International Women’s Day will be celebrated in Williams Lake for the third year in a row with a focus on women’s wellness.
Eileen Alberton, community liaison with the Women’s Contact Society (WCS) said despite COVID-19, it is important to keep the momentum going.
As a result she is co-ordinating a virtual event that will take place Saturday, March 13 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Denisiqi clinical director Cindi Saj will share her wellness perspective, followed by an opportunity for questions and answers and Alberton is working on finding one other presenter.
People who attend the virtual event will receive a gift bag that will contain business cards from all the vendors who would have participated in the wellness event had it been held at the Elks Hall. Alberton will also place a couple of items from the vendors in each bag.
Read more: Second International Women’s Day Wellness Fair on Saturday
Leading up to the event, women are encouraged to participate in a wellness challenge and share a photograph on the WCS or Williams Lake Cariboo Childcare Resource and Referral Facebook pages beginning on Monday, March 8, which is International Women’s Day.
“It could be someone meditating, doing some outdoor activity or another healthy activity,” Alberton said.
For her own wellness during the pandemic, Alberton has been going for a big walk daily with her dogs in Big Lake.
“When I walk I try to be present in the moment and listen to the sounds, smells the smells and hear the sounds like the wind, the birds, the crunch of the snow,” she said, adding she also thinks of three things she is truly thankful for.
She also gets together with a neighbour three times a week for an exercise session. The two women wear masks and practice physical distancing so they fall within the public health guidelines.
Using videos Alberton and her neighbour have been motivated to keep going. She’s also trying to watch her sugar intake, she added.
International Women’s Day is a global day of recognition celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls, and raising awareness of the work left to be done.
The first International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
Alberton also continues to co-ordinate virtual lunch, listen and learn sessions once a month.
Read more: Family and child wellness focus of Williams Lake Women’s Contact Society online seminars
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