Jamie-Lee Goulden blows a kiss every time she drives past the city park named after her grandmother Marianne Goulden, who was killed when Jamie-Lee was six years old.
Decades later, Jamie-Lee is fundraising for Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis — where her grandmother once worked — through her recently-opened health and beauty spa .
“I really am grateful that I am in a position to give back. I worked really hard to get here and it feels good,” said Jamie-Lee.
Marianne Goulden was a volunteer and staff member at Women in Crisis who was killed in an act of domestic violence in January of 1992.
After some time and grieving she has personally healed from her grandmother’s tragic death, a process Jamie-Lee said has made her strong and independent.
“I feel very inspired by (my grandmother) and I feel she has guided me to where I am today,” said Jamie-Lee.
The fundraiser will be held Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Jamie-Lee’s business, SHE Health & Beauty on Kortright Rd. W at Edinburgh Rd. S.
Festivities will include a raffle, demonstrations, door prizes, refreshments and more.
Jamie-Lee said the fundraiser will be an annual event held every year during November, which happens to be designated Woman Abuse Prevention Month.
“Hopefully every November we can look back at the year before and raise more than that,” she said.
SHE Health & Beauty opened in the summer and Jamie-Lee said — through her services and the way she interacts with her clients — she hopes to inspire health and wellness, especially for young women and girls.
“I got into this because I wanted to help women feel better about themselves — just as (my grandmother) did,” said Jamie-Lee.
In the new year, Jamie-Lee plans to host seminars for women and girls to inspire health and wellness and positive self image.
“I think as young girls we grow up and think we need to find a man and be a wife, but now that’s changing and there’s a lot of pressure on us and a lot of stress. We really need to learn to take the time for ourselves and not feel guilty about it,” said Jamie-Lee.
She said young girls are especially susceptible to being negatively impacted by unrealistic body images portrayed in the media.
“I grew up with magazines and that type of thing and it was still an unrealistic idea of beauty but these days it’s 100 times worse,” said Jamie-Lee.
When servicing young clients, Jamie-Lee said she often speaks to them about how much manipulation can be involved with models through things like Photoshop.
“We have young girls looking up to them and they have to understand that’s not real. I have those conversations with them because they don’t always want to have that conversation with their mom,” she said.
Jamie-Lee said she also talks to young women about developing healthy relationships.
“That’s what I want from this spa — to help women to value themselves,” she said.
Marianne’s Park — which is located on Gordon St. overlooking the Speed River — is used to stage many events organized throughout the year by Women in Crisis, including Take Back the Night and the Dec. 6 vigil in remembrance of the 14 women killed in 1989 at École Polytechnique de Montreal.
“I love that it’s right by the river. Water is very peaceful,” said Jamie-Lee of the park.
She now takes her own children there.
“Some days I am emotional when I am there and other days it’s tranquil. It’s nice that it’s there and (my grandmother) definitely deserves that,” she said.
