CARNDUFF — A member of the RM No. 2 and Carnduff Fire and Rescue is among 17 candidates from across the province chosen to participate in the selection night for the next Saskatchewan Fire Fighters Calendar.
Jenn Meredith will take to the stage April 25 at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina, with a large crowd of supporters in attendance. Her performance that night will play a big role in determining whether she will be chosen for the calendar; the support she receives in online voting also factors into whether she will be chosen.
Meredith said she has a couple of reasons for wanting to be part of the calendar, the first of which is to help out the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation, which is the beneficiary of the calendar's sales, the votes and the selection night.
“I always like to set a challenge for myself, so it was two things at once: I get to challenge myself and I get to raise money,” said Meredith, who has been with the Carnduff department for about five and a half years.
Meredith described herself as a very private person and the selection night will take her out of her comfort zone with such a large crowd. But she recognizes it will be a fun night, everybody will be there for entertainment and they won’t call for anything too foolish.
Community support for the voting has been good thus far, she said.
"Anywhere I go, some people have mentioned how I’m doing the calendar, so I feel like the support has been decent," she told SaskToday.
A few friends have sent her a screenshot of their votes with an encouraging message.
She knows of a couple members of the fire department who have accessed the children’s hospital and its services in the past.
Helping others is important for her. She donates blood whenever she can. And one of her biggest challenges came when she was a surrogate for a couple in her hometown. She didn't know them, but she wound up carrying twins — a baby boy and girl.
Fitness has always been part of Meredith’s life, so the training to be in the calendar hasn’t been too challenging. About a year ago, she participated in her first bikini competition. And her family has been very supportive.
“I don’t eat the same meals. I put fitness first in a different way. I do my workouts in the morning or after school, and they respect that,” she said.
Any fitness journey is going to have obstacles, she said, and Meredith said she has encountered a few as she has prepared for the competition, but she has fought through them and has always been able to talk to friends and family.
“I’ve been consistent in eating the way I want for the past four years, so that hasn’t been hard,” she said.
Not only have these things challenged her, but she said they have also taught people around her that when they put their mind to a challenge, they can accomplish something.
"To do the calendar is just another way to contribute to things that are meaningful and that teach others to give back," she said.
She recalled she joined the department after she had been helping out with Southeast Regional Victim Services. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and she wasn’t handling as many cases.
“I was missing something, and somebody suggested, ‘Why don’t you join the fire department?’ And … so I did. And I never looked back,” she said.
The atmosphere has kept her with the Carnduff/Moose Mountain crew. Meredith said she loves what the department does for the community. Working at the Carnduff Education Complex, the students get to see what their educational assistant does for the community.
And she knows she is helping people. Meredith has been part of a few calls in which she has helped calm somebody down, allowing firefighters to do their jobs.
“It’s an atmosphere that I think I’m very good at,” said Meredith.
Being part of the department hasn’t been an overly big time commitment. Her family knows that sometimes she has to miss a birthday or another occasion.
“My family always has my back. And then being the female on the department, I feel I’m treated like I’m one of the guys, and they’re always challenging me, and if not, I show them up,” said Meredith with a laugh.
For five years, Meredith was the lone female, but a 16 year old recently joined.
Click here to vote for Meredith.
Meredith isn’t the only southeast woman picked for the selection night. Michelle Orsted of the Carlyle department is another of the 17 finalists from across the province.
