LEWISTON – The Abused Women’s Advocacy Project is throwing a farewell party for its executive director, and everyone is invited.

Chris Fenno is stepping down as the head of the Lewiston-based agency after 12 years on the job. She is moving to the West Coast in September to be closer to aging family members.

Fenno has been credited with steering AWAP from a small, obscure advocacy program into one of the most powerful and respected in the state.

Since Fenno took over as director of AWAP, the staff has grown from eight to 25 people.

The agency, which serves abused women and children in Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties, has helped create task forces that work out of hospitals, police departments and the district attorney’s office.

People who have worked with Fenno credited her for tirelessly advancing the cause of abused women by creating programs, questioning laws, and challenging police and court officials when she felt it was necessary.

Now that she is leaving, they want everyone to have a chance to say goodbye and thank you to her.

The farewell gathering will be held at the organization’s administrative offices on Canal Street in Lewiston. Light refreshments will be served.