CORNWALL, Ontario – La Citadelle high school was ready to celebrate International Day of the Girl on Wednesday, Oct. 11 and offer new experiences and opportunities to girls in Cornwall.
The sixth year of this event saw a major increase in participation. Approximately 100 girls signed up for the event through pre-registration, a 25 percent increase from last year.
One of the organizers of the event, Danielle MacNeil, attributed the spike to better advertising and getting the word out through social media.
The event, for girls aged eight to 16 took place at the school in the afternoon and involved several different workshops for the participants to take part in.
“Today gives them the opportunity to take part in things they might not otherwise,” said MacNeil.
Workshops that were being held this year included shooting a TV Show with YourTV, learning crossfit from Seaway Valle Crossfit, cooking with Mindful Cookery and many other activities.
“We hope the girls walk away having tried something new and maybe found a new passion,” MacNeil said.
She went on to explain that the whole point of International Day of the Girl is about pushing boundaries.
“We are so lucky we live in North America,” she said. “In other parts of the world its (International Day of the Girl) is about fighting things like inequality and forced marriages.”
Girls were encouraged to bring their friends and their parents. There were activities for the parents as well, including seminars on meditation practices and on mental health from Cornwall’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
This year’s event was organized by Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) of SD&G and area, Maison Baldwin House, L’équipe Psycho Sociale, Girl Guides, Maison Interlude, CCH Children’s Mental Health and Cornwall City Councillor Carilyne Hébert.
