For years, the Womanfocus department has held a “Mother Daughter Escape” each fall to provide area women and adolescent girls with a full day of enriching activities that are fun, educational, and beneficial to the mother-daughter relationship. Strengthening bonds between mothers and daughters helps to protect girls from many risky and unhealthy behaviors including substance abuse. 

 

Encouraged by the success of last fall’s “Escape” held in Buffalo, the Womanfocus staff partnered with the Town of Cheektowaga and the four public school districts located in the town to produce a spring “Escape” on Saturday, March 20^th. Called “Beautiful Boundaries,” the event attracted approximately 100 women and girls to the Alexander Community Center in Cheektowaga. Workshops on Communication and Healthy Connections for both the girls and their moms were facilitated by the Womanfocus staff.  Participants got active with a “Walk and Talk” session and a Yoga and body language workshop that were both a lot of fun.  The ladies enjoyed breakfast and lunch and also got some pampering by nail technicians and massage therapists brought in by the Cheektowaga Central School District. It was a great day that none in attendance will soon forget! 

 

Womanfocus thanks the Town of Cheektowaga Youth & Recreational Services Department, especially Executive Director Ellen Fischer and Program Coordinator Jillian Gorman-King and school social workers Joan Conti and Kathy Graziadei of Cheektowaga Central, Sally Ferrigno and Karen Paskiewicz of Maryvale, Patty Balthasar and Dona LaPatra of Cleveland Hill, and Bea Shedler, Michaelene Bernas and Joanne Wilton of Cheektowaga Sloan. The work of the student interns from all four schools is also greatly appreciated. 

 

The Womanfocus staff is already beginning the planning for this year’s fall “Escape” which will take place on Saturday, October 23^rd. For more information on that event or any Womanfocus programs, contact Cheryl Stevens at 884-3256, ext. 219 or castevens@pfocus.org.