The Quintessential Woman Award
“Quintessential” is an adjective defined as “the most perfect example of a person or thing.”
Over the past few decades, the quintessential woman has taken on many images. Extraordinary women realize it is not a mold they must fit into, or a long list they must compare themselves to. A quintessential woman lives striving to become the best version of herself. She is a woman who has realized, remembered, and reclaimed her life and her strengths, thus offering herself as an inspiration to other women.
The elegant award is a one-of-a-kind hand painted teacup and saucer by a phenomenal local artist, and Quintessential Woman herself, Elida Field of Camas, Washington.
To nominate a Quintessential Woman to receive this honored award please submit a paragraph to Angela Maitland at angela@thediamondtea.com explaining how your nominee lives her life striving to become the best version of herself.
2012
The winner of the 2012 Quintessential Woman Award is a purposeful lady who shares her talents and gifts with other woman facing adversity. She takes life’s lemons and makes lemonade. When her sister passed away from breast cancer nine years ago, Marci Caputo decided to use her grief as fuel to create a Girl’s Night Out event called CAMEO that benefited a local charity to help women in the Vancouver community. Although she expected a modest turnout, over 200 women attended in its first year. CAMEO continues to sell out year after year, and has raised over $200,000 to date that has all gone directly to change women’s lives for the better.
In addition to Marci’s CAMEO event, she is the Executive Director of Pink Lemonade Project, a local nonprofit organization that helps women adjust to life after breast cancer. The breast cancer survival rate has skyrocketed to a whopping 97% after 10 years of diagnosis, nearly doubling since 1970. This is certainly a statistic to celebrate, but it is important to consider that a culture now exists of 12 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. The need for services to transition into a new, post-cancer lifestyle is greater than ever, which Marci supports daily with her volunteer position at Pink Lemonade Project.
Marci believes that we are always in the process of improvement, but feels that she is finally comfortable in her own skin. She knows who she is and what she wants, and brings others together to accomplish great things. She is the woman who dedicates everyday to making someone else’s life better, and she does it with poise, grace, and authenticity. She actually didn’t know that she had won this award until I began speaking, and it was my honor to welcome Marci Caputo to the stage to accept the 2012 Quintessential Woman’s Award.
The elegant award is a one-of-a-kind hand painted teacup and saucer by a phenomenal local artist, and Quintessential Woman herself, Elida Field of Camas, Washington.
Marci is receiving a gorgeous teacup, a perfect reflection of Pink Lemonade. This teacup is handpainted by local artist Elida Field.
2011
In 2011, the Quintessential Woman award was presented to a woman who has lived authentically through both triumph and tragedy. When her husband was diagnosed with a degenerative illness, she lovingly cared for him in their home for several years until his passing, while at the same time keeping up with full-time employment, relationships with her sons, grandchildren, and parents, even continuing to host weekly women’s groups in her living room. The several women who nominated her for this award have said, “She has an amazing way of keeping her calm even under tremendous stress.” “No matter what day it is and what major challenges she is facing, she is always warm and makes me feel like she’s SO HAPPY to see ME.” “I admire that she consistently takes time aside to take care of herself or have fun with friends even when life seems too full..”
Her life continues to stay full, and she continues to keep stride. She recognizes her authentic gift of hospitality and combines it with generosity, both in welcoming friends into her home and through social outreach to support non-profit needs. Recently, both her parents needed more care and spent their final years in her home. Charitable organizations who needed a boost call her to coordinate their event or add her signature flair, and she’s ready. The women who nominated her noted that she is accepting of everyone, regardless of the success or trouble they’ve found in life, while solidly maintaining her vision of her authentic self, even in times of extreme stress, loss, and insecurity. It’s no wonder she celebrates many friendships of over 40 years.
With my great pleasure the Quintessential Woman Award was presented to Nancy Dardis of Portland.
Explanation of teacup and saucer artwork by artist Elida Field of Camas, Washington.
The three hearts on the saucer represent her husband and two sons. They are in the clouds, which made me think of heaven. This is significant because the saucer is the base. It’s the foundation on which she stands. God’s promise of heaven and taking care of her, “hearts” is why she can shine so bright. The sun on the teacup is representational of her light illuminating the world around her. A field of poppies are only beautiful when you can see their colors. Gods light and joy in her life bring out the very best colors in all those around her. She is a quintessential woman!
2010
Tamar Parker 2010 Award Recipient
In 2010, the Quintessential Woman award was presented to a woman who has committed the past eight years of her professional life to upholding and transmitting the mission of Pacific Crest Academy through educating the whole child through the four pillars of formation. Her commitment has permeated both the classroom and the community. She has a passion and natural talent for educating youth. She is not a woman who tries to “do it all”, but does what she feels called to, while the priorities of her personal life in marriage and motherhood are never compromised. Today, she serves as the principal of Pacific Crest Academy.
With my great pleasure the Quintessential Woman Award was presented to Tamar Parker of Camas.
