FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Did you know that our Central Station Education Initiative (CSEI) President, Nora Reid, has been nominated and is a finalist in the "Excellence in the Not-for-Profit Sector Category" for the 2025 Women in Business Awards?
Nora has served as President of the not-for-profit Central Station Education Initiative since its inception in 2017.
The Central Fire Station is a historically designated fire hall that was decommissioned in 2006. Rather than let it crumble and fade away, Nora and other community members devised a method to save the beloved old fire hall and came up with a plan for a not-for-profit group called the Central Station Education Initiative (CSEI).
With Nora at the helm, the CSEI developed a sustainable business plan and approached the City of Welland to lease the building, taking full responsibility for fundraising and administration of this historical asset. Several funding proposals were written, and the CSEI was successful in obtaining a Federal Legacy Grant in the amount of $500,000. Since then, Nora has written several funding proposals and has been successful in obtaining many of them.
Due to Nora's hard work and dedication, The Central Fire Station has been fully renovated and opened to the public on its main floor, and work is almost complete on its second and third floors.
Nora was instrumental in negotiating the lease agreement with the City, which enabled the organization to secure significant funding, including a recent $200,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant. This achievement reflects her unwavering commitment to revitalizing this important community asset. Her leadership is especially meaningful given the historical context of firefighting—a field traditionally held by men. Nora’s role in leading a dedicated team to repurpose this space into one of inclusive community engagement is both powerful and symbolic, demonstrating how thoughtful leadership can reshape legacy spaces for broader community benefit. - Welland Ward 3 Councillor, Sharmila Setaram
The CSEI is also pleased to report that receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award is Welland's own beloved celebrity chef, Anna Olson, who is our CSEI Honourary Fundraising Chair. The CSEI is very grateful to have Anna Olson's commitment to our cause. We are so proud of her work and lifetime achievements, and we are so honoured to have her on our team of dedicated volunteers.
With almost two decades on Food Network Canada, with shows like “Bake with Anna Olson” and now series such as “Great Chocolate Showdown”, her audience has expanded globally through broadcast television and her Oh Yum YouTube channel. Her book, “Baking Day”, launched in fall 2020 and earned a Gold Medal at the Taste Canada Cookbook Awards. Many local charitable organizations benefit from her ongoing contributions to the community. Anna Olson's newest cookbook is titled "Anna Cooks", which launched on September 25th. Another recent book is "Anna Olson's Baking Wisdom: The Complete Guide", which focuses entirely on baking with over 150 recipes and techniques.
Congratulations Anna and Nora!
The Women in Business Awards will take place on Thursday, November 13th, at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel.
See link below for more details.