When Nancy Strole of Springfield Township heard about the new Women Engage North Oakland (WEN) group last July, she signed up right away.
“I think this is something people are looking for,” said Strole, who served as Springfield Township clerk for 16 years. “I think there’s a yearning and a real need for a forum where people can gather and share information and get information in a civil way.”
WEN’s initial membership meeting will be on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 4-6 p.m. at Lino’s Restaurant in Rochester Hills.
The non-partisan group was created to provide a forum for women across north Oakland County, Strole said.
“Without casting judgment on men, men tend to take over,” she said. “I think women are more flexible, respectful, and open to others’ views. The reality is, in some forums women are hesitant to step up and speak out if men are there.”
WEN will provide a forum where women can network and obtain unbiased, factual information, she said.
“An atmosphere free of the rancor and divisiveness that seems to unfortunately dominate so much of our dialogue these days,” she said.
Upcoming topics include how road repair is funded, education funding and consolidation pros and cons, recent gerrymandering and voting proposals, and mental health. Email WomenEngageNorthOakland@gmail.com.
– Phil Custodio