International Women’s Day (IWD) is a worldwide event celebrating women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
We celebrate this day on March 8, but the efforts to reach equivalence among genders are a year-round, global effort. According to the IWD website, “the collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity is what makes IWD impactful.” At Mainspring of Ephrata, we are taking a moment to celebrate the strength of women in our community and showcasing just some of those that have a positive impact.
Ephrata has a long history of strong women helping to move our community forward. From women who run (and ran) households while their spouses work in service industries, factories, and fields; to those that have run businesses while men were taken away from home for work or even war; to the pioneers that created and grew businesses into large organizations that employed hundreds in our area; our past and present is filled with strong women role models.
We’d like to recognize the women on the Mainspring Board of Directors. These women work tirelessly to improve the economic climate in our community, not only in their roles with Mainspring but in their careers as well. They represent business owners, elected and appointed officials, executives, and residents that are passionate about our area. Together, they bring a well-rounded point of view to keep moving forward. We give our thanks to:
Ephrata also has a lot of women-owned and run businesses that make up our local economy. From quaint B&Bs to restaurants, breweries, salons, bakeries, and so many more. It would be difficult to imagine our area without some of our entrepreneurial-minded women. We invite you to add your favorite women to be celebrated in the comments.
If you are a woman wondering how can you make a positive difference for your fellow women professionally or personally, remember that incredible things happen when women support each other. More ground will be gained toward achieving equality by raising fellow women up and using the power of collaboration to meet goals. Network with your peers on an ongoing basis to build a strong network of women in complementary positions so that you can share experiences on your road to success. And finally, don’t be shy to sing the praises of other women when you see fit. There’s enough limelight to go around. Amplifying each other strengthens relationships and builds confidence on all fronts.
Visit our local women-driven businesses all month long and do what you can to truly make a difference for women.