Airdrie P.O.W.E.R (Protecting Our Women with Emergency Resources) executive director and founder Crystal Boys was honoured last weekend by Soroptimist International of Calgar, as the recipient of the organization’s 2023 “Making A Difference for Women Award.”
Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. It was founded in 1921, recently celebrating its centennial of operations.
Boys said she was “humbled” and “honoured” to receive this award from such a longstanding and distinguished sisterhood. The award presentation took place last Sunday at a ceremony in Calgary.
“It’s not too often people see what we are doing,” said Boys. “It’s really inspiring to be seen. This coming from a women’s group really means the world to me and hits me in my heart. That’s my jam. I love to see women supporting women.”
The Making a Difference for Women Award particularly honours Boys’ achievement in helping launch Airdrie’s first day shelter to help women experiencing domestic violence in their home lives.
Boys also gave the keynote address at the Soroptimist International of Calgary’s Dream Award Luncheon on April 16.
She told the Airdrie City View she talked about how her own personal journey led to the opening of Airdrie P.O.W.E.R.'s day shelter in February 2021.
“[It started] 24 years ago, when I was sitting in a women’s shelter with an infant, wondering how I am going to move forward over the next two weeks – let alone thinking about my future,” Boys explained. “It was just survival mode for a lot of years. To look back, and to go from that to where I am now, is quite an accomplishment.”
Boys said her experience of working through the system opened her eyes to the gaps that exist for women facing domestic violence and abuse. That eventually propelled her to fight for the establishment of shelter services in Airdrie when she first founded Airdrie P.O.W.E.R eight years ago.
“I am going to talk about my journey of how my experience with domestic violence led me to opening the day shelter,” she said before the ceremony. “And just the road I have walked, and the challenges I have seen and overcome, and the gaps I have seen which led me to open the day shelter. (This award) is a really neat full circle moment for me.”
Boys said her next mission is to open an overnight shelter in Airdrie so women fleeing domestic violence have safe place to go 24-7, and a supportive environment to help them take their next steps toward a better life.
“Women need to continue to stick together and support each other,” she said.
