Women from Sherwood Assisted Living celebrated Women’s History Month by sharing their stories of life, work and war with young women from the Sequim Boys &Girls Club.

Sherwood Assisted Living hosted a presentation on Wednesday, March 22, with a panel of six women that explained how the lives of women have changed over the years from firsthand experiences.

The panel speakers included Sheila Cope, Ruth Albertson, Betty Mrkvicka, Audrey Hetherington, Esther McKinnon and Esther Lake. Each speaker shared a personal story of their lives that marked a significant time in history for women.

Some women explained how they took up roles that aided the military during World War II, such as Mrkvicka who enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps and Lake who went to work at Boeing as a riveter where she helped build B17 bombers.

Others told stories of how employment and travel has changed from the late 1920s to present day. Albertson did secretarial work for a company that manufactured and sold undergarments for women at $75 per month in the 1930s. McKinnon helped her husband run an automotive and machine shop business and Cope explained what it was like to travel to America from England by ship after World War II.

Hetherington shared how she climbed the ladder of the Santa Barbara School District in California where she eventually became a superintendent. She explained to the young women how she negotiated her salary when she noticed as a woman she made $3,000 less than a man with a similar job. She approached her boss about the wage gap and he gave her a raise to match on the spot.

After the speakers shared their stories, the young women had the chance to ask the panel questions. Many asked about their personal lives while some asked details about their jobs.

The speakers also gave each young woman a booklet of Women’s History from Sherwood residents to take home so they could remember the experience.