YLW Connection - Winter 2009 - (Page 19)

DREAM | B Y D AR C Y N Y B O BIG “I always talk about Mr. Jim Pattison,” says Khadija, “I told one customer that he was my mentor. I said if he has all this business and he started as a shoe shiner, that’s where I am headed.” To Khadija’s surprise the man asked for her phone number and explained he was a president for one of Mr. Pattison’s companies. What happened next was a total surprise. “Mr. Jim Pattison called me! I told him that I knew he was a shoe shiner and that he was my role model.” Khadija’s face lights up as she tells the story. “I asked him, when you were shoe shining what was your dream? He said he was poor and didn’t have dreams. He told me that things will come to me and when they come I am to choose the ones I like. I asked him what do you do about ignorant people. He said ‘Young lady - keep your head up. There will be such people in the world but do no worry about it.’” Khadija is certain some day she will meet her mentor, until then she is happy to serve the customers she has. “I love meeting people,” she smiles and looks out at the departure lounge. “When you talk to people you learn from them. This is my school now. The stories I hear, they give me hope. Every day I thank God I’ve been given this opportunity. I also thank Mr. Kent (Gregoire) and Mr. Dave (Fuller) here at the airport. I am very thankful for them.” Khadija asks a passerby if he wants his shoes shined. He looks down, nods and climbs up on her chair. Within moments he is laughing with her as she asks him a myriad of questions. He is a pilot for a small oil company. This intrigues her and she asks about the types of planes, how many, and where they fly. Khadija admits she used to be very insecure. “I got confidence when I started this,” she explains. “The people I talk to, their stories give me hope. I know Canada is a land of great opportunity and only you stop yourself from succeeding.” Great words of wisdom – I’m sure even Mr. Pattison would agree. n Y ou’ll find a unique woman in the departures lounge at YLW; a woman with a big dream and shining shoes as her launch pad. Khadija Hashi fled Somalia in 1986 with her six month old son. She lived in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto where, as she puts it, she learned her “a, e, i, o, u’s.” Years later, with four children, Khadija moved to Vancouver to be with her brother. There she enrolled in school and became a nurse’s aid. When she learned that Jimmy Pattison had once been a shoe shine boy and of his rags to riches success she decided she wanted to be like him. Early this year she contacted the Kelowna International Airport and applied to run a shoe shine kiosk. She was accepted and moved to Kelowna in March 2008. GATEWAY LAKEVIEW RESORT on the SHUSWAP From $381,900 + GST • MLS • Each Listed Individually Gateway Lakeview Resort, a first class, year round, recreational vacation spot offers resort co-owners 70 acres of pristine lakeview property including ~ 400 feet of lake frontage and great amenities. These unique luxury cottages, designed to take full advantage of the stunning lake views, offer comfort and convenience for the whole family to enjoy for years to come. Situated near golf, provincial parks, ski resorts and airstrip. Call us today for your personal tour. WINTER 2009 19

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of YLW Connection - Winter 2009

YLW Connection - Winter 2009
Contents
Airport Services
Customer Survey Shows YLW on Track
Las Vegas - The To-Do List That Never Ends
Winter Maintenance: Snow Removal 24/7
Kelowna's Largest Tim Hortons Lands at YLW
Air Canada - Connecting Kelowna to the World
Air Travel Etiquette
Staying Ahead of the Curve at YLW
Airport Ambassadors Make Dreams Come True
Dream Big
Advisory Committee Helps Chart Flight Plan for Kelowna International
Growing a Creative Okanagan Economy
Pregnancy & Travel
Flying Securely
YLW News
Trivia & Games

YLW Connection - Winter 2009

https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/dawson/ylwconnection_2009spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/dawson/ylwconnection_2009winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/dawson/ylwconnection_2008summer
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com