Women in the greater Andalusia area are invited to a Women’s Expo designed to promote local businesses and services that cater to women.

Sponsored by the Women’s Advisory Board at Andalusia Regional Hospital, the event is being organized by board members Linda Ward, Fran Davidson and Dianne Curry, the expo, who are encouraging their women friends to take time to put themselves first.

“So often, women tend to maybe put themselves last,” Davidson said. “When you think about it, particularly working women, are often also caring for a spouse, and/or children, family members, and also have church and civic responsibilities. So to find time just for themselves is very difficult.”

The organizers said they started with an idea of promoting the hospital, but the event evolved into “all manner of things you can do locally.”

“Instead of people feeling they have to go out of town to have a mammogram, a baby, whatever – we wanted to promote local businesses, also,” Davidson said. “And, we’ve had a really nice response.”

The first 250 women to walk through the door will receive a goody bag. And all women will have an opportunity to have a chair massage, a sample microdermabrasion, or a partial makeover.

Nancy Dove will kick off the event with a motivational talk, and local doctors and mammography technicians will be on hand to talk casually with women who have questions.

“That really, is so important,” Ward said. “There are so many women who really have never had a conversation with a doctor.”

Both Alan Cotton’s and Andalusia Flower and Gift are creating centerpieces for the tables, and those will be given away as door prizes later in the day. Women also will be served a box snack from Steamboat.

The event is free to vendors, and some will offer spring merchandise while others are doing Mother’s Day gifts.

“We hope there will be something there for a woman of any age,” Davidson said.

Expo hours are from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Kiwanis Community Center on Sat., April 26.