Kathy Charlton, Owner Media Contact: Deborah Anastasi Black
Olympic Cellars 360/895-4320
(360) 452-0160 206/799-4233 Cell
(360) 808-0206 Cell deborahblack@wavecable.com
Press Release
for immediate release
Olympic Peninsula Commemorates “Extraordinary Work of Ordinary Women”
in 2006 International Women’s Day Celebration
Sister Cities Unite in Three Distinguished Events
Port Angeles, Wash., Feb 22, 2006 – Peninsula towns from Port Angeles to Port Townsend will mark International Women’s Day (March 8), a global observation of the economic, social, cultural and political achievements of women, with three distinctly different public events focused on reflection, veneration and celebration. Sponsored by Womanfest, a non-profit organization that has been empowering women of the Olympic Peninsula for more than 20 years, and Olympic Cellars, a woman-owned and operated winery in Port Angeles, the events will raise funds for Global Partnerships, a Seattle organization helping to fight poverty through microlending programs.
The Events
The Commemoration, to be held Saturday, March 4 at City Council Chambers in Port Angeles, will honor the many forms of women’s creativity with poetry, song and inspirational stories told by Rosemary Lynch and Margaret Dimond, two women whose extraordinary work in the areas of creative non-violence and social justice is helping to reshape the world.
The event will be held from 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. and include poetry by award-winning local poet Sally Albiso, an introduction to Global Partnerships’ Microlending Program by Heather Saur Cantrall, and a medley of women’s music by Seattle singer/songwriter Kellee Bradley. For further information call 360/452-0160.
The second event, titled The Circle, will be held Sunday, March 5 from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. at the Masonic Hall in Port Townsend. Dr. Rhonda Hull, a local stress expert and founder of The Center of Happiness, invites participants to create, connect and celebrate the well-being of all women through an interactive “playshop” and circle gathering. The event is intended to remove negative images associated with women and reveal the True Voice. For further information, call 360/385-5850 or visit The Center of Happiness online at www.driveyourselfhappy.com.
The final event, Celebration, will take place on Wednesday, March 8 (International Women’s Day) from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Olympic Cellars in Port Angeles. The public is invited to gather around the bonfire and enjoy homemade soup, bread and the music of Sequimarimba. Wine will be available by the glass (profits will be donated). The evening will include a 2-minute international silent reflection. For further information call 360/452-0160.
“International Women’s Day is a celebration of education and empowerment,” says Rhonda Hull, who is also a supporting organizer of the IWD events. “Around the world women have dared to take steps forward to reveal their true magnificence, and in many cases they have risked their lives to do so for the benefit of all women. It’s my hope that these International Women’s Day events will provide an opportunity to harness the power and talent of Northwest women in support of women everywhere.”
“There’s amazing power in connection,” adds Kathy Charlton, owner, Olympic Cellars. “In days gone by, women used to gather – in sewing bees, quilting circles and other groups. It was a way to relieve stress and share with others in a supportive environment. It was therapy! And it strengthened the bonds of friendship that women share. We need this kind of “therapy” more than ever today, but women are too busy trying to ‘do it all’ to make the time.”
“Encouraging women to put themselves at the top of the list once in awhile, and to take the time to relax and connect with friends has been a part of Olympic Cellars’ mission from the get-go,” adds Charlton. “International Women’s Day provides the perfect venue for sharing and supporting one another. We really hope that women of all ages will join in this special celebration.”
For additional information on all IWD events, call Olympic Cellars at 360/452-0160, or visit the winery online at www.olympiccellars.com.
Commemoration Guest Speakers
Rosemary Lynch, co-founder, Pace e Bene Service, is devoted to the spirituality and practice of creative non-violence. An elder in the effort to empower those working to transform injustice, personal and structural violence through loving, compassionate and spiritually-grounded attitudes and action.
Margaret Dimond, Ph.D., is a retired Professor of Nursing and active member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, an organization promoting social justice as a path to peace. Dr. Dimond taught courses in human development, geriatric nursing, social gerontology and research methods during a 26-year career at the University of Utah and the University of Washington. Since retiring from the UW in 2003, she has volunteered her time providing nursing care to the frail older Sisters of the organization and visiting shut-in elders from her parish in Seattle. She also volunteers in the Chaplain’s Office at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Seattle.
About Global Partnerships
Global Partnerships is an innovative leader in the fight against poverty around the world through microlending programs to help the poor help themselves, the development and sharing of model programs that offer sustainable solutions to poverty, and through the Initiative for Global Development; which is working to mobilize business and civic leaders to make the elimination of global poverty a national priority.
The organization creates economic opportunity, helping people access the resources they need, including capital, healthcare, education, and infrastructure, to generate their own sustainable income and positive momentum in their lives. Approximately 95 percent of microloans administered by Global Partnerships are made to women.
About the Sponsors
Womanfest is a local non-profit that has been providing women of the Olympic Peninsula with empowering experiences and associations for more than 20 years. The organization hosts an annual Fall Retreat, sponsors workshops, lectures, concerts and other events for the community and provides additional support for worthy women-centered projects and programs.
Olympic Cellars is a boutique winery housed in an historic century-old barn between Port Angeles and Sequim on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. The winery annually produces approximately 3,200 cases of hand-crafted wines on site, including the premium La Dolce Vida label, the Working Girl® series, and the Dungeness artist series. Olympic Cellars is strongly committed to supporting the physical and emotional well-being of women through its Charity of Choice and 2X Success initiatives.
Find out more about Olympic Cellars and its upcoming events by visiting the winery’s website at www.olympiccellars.com, or by calling 360-452-0160. Also visit the new Working Girl™ website, www.workinggirlwines.com, for information pertaining specifically to the Working Girl series of wines and associated philanthropic programs.
# # #