Local women "from all walks of life" will be celebrated at an inaugural retreat this spring hosted by the Sexual Assault Survivors' Centre Sarnia-Lambton.
The International Women's Day Retreat will be held at The Fox and Hound Canine Retreat in Bright's Grove on May 28.
Executive Director Chantel Butterfield said the centre has noticed an uptick in the number of women seeking support over the past two years so it'll be nice to focus on something positive.
"Our numbers definitely increased over the pandemic and not just the numbers but the kinds of trauma that people were experiencing definitely got heavier," said Butterfield. "We want to focus on enjoying some time together without the focus of the heaviness of the work that we do."
The fundraising event will include an awards ceremony, a lunch, vendors, and keynote speakers.
Sarnia's Shreya Patel and Shayla Stonechild have been selected as the keynote speakers.
"We're so honoured that they're willing to share the space with us and not teach us, but really inspire us by their journeys," said Butterfield.
Patel is an award-winning actress and filmmaker. She was named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women by Women’s Executive Network in 2021, read a media release. Stonechild is an Metis and Nehiyaw Iskew influencer and founder of a non-profit organization called Matriarch Movement.
"We're just so excited to learn from them and celebrate them -- and celebrate each other! I think after the last two years, it's really important to be in a space packed full of people who are just positive, excited, and share the same goals."
The retreat will be co-hosted by mental health advocate Danielle Catton and trauma-informed communications expert Marika Groendyk. Catton is also the founder of Sarnia Speaks while Groendyk founded Bluepoint Public Relations.
Tickets are currently on sale. Proceeds will go towards programs and services at the Sexual Assault Survivors' Centre.
Nominations are also still being accepted for awards, which will be announced on May 1 and presented to recipients at the retreat. Award categories include educator, business woman, and leader. The nomination submission forms can be found on the centre's website.
The Sexual Assault Survivors' Centre Sarnia-Lambton provides counselling and care to survivors over the age of 16 at no cost. It also provides community education programs to inform and prevent sexual assault and human trafficking.
