The VIFF team is thrilled that our fearless leader, Jacqueline Dupuis, has been nominated for the 2015 YWCA Women of Distinction’s Connecting the Community Award. Through Jacqueline’s endeavours to create and support meaningful local connections, her passion for community and youth engagement shines through on a daily basis.
If selected for this prestigious award, Jacqueline has chosen the YWCA cause: Healthy Choices for Youth as the benefactor for the $10,000 Scotiabank donation. “Having overcome at-risk factors in my own childhood, I very passionately support healthy choices for youth. Positive role models and opportunities to develop confidence, self-reliance and perspective are critical to ensuring a positive life experience and contribution to society through a sense of purpose and meaning, fostered in the context of the world around us” notes Jacqueline.
We thought it would be great for you to get to know Jacqueline better with a few fun facts, and encourage you to cast your daily vote for her in the YWCA poll. Reminder, you can vote daily through 12pm Friday May 15th.
FROM THE GROUND UP
Jacqueline is a bonafide farm girl from Saskatchewan, where as the joke goes, “you can watch your dog run-away for days”. But growing up under the vast prairie skies, pictured here in this photo taken by her father of a harvest sunset on the family farm (homesteaded by her great grandfather in 1908), she learned the importance of community, hard work and tenacity. She also found her love for nature, which she now nurtures in Vancouver, one of the most beautiful city in the world.
INNER PEACE BRINGS OUTER JOY
Jacqueline has been practicing yoga since way before it was cool and also enjoys a regular meditation practice, in support of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. This helps to offset the lack of sleep during festival time!
PUPPY LOVE
Jacqueline rescued the worlds’ cutest dog during Hurricane Katrina. Katie, a one-of-kind Catahoula Leopard Dog, Beagle, Hound-dog mix, was named after the devastating storm, and was too sweet for words. Under Jacqueline’s care, Katie recovered and became a loving canine soul-mate before going to her fur-ever home.
COME RAIN OR COME SHINE
Jacqueline always feels the need to dress “appropriately” for the weather and had no idea why until seeing this picture again. This explains why she is always tempted to try to style raincoats into her gala attire. Perhaps a pair of google-eyed mittens will make the ultimate red carpet accoutrement in 2015?
Click here to vote for Jacqueline and support the Healthy Choices for Youth campaign.
VIFF Blog 