Shauna on Women's Day

On Sunday, I walked into Sue's room and wished her Happy International Women's Day. She reminded me of the day back in 1994 when I sent her flowers. This was during my major back event that had me on the floor for weeks on end. Somehow, I learned of the day, and I managed to order flowers. Sue was delightfully surprised when they were delivered to the door. I haven't done that since then. For one thing, we aren't overly thrilled with either of the of the florists in this town. We decided after the disappointment from her previous birthday, or perhaps our last anniversary, that if we were to require flowers that we would simply choose them from whatever was available at the grocery store.

However, later in the day, I was delighted to see this Facebook post and photo from Shauna's employers and staff.

Today on International Women’s Day, we want to recognize someone who works tirelessly behind the scenes but plays an incredible role in everything we do at Lanark Lifestyles — our Executive Director, Shauna Rayner.

Shauna is one of the smartest people we know and the person all of us turn to when we need guidance, perspective, or help finding a solution. She is the sounding board for so many ideas and challenges, always helping us find a way forward.

While she may not always be the visible face of Lanark Lifestyles, she is truly the heart of it. Shauna leads with compassion, wisdom, and a sense of humour that keeps us all going. Her infectious laugh and approachable nature make her someone everyone feels comfortable turning to.

More often than not, Shauna puts our work ahead of her own — making sure we have what we need to succeed before focusing on herself. Her dedication, leadership, and support do not go unnoticed.

Today we celebrate Shauna and all the incredible women who lead, support, and inspire those around them every single day. Happy International Women’s Day!

That's my girl.