06/18/2026
Big shout out to Sarah and Nikki for attending the award ceremony on behalf of our company! Although we did not win, I wanted to share what would have been my acceptance speech if we did. I feel that everybody should know how special I think they are and how grateful I am for contributing to our success!💜💙🥰
Good evening everyone,
On behalf of Dragonfly Respite Services, I am incredibly honoured to accept the Niagara Business Achievement Award for Excellence in Business.
To be standing here tonight is both humbling and a little surreal. When I started Dragonfly five and a half years ago, I simply wanted to create something meaningful to help people get through the isolation of COVID—a place where people feel valued, supported, included, and celebrated for exactly who they are. I never imagined that journey would lead us here.
There are so many people who have helped make this possible.
To my mom and dad, thank you for helping keep the household, the kids, and sometimes even me running smoothly. To Gord, thank you for always having my back and reminding me that I can do anything I set my mind to—even when I occasionally question my own sanity. To my kids, thank you for believing in me and for putting up with all of my shenanigans along the way.
To my friends, thank you for your patience as I've navigated the sometimes chaotic waters of running a business.
To my incredible team: Sarah, thank you for becoming my right-hand woman and for believing so deeply in what we're creating. Nikki, thank you for helping me simplify, organize, and learn to laugh at myself. Amanda, thank you for your loyalty, compassion, and unwavering care. Cameron, thank you for continually expanding my patience while demonstrating remarkable kindness and empathy. And to Ashley, JC, Aley, Katie, and everyone who has been part of our journey—or will be in the future—thank you for your support, your spirit, and your commitment to our mission.
Most importantly, thank you to the individuals and families we support. Without you, Dragonfly simply would not exist. I still can't believe I get to spend my days working with people I genuinely consider family and friends. The adventures we share, the ideas we dream up, the laughter, the tears, the challenges, and the victories—we experience them all together, and we get through them all together.
This award belongs to every person who has been part of the Dragonfly story. Thank you to the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, TD, and RBC Royal Bank for this incredible honour. I accept it with gratitude, humility, and a renewed commitment to the work that means so much to me.
We are just getting started.
Thank you.
