Women's Institutes meet in Camrose

Source: AWI Collection

Transcript: Women's Institute
meets in Cam rose
Flag b e a r e r s p a r a d e d t h e flags of Canada, Alberta, a n d t he
Alberta Women's I n s t i t u t e out of t h e m e e t i n g hall as t h e orga­nization's
a n n u a l convention a t Augustana University College
came to a close l a s t Thursday.
by Dan J e n s en
Approximately 200 dele­gates
from over 100 Women's
Institute branches across the
province gathered for their annu­al
convention, last week, at
Augustana University College.
The June 11 to 13 event was
the Alberta Women's Institute's
second in Camrose. Before that,
the organization held its conven­tions
at Olds College.
Keynote speaker for the con­vention
was Brenda Pinley, of
CBC TV, who spoke of her trav­els
throughout European coun­tries
while covering important
events.
Other speakers were Cather­ine
Cole and Judy Lemar, who
are rompiling a history book on
the Alberta Women's Institute
entitled, Our History Comes
Alive; Charlotte Johnson, presi­dent
of Federated Women's Insti­tutes
of Canada; Peggy Knapp,
Associated Country Women of
the World area president ( Cana­da);
and Rose Bibby " The
Hayshaker's Wife," who recited
many poems about humorous
farm incidents.
Delegates also had the
oprx) itunity to take in two enrich­ment
SEMINARS: Researching and
Writing Resolutions, led by
Aileen Kritzinger, and Breast
Cancer Info Link, led by Joanne
Pawelek
Focus of resolutions dis­cussed
at the convention were the
Red Deer River corridor integra­tion
management plan; discrimi­nation
against the elderly, the
water management policy and
legislation review; medical costs
for self- abuse diseases; water and
water management; and the
Alberta Women'S Institute's
involvement in government poli­cy
making. Past resolutions by
the Women's Institute have
resulted in the provincial govern­ment
introducing mandatory
child restraint legislation,
upgrading the existing provincial
pediatric cardiac facilities, and
instituting a program to supply
private line telephone service to
rural subscribers at reasonable
rates.
Tied into the convention was
a handicraft display. Twenty- six
branches entered 539 articles,
with the Heather Brae Women's
Institute receiving the award for
best rug. Dora Courtney won in
the over- 70 group for her sewing,
while Bertha Hartman took sec­ond
place in the non- fiction cate­gory
for her story, The Legend Dried Meat Hill.
Alberta Women's Institute is
a non- partisan and non- sectarian
educational organization for
women working under the motto
For Home and Country. Its goals
are to help discover, stimulate
and develop leadership; to assist,
encourage and support women to
become knowledgeable and
responsible citizens; to ensure
basic human rights for women,
and to work towards equity; to be
a strong voice through which
matters of utmost concern can
reach the decision makers and to
network with organizations shar­ing
similar objectives; to promote
the improvement of urban and
rural communities; and to safe­guard
the environment. The 28
Alberta Women's Institute con­stituencies
have 117 branches,
and a total of 1600 members. The
Ohaton constituency is made up
of branches at Heather Brae,
Round Hill, Ohaton, Lougheed,
Argyle, Hughenden and Provost.
Alberta Women's Institute is
a member of the Federated
Women's Institutes of Canada,
established by Adelaide Hoodless
in 1897, and internationally, the
Associated Country Women of
the World.