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Award winner helps kids

Wallace wants kids to lead healthy lifestyle

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Nov 21/01) - Many young people in Rankin Inlet don't need the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to tell them Tracy Wallace is someone special.

The 27-year-old was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the BDC for her work with Natsiq Productions, a video-production company based in Rankin Inlet.

Wallace, who has strong ties to Chesterfield Inlet, Winnipeg and Scotland, is becoming well-known in Rankin for her volunteer work with local youth.

The commercial development officer for Nunavut Airports is entering her second year as a Sparks leader in the Girl Guides of Canada.

She also did a great deal of work with the Jammin' Youth of this past summer's Jammin' on the Bay music festival.

"The Sparks are my daughter's age, 5 to 7, and the Jammin' Youth gave me a chance to work with the older kids," says Wallace.

"With the Girl Guides, I wanted to start with Sparks and maybe work my way up to Pathfinders. I may find working with the older girls more challenging as time goes by."

Wallace says she gets a sense of doing something to help her community when she volunteers to work with youth.

She says it's something very special to be in a situation where you can help kids realize their full potential.

"Girl Guides and special groups like the Jammin' Youth help keep our youth busy, challenge them and keep them thinking. "Keeping busy and productive is a far healthier lifestyle for our youth than just sitting in front of a TV set being inactive."

Wallace says she's always been artistic and enjoys seeking out and developing stories.

At the time she won her award, she wasn't too sure what it all really meant.

Now she can safely say the biggest impact of being named Nunavut's Young Entrepreneur of the Year has been the exposure it's created for the company.

"To receive the award from the BDC is an honour simply because of the fine people who represent it.

"They treated all of the young entrepreneurs with a lot of respect and made us feel part of their team."