Military community celebrate women with second annual International Women’s Day virtual event on March 6

In light of International Women’s Day, the PEI Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) is hosting its second annual online International Women’s Day event on the evening of March 6.

The event features three women who have made their mark in the world and the military community.

The program is promised to be an interactive session in the virtual arena.

“We have a dynamic team of three women for our March 6th event—an entrepreneur and military spouse, a CAF member and Peer Support Coordinator, and a comic and MFRC staff member. It’s going to be a great time connecting, celebrating, and sharing stories,” said Margaret Mackenzie, Virtual Program Coordinator for the PEI MFRC.

The women featured at this year’s event include Christine Gordon Manley. Manley is a freelance editor and co-owner of the writing-editing business: Manley Mann Media. Her husband has been a member of the CAF for twelve years now.

“I’ve had no choice but to learn balance in my life…or at least fake it to maintain sanity,” Gordon Manley says, who currently lives in PEI.

She will be speaking to the audience about self-care and finding support.

“There’s no base in PEI, so it’s not always easy belonging to a military family here—you have to be creative in finding support,” added Manley.

The second speaker of the evening is Capt. Kendra Mellish. A Canadian Armed Forces veteran with 27 years of experience under her belt, Mellish is a mother, sister, widow, and Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS) Peer Support Coordinator for PEI.

She will be speaking about the importance of support for military families.

“After I lost my husband, I faced many challenges I had to overcome. I use my own experience to serve military families on PEI,” said Mellish.

The third and final speaker of the event is comedian Heather Withered of Winnipeg. Withered has performed in a multitude of productions including the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Breast Friends, Stretchmarks, Tazzy’s Angels, and the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. She’s also appeared on CBC Radio’s So You Think You’re Funny and Definitely Not the Opera.

In 2018, she will be making her film debut in the film Cult of Chucky.

Withered also works with the Winnipeg MFRC.

“I’m known as Winnipeg’s favourite wisecracking mom. But I’ve just learned how to face challenges with humour. It helps,” noted Withered.

The PEI MFRC’s virtual IWD celebration will take place March 6 at 7:30 p.m. AST.

The event is free, however, to see if spaces are still available click here .