COCHRANE— Jacquie Matechuk is a remarkable Cochranite.
She is the owner of Cochrane Floors and More, Jacquie Matechuk Photography and sits on both the board of directors of the Big Hill Haven and the Professional Photographers of Canada’s Alberta Branch.
Matechuk also represents Canada’s national photography team, and one of her images sits in the final top ten photos of the World Photographic Cup.
“It’s a good thing I don’t sleep much,” she said with a chuckle.
The first of all of the ventures Matechuk embarked on was her photography career.
More than 20 years ago, she said, she found herself working as a sports photographer.
She had been part of a race team for the Canadian Superbike Series doing logistics and other technical work.
The team became so big that she had a very specialized role, which provided her with a little extra down time.
Matechuk spoke to some of the photographers that worked the circuit who gave her some advice and direction she needed to push her photography to the next level.
“Being on the team I could get into places most people, including most of the photographers, couldn’t get to,” she said. “Whether that was a real intimate, emotional moment on pit lane, in the heat of the moment during a countdown for fastest lap for a grid position, or whether that was an inside quarter in the back section no one could get to, I had access to it.”
Her unique photos caught the eye of sponsors who started paying her to publish the images, which was the beginning of her career as a photographer.
Matechuk said she never imagined in those early days that she would represent Team Canada on the world stage in the World Photographic Cup.
“It just started to snowball,” she said of her career. “Timing and luck are always a big part of things.”
Matechuk said she always knew she wanted to do more and find a way to make positive contributions to her community.
She was always volunteering with various community organizations, helping out with various fundraisers, or teaching a gym class at the Children’s Hospital.
Of everything that she has managed to accomplish, she said, none are nearer and dearer to her than her position with Big Hill Haven.
“I can remember the night I first heard that Cochrane was going to bring a women’s shelter in our neighbourhood,” she said. “It was actually Jack Tennant that was speaking at a smaller gathering and it was one of those moments where the words cut through the room and came right at me.”
Matechuk said she met with the co-founders of the shelter shortly after that meeting and knew she wanted to get involved.
She earned a spot on the board of directors fairly close to the to the inception of the project, near the end of 2016.
“We were literally, six of us, meeting in a room at one of the lodges here in town. It was kind of casual, spit-balling all of the ideas and laying the foundation to get the approval as a non-profit. It started there and now we’ve got residences for women and children that are trying to get away, we have short-term, mid-term housing opportunities, we have two outreach workers on the ground keeping our ladies connected to the community and to whatever resources they need,” she said. “It’s really been very rewarding. I’m so proud of the people on that board and the difference they are making.”
When she first heard that a women’s shelter was being established in the community, it would be the perfect opportunity for her to create the positive change she wanted to see.
“Most people have a direct … connection to domestic violence. Whether they’ve experienced it themselves, or have a sister, mother, daughter or best friend— It’s so much more common than people realize. I’ve seen directly the effects and long-term damage that can come from various types of domestic violence. It was something that just felt like a good opportunity to make a change, or do something about it. Not just to loathe it, or wish for it not to be here, but actually be involved in change.”
Matchuk said along the way she encountered many setbacks and moments of doubt, but each and every one was a lesson that taught her something valuable.
“Every venture, everything that you take on in life there’s the inherent risk of moments of doubt, or struggles because things come up and there are challenges and adversity, but those are the things that teach you the most. Those are the opportunities that mold you, that lift you up to the next bar of performance when you come out of the other side."
