LEWISTON – The Maine Centers for Women, Work & Community (WWC) honored four regional champions and showcased local graduates at a Nov. 13 reception held at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn Campus.
Women, Work and Community honored Franklin County Adult Education, Pam West, owner of Mountain View Chocolate Shoppe, Wendy Newmeyer, owner of Maine Balsam Fir Products, and Reta Herrick, Family Self Sufficiency coordinator at the Lewiston Housing Authority for their efforts on behalf of women and their families in western Maine.
Many local entrepreneurs who are WWC graduates featured their products or business at the event. The program also highlighted local WWC graduates whose stories are included among 30 statewide graduates featured in Creating the Future: 30 Stories from the Maine Economy, recently published by WWC: Shirley Allen of South Paris, Lisa McLeod of Greenwood, Laurie Ouellette and Laurie Thurston of Lewiston, Robert Smith of Mechanic Falls, and Pam West of Farmington.
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The evening was capped off with a performance by Lissa Schneckenburger, New England folksinger and fiddler. Proceeds from the evening benefits local WWC programs.
WWC is the only statewide comprehensive women’s education and economic development organization in Maine, with 18 centers throughout Maine.
Founded in 1978 as a displaced homemakers program through state legislation, WWC’s mission is to improve the economic lives of Maine women and their families. Program graduates have gone on to build careers for themselves, start their own small businesses, pursue higher education, gain control over their finances, buy their own homes, and become leaders in their communities. The organization has grown from one site to 18 sites serving all 16 Maine counties, positively affecting over 25,000 women since 1978. Statewide administrative offices are located at UMA, 46 University Drive, Augusta, ME 04330. For more information contact Janet Smith at 778-2757 or visit www.womenworkandcommunity.org.
