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Heather’s blog: One opportunity leads to another

By Heather Bonynge

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“Sometimes the bad things that happen to us in life, put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us.” – Nicole Reed, Ruining You

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the path that I am on, and the circumstances and situations that happened in my life that lead me here. I’ve written about a lot of my life changing moments in my past blogs — getting out of an abusive relationship, travelling overseas, meeting my husband, having my daughter, and being diagnosed with cervical cancer. None of these followed the route I had mapped out for myself at the age of ten, but somehow they have brought me to exactly where I feel I have been meant to be all along.

When I was young, I remember attending community events around Saskatoon, and just having this feeling that somehow I needed to be a part of them on a higher level. I didn’t want to be just a participant, or a spectator, I wanted to be the one making these events happen! My involvement and initial training as a YACCtivist only strengthened that feeling.

In the winter of 2014, my role as a YACCtivist was still in the early stages. I was only just beginning to navigate how I could make this role have an impact on people in my community, but even more so, I was learning how this role was already starting to have a huge impact on my own life. In those first few months, I was writing and re-writing my story as I saw myself presenting it to others, and through that process, I unveiled so many things about myself that had been there the whole time, but had either been covered up, pushed down, or forgotten. It was essentially like free therapy! One of those things that I uncovered was that same feeling of wanting to be part of my community and connect with others, so throughout my writing, I started to also think of a plan on how I could get there.

I began to look into what I would need to build a career in media, communications, and event planning. This was originally the path I had pursued when I attended post-secondary school over thirteen years ago, and I discovered that it was still the same path I desired to be on so many years later after a lot of re-routing.

As I rediscovered this ambition, I got the opportunity to meet with someone who worked directly in the industry with Saskatoon’s leading radio stations. We had a great meeting, and although there was no job available at the time, I walked away with a lot of information, potential, and drive.

Over the last year, my life has continued to change and be redirected, but the objective to connect and engage with my community has stayed strong. My involvement with YACC has really allowed me to fulfill and achieve that objective, and now it seems that even greater things have evolved from that.
In June I helped to organize and co-host Saskatchewan’s first Shave for the Brave with Sutherland School. We invited media to cover the event, and that same leading radio stations that I met with over a year ago was one of them. It was through that event that our paths crossed for a second time, and without necessarily seeking it out, knowing my passions, goals, and just continuing to focus, live in the moment, and take a few risks, my path has somehow lead me exactly where I am supposed to be. Today I start my new job as Director of Promotions with Saskatoon’s radio leaders!

I am a big fan of Disney, and Cinderella is one of my all-time favourites, so I’ll leave you with words from one of her songs. I cannot promise you, or even pretend to tell you that all the things we wish in life will come true, but I truly believe that if we allow ourselves to have dreams, continue to have faith, and let ourselves get a little crazy once in a while, there are truly amazing things that can all accomplish from doing just that!

“A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you’re fast asleep
In dreams you will lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling thru
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
the dream that you wish will come true.”
-Al Hoffman, Jerry Livington, Mack David, Cinderella

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