By KARA O’NEIL
Staff writer
Celebrating and empowering women is the theme of the free Pack the Plaza 2 rally scheduled Sunday, March 10, at the Central Avenue Plaza in Oil City.
Part of the rally will focus on the Oil City YWCA’s rich history here and the organization’s 100-year anniversary.
International Women’s Day annually falls on March 8, and the first Pack the Plaza rally was held March 8, 2020, just a few days before the COVID-19 shutdowns started across the country.
Organizers for the event include three prominent women in the Venango County community — Bonnie Summers, Deb Lutz and Judy Etzel.
Summers and Etzel will serve as masters of ceremonies for the program. Lutz, who is the president of Oil City-Franklin Zonta Club, will give the opening and closing remarks.
The two main speakers will be Marie Veon, a former Venango County president judge and district attorney; and Mark Elliston, the vicar of Christ Episcopal Church in Oil City.
Refreshments and music by Porch Music will follow the rally at Christ Episcopal Church, which is adjacent to the plaza.
A number of local service agencies and women’s groups will have educational and informational materials at the rally.
Magnets emblazoned with “she believed she could, so she did” will also be handed out at the rally.
And YWCA centennial items and yellow rose pins will also be for sale at the event.
