Staff
After a year off, the Women’s Health Symposium is returning to the Townshend Theatre here on Saturday, May 8 from 9 a.m-3 p.m.
This year’s theme is “Diversity—acknowledge, embrace, celebrate.”
“It’s about celebrating women of all ages,” said Peggy Loyie, one of the symposium organizers.
“Sizes, shapes, and colours,” added fellow organizer Linda Hamilton.
“It’s just about celebrating all those talented people and women in our community,” she noted.
“Bring your daughters, bring your friends, and have a fun day.”
Keeping with the theme of diversity, the guest speakers for this year’s symposium include Laura Horton of the Seven Generations Education Institute, who will be speaking at 11 a.m.
Then at 1 p.m. Confederation College’s Jim Lees—one of the founders of the “Respect” campaign—will be speaking.
Another highlight throughout the day will be movies shown from the National Film Board.
“The movies are just little two-, three-minute things on diversity, but the plan is that they’ll fit in through the speakers and things and we’ll run them several times during the day,” Hamilton explained.
And for more lighthearted fun, there also will be drama presentation by a diverse group of local women.
Besides the speakers, the symposium will include numerous booths for people—many of which will be “hands-on and interactive.”
“In past years, we’ve had in excess of 60 booths and we’re probably looking at the same number again,” noted Loyie.
She said there’s still room if people want to register, adding they can contact her at Victim Services (274-5687) or by fax (274-5690) to sign up.
And while the theme is diversity, Loyie stressed it doesn’t mean that all the booths have to be on that exact topic.
“That’s our theme, but that doesn’t mean you have to reflect that. The fact that you’re here is enough,” she said.
“Some of the people who have signed up already who really attract people are Aya Sletmoen—she does reflexology. We have people coming who do jewellery-making, there’s going to be something for everybody,” Loyie pledged.
“We just want to reach women of all ages because I think that’s really important.”
Fort Frances Museum curator Pam Cain will be on hand with a booth, Loyie said, as well as the “Bombshell Girls” for mini-facials, Victims Services, the Northwestern Health Unit, the United Native Friendship Centre, and more.
There will be lots of opportunities “to pamper yourself,” she added.
The day also will include lunch, door prizes, and grab bags.
Admission is free, although a free-will offering will be collected.
As in previous years, the funds raised through this collection will go towards a $500 bursary for a local student entering a social or health related field.
“We knew that we had something to work with,” Loyie said about the selection of “diversity” as this year’s theme, noting the symposium is a way to address the issue “given some of the climate in the community.”
“We, as women, would like to address it,” added Hamilton, noting the diversity of the symposium’s organizing committee played a role in the theme for this year.
“We really do have a diverse group on the organizing committee.
“We’ve got younger people now, and people who represent different organizations, so it’s really a different look for the committee,” she stressed, noting these people are coming in with “lots of energy [and] lots of different ideas.”
“And if it has a different face on it, that’s okay, too,” echoed Loyie. “I think if anything, we’ve not put ourself in a box.”
