On Friday, November 1 from 5 to 7 p.m., the Center for Wisdom’s Women will host another of its events called “Wise and Strong Women Speak.” This semi-annual program series invites remarkable women into a public conversation about their lives. The focus this time will be on aspirations, inspirations, and on the roll of mentors in helping us find and fulfill our true selves.
The featured panelist will be Gale Hart, Finance Director of the United Way of Androscoggin County. She will share her personal story, including how she overcome the challenges of being a single mother of three by the age of 23, left an abusive relationship, worked while attending college, was the sister of a murder victim, lost her home in a fire, and was caretaker to a son with a traumatic brain injury.

One of the most upbeat and inspiring woman you will ever meet, Hart used to believe that life was what happened to you, but grew to understand from those who came before her that life is a series of choices.
“We get our strength from those who have gone before us,” says Gale. “Sometime we just need a little encouragement.”
Just as she was encouraged and helped along the way, Hart now inspires others. In addition to her work at the United Way, she spends time with other women, sharing her experience and walking with them in journeys of change.
Joining Hart for the second half of the discussion will be two women who have recently come to volunteer at the women’s center, Bonnie Rousseau and Heather Flanders. They will each share a bit of their own personal stories and then will join Hart in a conversation about finding and taking the next step.
The program is free and open to the public; no reservations are needed. Donations to support the women’s center will be gratefully accepted. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 513-3922.
The women’s center is located in downtown Lewiston, between Pine and Ash Streets, behind the Healy Terrace apartments. Parking in the adjacent lot is limited; please park on the street or one block away in the parking garage.
The Center for Wisdom’s Women is a sacred and safe place that supports and empowers women. It functions as a collaborative of women who work to build community for the purpose of bettering and enriching their lives.
The Center offers warm hospitality, compassionate listening, personal and spiritual guidance that is respectful of all faith traditions, assistance in accessing local resources to meet needs, and encouragement toward healthy life choices. Through support groups, activities and programs, women have the chance to meet and network with others, build friendships, and support each other in their daily struggles. All programs and services are offered free of charge. For more information and a calendar of activities, see www.wisdomswomen.org.

Gale Hart, Finance Director of the United Way of Androscoggin County, will discuss her personal journey at the next “Wise and Strong Women Speak” forum at the Center for Wisdom’s Women’s on Nov. 1