The Brandon YWCA honoured area community leaders at the annual Westman Women of Distinction awards on May 2nd.

MGEU member Ngaire Abernethy was the winner of this year’s Social Action & Community Service Award. With 40 years in social work, her career has included supporting vulnerable Canadians in Manitoba, the Arctic and Northern Ontario.

Abernethy spent 27 of those years with Prairie Mountain Health working in palliative and mental health care - living out her passion for social services. For a decade, Ngaire also served as a court magistrate.

The Women of Distinction Gala has been held annually since 1985 to honour women of Brandon and the Westman and Parkland areas.

The awards recognize women’s individual accomplishments, and honours role models and women who have made significant contributions to the community.