Friday event marks Women's History Month

An event this Friday will celebrate women's contributions to history and encourage the women of Cape Girardeau to try to improve life for women in the area.

Area women are invited to the Women's History Month celebration, taking place Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Taylor Room of the Cape Girardeau VFW hall. The event is free.

Celebration organizer Debra Mitchell-Braxton said the event will highlight women who've made significant contributions to society.

Few people seem to know that March is Women's History Month, ordained by Congress in 1987. But even more important, Braxton said, is encouraging local women to band together and take action to make their community better.

Braxton quoted the late Coretta Scott King, saying women must "be the soul of our country."

Braxton said women face difficulties not shared by men, from disparity in pay to a lack of career choices to the challenges faced by single mothers.

Nancy Jernigan of the United Way of Southeast Missouri will be a featured speaker at the event, talking about the need for women's services in the city and ways in which interested women can get involved.

Jernigan will discuss the United Way program GRACES, a community-involvement project that seeks to use local women's talents to help other women and the community.

"Women are known for wanting to step up to the plate and get involved," Jernigan said. "So we set about to deliberately seek out women we haven't had relationships with and get them involved with the United Way."

Those wishing to attend the event are asked to call Braxton at (573) 979-0213 or Jonnie Bridges-Green at 335-6725 by noon on Friday.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

Want to go?

What: Women's History Month celebration

Where: Cape Girardeau VFW hall

When: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday

Info: (573) 979-0213 or 335-6725