Third Annual Kickoff Highlights Month Long Calendar of Events

ERIE COUNTY, NY— Today, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz joined other elected officials, the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library and numerous partner organizations to kick off March as Women’s History Month at the downtown Central Library.

“Women’s History Month provides us with a chance to reflect on and celebrate the many achievements that women have contributed both nationally and right here in Erie County,” said Poloncarz.  “I encourage all residents to take part in the month-long calendar of events and activities centering around women’s history.”

From 11:00am to 1:00pm, two dozen non-profit organizations serving women and girls locally offered to the public displays and resource information on their services and activities.  At 12 noon, the official Kickoff Ceremony took place featuring original poetry, music by the Buffalo Chamber Players, and remarks by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Erie County Legislature Chairwoman Betty Jean Grant, Library Vice Chair Sharon Thomas, and YWCA Director Deborah Lynn Williams.

For the third straight year, Erie County and the Library have collaborated to produce a Women’s History Month calendar of activities, which will be unveiled at the noon ceremony.  The calendar, which features over 40 workshops, performances, dinner programs, tours, and lectures relating to women’s history and contemporary issues taking place locally during March, is available free at participating locations, the 37 County-wide Library branches, Erie County’s Rath Building, and on the websites www.erie.gov and www.buffalolib.org.

Activity presenters represented on the calendar include partners Canisius College Women’s Business Center, Buffalo State College, Girl Scouts of WNY, Everywoman Opportunity Center, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Gilda’s Club of WNY, Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, Family Justice Center, Nardin Academy, Irish Classical Theatre, Buffalo Seminary, and AAUW-Buffalo, among other groups.

The local commemoration of March as Women’s History Month matches the national commemoration, declared by Congress in 1987 as advocated by the National Women’s History Project and many other national organizations. This year’s national theme is “Women’s Education, Women’s Empowerment.”