The Hottest Ticket in Town: Words Wit and Wisdom benefiting WE CAN

Tickets for the 13th annual Words Wit and Wisdom event benefiting We CAN sold out in 90 seconds. The event was held at Wychmere Beach Club in HarwichPort. The day included talks from three best selling authors: Helen Simonson, Stewart O’Nan, and Lee Woodruff as well as 2017 Woman of the Year, Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot. The all day event began at 8:15am with registration and breakfast, followed by a full program of talks and panel discussions, author signing, book sales, and a delicious lunch served with WE CAN wines. 

WE CAN is a non-profit group supporting women going through transition.  They offer referrals and support in times of crisis or change. Three women, the voice of WE CAN, told their personal story of how their lives were changed by walking into a WE CAN office. Their stories involved abuse, homelessness, divorce with no resources, and unemployment. These are issues that can affect anyone, but as We CAN executive director, Andi Gesner, explained, “for those without a safety net, these events can be life threatening.” The women told how WE CAN walked them through their time of need providing services and referrals with everything from business attire for job interviews to legal help to fight custody battles. As one woman said, “Thanks to WE CAN, my family is now thriving.” The room was moved to tears. Host Anne LeClaire joked that next year tissues should be on hand. 

Transition and perseverance was something that the authors could relate to as well. Each told the story of how writing began for them later in life. Helen Simonson was previously in advertising and began to write after becoming a stay at home. She’d just about packed her up her writing tools to go back to work, when the one person she’d sent her manuscript to decided to take it on. Stewart O’Nan was previously an aerospace engineer. He wrote in his spare time while balancing work and family commitments but didn’t give up despite the many rejections he explained in hilarious detail to the audience. Lee Woodruff’s writing career was born out of crisis. Her husband, the journalist Bob Woodruff, was injured by a roadside bomb while on assignment. He was not expected to live. In an effort to cope and because she knew he would want to know what happened, she began to write the story while sitting in the ICU. The memoir went on to inspire many many others. 

Lee Woodruff told the audience the theme of her novel was families in crisis coming together or falling apart which epitomizes WE CAN. During crisis, WE CAN becomes an extended family providing support and help. Executive Director Andi Gesner summed it up best when she said, “Help a woman and you help a family. Help a family and you help a community. Help a community and you help the world.” 

Visit WE CAN for more information on how you can get involved with the amazing work they do here in the community. If you or someone you know could use the services of WE CAN, don’t hesitate to get in touch.