A new event in the capital looks to inspire young women and girls through stories of leadership. Sophie Larose was one of the many who attended the “Built to Lead” event Sunday at the Shenkman Arts Centre. At ten years old, she wasn’t going to pass up a chance to hold an Olympic medal, meet her hockey hero Brianne Jenner and hear how she got to where she is. “I wanted to see how are women like me work in jobs and how they became who they are right now,” Larose said. Knowing what’s possible for Sophie’s future is also important to her mother. “I just wanted my girls to see sometimes what it takes for women to succeed,” she said. “There’s a lot of challenges now on young children. So, for me, it was really important for them to see.” Built to Lead was hosted by the Walker Real Estate Group and Bell Media. Speakers included Jenner, the Ottawa Charge captain and an Olympic gold medalist, as well as Trish Ferguson, Ottawa’s deputy chief of police, and Patricia Boal, the anchor for CTV News Ottawa at 6 p.m. The speakers shared stories of how they got to their positions both through their successes and challenges. “A lot of us faced adversity to get to where we are, and I think hearing that message is so valuable for this young audience,” said Jenner. Boal added, “I think there are so many incredible, smart, strong girls out there who still sometimes have those moments of doubt and sometimes need a little nudge, need to see what they can be and what is out there.” Ashley Hoefenmayer with the Walker Real Estate Group and an organizer of the event says there were many ages present. “We have girls from junior high, even some in elementary. But high school is the main target range. We have lots of guardians, even mentors and even coaches of sports teams. We’ve had lots of parents that were like, ‘you know, I really need this for myself.’ So that’s what’s really, really inspiring about the afternoon,” she said. Hoefenmayer says ticket sales will go towards Girls on the Run Ottawa.
