Kori Becomes First Recipient of Award Established in Memory of Phyllis Balkwill

 The Naomi & Ruth Women’s Wellness Centre in Shediac, New Brunswick, is honoring the life and legacy of Phyllis Balkwill following her recent passing. Her death has brought sadness to the organization and to people connected with its program. In response, the centre is creating a way for her memory to remain present in the community she touched in meaningful ways to many people over time.

The centre has established the Phyllis Balkwill Award in recognition of the values Phyllis represented. Presented monthly, the award will acknowledge a resident who demonstrates humility, service, and godliness while taking part in the centre’s one-year program. The initiative links remembrance with encouragement, allowing the organization to recognize those who reflect qualities it holds dear. It also gives residents a valuable recurring opportunity to see those values acknowledged in everyday life within the centre and its community support.

For the centre, the award is intended to keep Phyllis’ memory alive through the actions and choices of women participating in the program. Rather than limiting her legacy to a single tribute, the organization hopes to reflect it in the progress of residents as they move through their year. The qualities named by the centre—humility, service, and godliness—provide the foundation for this recognition. They also describe the spirit the organization hopes to encourage within its community.

Kori, who is five months into the program, has been named the first recipient of the Phyllis Balkwill Award. The centre congratulated her on the recognition and acknowledged her efforts and progress during her time there. Her selection opens the award’s first chapter and places her at the start of a tradition the organization hopes to continue. The announcement recognizes her current journey while inviting her to keep building on the work she has already done.

In its message to Kori, the centre encouraged her to continue shining as she moves forward with the remainder of her program. The words offered support as she continues a process that spans a full year. Her recognition is therefore both a celebration of what she has achieved so far and an expression of confidence in the steps still ahead. The centre’s encouragement keeps the focus on ongoing growth, rather than treating the award as an endpoint.

For women taking part in the Naomi & Ruth Women’s Wellness Centre program, the award can serve as a reminder that personal progress and service to others are worthy of recognition. Its monthly presentation creates space to celebrate residents who demonstrate the qualities associated with Phyllis. The award also places the centre’s values into a tangible form, connecting its mission with the experiences of the women in its care. Each presentation will offer another occasion to reflect on those principles.

The initiative also carries meaning for people who knew Phyllis or were connected to the centre through its work. Her passing has left an absence, but the organization’s tribute offers a way to honor her through continued attention to the values she represented. By recognizing residents who act with humility and compassion, the centre hopes to keep her memory connected to the community’s daily life. The award can become a shared expression of remembrance, shaped anew with every recipient.

As the first recipient, Kori’s recognition marks the beginning of the Phyllis Balkwill Award. The monthly honor will recognize residents who show humility, service, and godliness throughout the one-year program. For Naomi & Ruth Women’s Wellness Centre, remembering Phyllis and encouraging others are now joined in a continuing commitment. Her influence, as reflected in the award, will be carried forward through the lives and choices of those it celebrates.