About Orillia Business Women’s Association

NOTE: OBWA Annual Membership fee is $100.
Renewal dues will be due on or before September 1st annually and will expire on August 31^st annually. This will make it easier for the executive and for the members to remember when they need to renew. You can pay your membership now via the ONLINE PAYMENT link on the website www.orilliabusinesswomen.com.

Founded in 1987, The Orillia Business Women’s Association is a non-profit, non-fundraising group that gathers in a safe and welcoming space for the purpose of networking, to build relationships, to showcase  businesses, to learn from others & the guest speaker,  to establish support and to have fun.  ALL women are welcome.

The Venue! We will continue our relationship with Kelsey’s Original Roadhouse, 405 Memorial Avenue, Orillia. In the past, they treated us very well and were very accommodating regarding our needs for our business dinner meetings. We will continue to meet the second Wednesday of every month (except July and August) but always check our social media and the monthly bulletin for details regarding the upcoming meeting in case there are changes. At the meetings a networking table is set up to display business cards and handouts and paid members may display product. We begin the night with networking at 5:30 and we will order our dinners a la carte around 6:00. After dinner there is generally a presentation by a guest speaker or another type of activity depending on the month. 

In order to defray costs to help with the expenses of the evening and to pay for incidentals we have initiated an Event Charge of $10 for non-members and $5 for our Honorary members both of which can be paid at the door the night of the dinner.

New for our 2024/25 season all of our OBWA paid members in good standing will no longer be required to pay an event fee (another benefit of membership).

You MUST pre-register for the dinner a week before so we can let Kelsey’s know in advance to allow for set-up purposes and staffing and please note all attendees are required to pay for their own meals at the networking dinner meeting.

The Nelle Carter Woman of the Year & the Lisa Brooking Young Woman of the Year Event

Every year, the OBWA hosts the Nelle Carter Woman of the Year Awards & Lisa Brooking Young Woman of the Year Gala Dinner & Awards night. The Woman of the Year Award is given to someone respected for her outstanding work in her community, in the workplace, at home, or all three. The Young Woman of the Year nominees are chosen by their respective school’s staff. The nominees must demonstrate high scholastic achievement, participation in extra school activities, volunteer work in the community and be seeking post-secondary education.

The Woman and Young Woman of the Year Gala 2024, Community Stars Past & Present was an incredible sold out event. We are once again in the throes of preparation for our upcoming 2025 Woman of the Year and Young Woman of the Year gala event will be held on May 14, 2025 at the HawkRidge Golf Club 1151 Hurlwood Lane, Severn, ON L3V 0Y6. 

Tickets are available to purchase online through this link http://orilliabusinesswomen.com/GalaTickets or by visiting the OBWA website under the Online Payments menu tab and select Gala Tickets. The dinner menu is posted on the ticket link. If you have any questions please send them to networking@orilliabusinesswomen.com.

The WOTY & YWOTY Gala will be a fabulous evening hosted by the OBWA and emceed by Heather Kearns. Stay tuned for more details to come.

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About the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee meets on the Monday following the OBWA Dinner each month to review and plan the operation of the Association and to discuss how the dinner meeting went. This committee makes policies for the group and keeps things running smoothly. Motions affecting the members-at-large are brought forward at the dinner meetings if necessary and  are voted on by the paid members present. Ideas and suggestions are always welcome from the members because it is their group.