 The month of March is dedicated to paying tribute to women whose
accomplishments and contributions have changed history. This includes honoring female
veterans' struggles to gain equal footing with men in the United States
Military.
Women have traveled a long, hard road from serving as nurses,
stepping up to fill the job gap and serving as WASP's during WWII, then fighting for their
place in Vietnam, to entering entering combat in the
early '90s when Congress authorized women to fly in combat missions, and now to
serve in combat. We are here to recognize and honor the sacrifices
women have made in an effort to access equality and freedom for future
generations.
March 2017 also marks a significant milestone for women veterans, as it is the 100-year anniversary of women serving in the regular U.S. military with full military rank and equal pay. As we celebrate Women's History Month we remember the amazing accomplishments the first who served and look forward to the amazing accomplishments to come!
Meet a Woman Veteran Business Owner
 In December, we kicked off a new feature in this newsletter highlighting woman veteran business owners in a video that gives these business owners a chance to tell their story and share information about their business. Our goal is to highlight the women veterans in our community and support their businesses when possible.
This month our video introduces you to Lori Ford, owner of Wildflowyr Jewelry. Lori is an Air Force veteran who served as a Russian Linguist. After her time in the Air Force, Lori became a stay at home mom who turned a hobby into a business.
"Just go for it, It's a great experience, you're your own boss and if you can turn a hobby into a business its the best job ever." - Lori Ford
Our inaugural video featured Jessica Dragan, Army veteran and owner of Spa Massage on the Go. Our second video featured Maria Kovach, Air Force veteran and owner of Simply Stated Interiors.
The Women Veterans Program is continually looking for women veteran business owners. In addition to networking with each other, we can share your story and information about your business with the greater veteran community in Wisconsin.
Interested in joining our network? Email us today!
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 Learning to Stay
Join us for a free performance of Learning to Stay, the world premiere of a play written by James DeVita, adapted from a novel by Erin Celello. This performance, presented by Forward Theater, is on April 4, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison.
Elise Sabato is thrilled when her husband Brad returns from his deployment in Iraq, and their plans for a life and family together can finally be realized. But it soon becomes clear that for Brad, coming home is only the beginning of a long journey. It is up to Elise to find help for a man she no longer recognizes, who suffers from injuries that neither of them can see or understand.
With a story set in Madison, and written and adapted by Wisconsin actor and playwright, James DeVita, Learning to Stay asks what you would do when the person you’re married to is no longer the person you married.
Post-show talks with cast, author, and service providers will be held after the performance.
This free performance is open to veterans and active military, their family members, and service providers. If you do not fit these criteria, please check out the other performances of Learning to Stay.
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SAVE THE DATE: Women Veterans Retreat
 Registration is now open for the 2017 Women Veterans Retreat! The Women Veterans Retreat will be on May 19, 2017 in Eau Claire at Trinity Equestrian Center in the indoor arena. Check-in will start at 9:30 a.m. with events running from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Our keynote speaker this year is Dajon Ferrell. Ferrell is a veteran who served in the Army National Guard for 13 years. After experiencing her own struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, due to military sexual trauma, she worked toward healing and found a path of choosing meditation over medication. Seeing a need for holistic healing modalities in the veteran community, Dajon created Warrior Lighthouse, a non-profit that provides veterans with mindfulness training to help restore and empower them so that they can create a healthy and purposeful life.
Following our speaker, the day will be filled with breakout sessions on alternative therapies you can try first hand. Activities include equine therapy, yoga, massage, acupuncture, life coaching and federal healthcare counseling.
There is no cost to attend this event. For those interested in the Madison and Tomah areas, there will is an opportunity to ride in a VA van. If you are interested in this please contact Libby Schmiedlin.
For those traveling from outside the area, a block of rooms at the $82 state rate is available at the Best Western in Eau Claire. The Best Western offers a complimentary breakfast. The cut-off date for reservations under the room block is Monday, April 25, 2017.
Register today!
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