Local women of all ages and walks of life celebrated International Women’s Day March 8 at Westlock’s fifth annual Women’s Symposium.
“I think it was a huge success,” said organizer Sylvia Yoder, who is executive director of the Hope Resource Centre.
“I’m very proud of this community. They came out in droves and they supported each other. That’s what it was all about. It was International Women’s Day and I think they represented that quite appropriately.”
About 130 attended the event at the Westlock Inn, which was hosted by the Hope Resource Centre and Aspen Primary Care Network. The theme of the day was Relationships: Strengths and Challenges.
“We really observed this year that women are digging deeper into figuring out how to respond to certain things. It’s a journey of growth. I think that’s what’s happening with this five-year process,” said Yoder, who, as keynote speaker, shared a very personal experience about an abusive relationship she had been in many years ago.
“Here we are at Year 5 and we just keep getting a bit deeper into figuring ourselves out and how we can be better and it’s definitely a collective growth journey for this community.”
After the symposium was over, attendees were quick to praise organizers, speakers and the vendors who showed up to showcase their services.
Many of the attendees had been to previous symposiums and have made a point out of making sure they don’t miss the annual event.
“I was here last year and the year before and it has been excellent. All their topics are about what everyday women go through. Some are good things and some are bad things,” said Westlock resident Sandy Saari, adding she also learned there are a multitude of resources available in the community.
“The symposium was very clear and very emotional. There was laughter, there was sadness, but we all came together to show our strength.”
Local resident Shari Reach said she enjoys the camaraderie of the symposium and was able to learn about some of the services available to her in the community.
“I come every year, I find it very enjoyable,” said Reach, who started going to the symposium at the urging of a friend. Now she makes new friends every time she attends.
“This is my fourth year. I learned there is a lot of access to programs. I’m aging so I’ve been checking different things for the elderly because I’m going to be 65 soon.”
Marjorie Steele has been to all five symposiums and said she’s learned that she’s doing the right things in her life.
“It’s very informative. I find the information, especially today, very touching. It really touched me with them telling their stories. Everybody has a story, we each have our own story so that’s why it touched me so deeply,” she said.
“It was just very informative for everybody, if there was someone that didn’t get something out of this, I don’t know why they wouldn’t because all of us have been through trauma of one kind or another.”
