It’s no secret I am a huge fan of Morena McDonald of 519 Events and Promotions, and I have been since meeting her while she was a reporter for CKXS Radio in Wallaceburg.
I am also a fan of the events she puts on, particularly the ones for women, about women and empowering women. For instance, in partnership with Chatham-Kent Economic Development, the Women’s Leadership Network series is a great one for networking, asking questions and getting loads of information about being a woman in business today.
The recent Ultimate Me Day event at Soar Innovations Feb. 11 was also a great event and a collaboration between McDonald, Maureen Geddes and Sharon Campbell-Rayment. Featuring local businesses that offer goods and services for women, the night involved demonstrations and hands-on experience, and was a great showcase of what the area has to offer.
About 100 women packed into Soar Innovations in the Daily Planet building on King St. W. in Chatham, to try out henna tattoos, body sugaring, knitting, essential oils, dips and sauces, cooking, and self-care wellness practices such as chakra alignment and arranging your home to support emotional well-being.
Shannon Prince from the Buxton Museum was also on hand during Black History Month to bring awareness to the incredible history in our community on southern slaves’ flight to freedom and creating a safe haven in the Buxton Settlement. It is incredible that such a huge piece of history is right here in our neighbourhood and there are people eager to share it with us.
According to McDonald, the Ultimate Me Day event began back in 2013, run by several business owners in Chatham-Kent. Geddes, who works at SOAR Innovations and is an international speaker, decided it was time to bring it back, with a bit of a change to it.
Calling it the Ultimate Me Day Revival, 16 business owners joined the event with demonstrations centred around self-care.
“Thinking about taking care of yourself, it’s when you are in a good place that you are able to help others,” McDonald noted. “People, especially women, want to take care of everyone around us, but it’s hard to do that if you’re not taking care of yourself.”
Wise words for a young woman and so very true. Self-care is incredibly important to keeping up your energy and focus when working, raising children, volunteering and running a household, no matter how much support you get from your partner.
It’s a lesson we often don’t come to realize until later in life, and passing that knowledge on to young women is gift that will keep on giving as they pass through the different stages of their lives.
Coming up for McDonald and 519 Events and Promotions is Solstice Night March 19 with Campbell-Rayment at SOAR Innovations and McDonald is running a Simpson’s Trivia Night the same evening at the Retro Suites Hotel, with teams vying for the title of trivia champion. More info on these events is available on McDonalds Facebook page 519 Events and Promo, and she said plans are in the works for the highly successful Dresden Night Market and Etsy in Canada next events.
Geddes said another Ultimate Me Day will be on the planning table for the future, and I plan on enjoying the next one as a participant and dragging my female family and friends along for the ride.
