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Steamboat Springs — It was at a kitchen table where Sherry Benson and Sally Breedlove gathered the wisdom of three older Routt County women.

Benson and Breedlove visited the homes of Yampa's Virginia Rossi, Hayden's Pat Holderness and Steamboat Springs' Mary Lou Alexander to listen to their life histories. The women shared tales of motherhood, the younger days of Routt County and the joy of living past 70.

"We spent two hours with each of these women individually and it was a sacred time," Breedlove said.

It is an experience Benson and Breedlove hope to share with others. In a program titled Circles of Wisdom, Benson and Breedlove will hold a three-part series in which the Routt County women will share their stories of imagination, courage and faith.

"These women have lived through some very challenging times," Breedlove said. "We are in the midst of that ourselves with world challenges and environmental challenges. They have lived through all of that. Whatever their stories reveal, that will give us even more connection and wisdom."

Breedlove and Benson's Windhorse of the Rockies is presenting the program. Refreshments will be provided by Off the Beaten Path Bookstore.

Inspired by Native American tradition, Benson and Breedlove said sitting in a circle while the women share their stories is central to the experience. Breedlove hopes it will be as comfortable and natural as when the women talked to Benson and Breedlove at their kitchen table.

"Amazing connections can happen when sitting in a circle," Breedlove said.

The series will also honor ancient oral traditions by passing down stories and wisdom through the spoken word, Benson said.

"It allows for give and take, for questions and answers to come from other people and generations, for learning from each other and not just listening to other women," she said.

Longtime local Noreen Moore helped Benson and Breedlove identify women who would be willing to share their stories with others.

The series will begin Saturday with Virginia Rossi sharing her story. Rossi is a longtime Yampa rancher who has nine children and 27 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Although Rossi is 73 years old, Benson said she still hops on a sled to travel over the hills to her son's house nearby.

"These women are unbelievable and just full of life," Benson said.

Pat Holderness, a Hayden rancher and Routt County's first female county commissioner, will share her stories on March 8. She also wrote a book about the history of Hayden.

Listening to these women's stories is a chance to learn about Routt County's past, Benson and Breedlove said.

"The valley has changed from homesteaders and ranches to a ski community and now to second homes," Breedlove said. "These women are full of (insight) on how the community has grown through that. These women were a part of that."

Mary Lou Alexander, an author and singer from Steamboat, will wrap up the three-part series. Alexander raised eight children and recorded a CD of serenity prayers after her husband died. She also published the book "They Did What."

Benson and Breedlove hope to continue the program by holding one series per season.

Benson and Breedlove met in healing groups about a year ago and found they shared a similar vision for creating a healing center and retreat in Steamboat.

People attending the series are asked for a $10 donation, which will go toward covering the cost of the program and to help start a healing center.

Benson said the idea of listening to the wisdom of an older generation came after working with young girls who seemed disconnected from the past. She said the honoring of the elderly is another ancient tradition.

"They looked to their elder people as very wise and to help in the decision making," Benson said. "Age is revered and honored."