal of the K’ak’ot’latsi School in Quatsino, near Port Hardy. She was an elected Chief of the Quatsino First Nation as well as a School Trustee in School District #85. Fran was also the founding chair of the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association in BC and has served on numerous boards related to small business development, education, social development and Aboriginal adult education. She specializes in Aboriginal Adult Education program development.
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ISLAND created by local Island women
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SHARING INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, HUMOUR AND INFORMATION
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CELEBRATING AND CONNECTING THE WOMEN OF VANCOUVER ISLAND AND BEYOND