August 24, 2004

Charlotte, NC - Pat E. Grigg, who is retiring as director of the Mecklenburg County Women's Commission, will be honored as part of a Women's Equality Day observance sponsored by the Women's Commission Advisory Board and the Mecklenburg County Department of Parks and Recreation.

The event will be held Wednesday, Aug. 25, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Marshall Park, located at Third and McDowell Streets in uptown Charlotte. The celebratory event will also feature voter registration, information about local women's organizations, and children's activities. Food and beverage vendors will be available.

The Honorable Becky Carney, N.C. State Representative, will be the keynote speaker. Representative Carney, who will talk about the "The Power of a Woman's Vote," is a former member of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners and a strong advocate for women and families.

Women's Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote. The day is officially recognized on Aug. 26 with proclamations from the White House, state and local governments.

According to Grigg, who has led planning for the event during her nearly 15 years as director of the Women's Commission, "Women's Equality Day is an opportunity to honor those who took part in the long and difficult struggle for women's suffrage, as well as those who have continued to fight for equal rights for women."

Call the Mecklenburg County Women's Commission at 704-336-3210 for more details.

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Media contact:
Nancy Klein
704-759-9341(O)  704-491-1839(M)
nklein@bellsouth.net