LoW women are making a difference

Submitted by
Rebecca Wood

Our first fall meeting was held at the home of Margaret Helder with seven members present. Summer volunteer hours were submitted for activities such as the June Bake Sale, July first children‚s activities at the hall, Bergland Fun Day, Emo Fair and museum activities.
Margaret Helder had made a lovely pieced table runner for the bake sale draw which was won by Beulah Olson. Fun Day activities put smiles on the faces of children, took hair from the heads of adults, filled tummies with all kinds of chili, and raised funds for cancer research. All this to the music of Highway 621.
It has been getting more difficult to obtain a licence to hold our annual quilt raffle, and this year we were unable to get one, which was very disheartening for the women who put so many hours of labour into making it, to say nothing of the disappointment of the many people who look forward to the chance of winning it. The quilts made by this branch are known throughout the district for their high quality. Thank you Margaret and Marjory for all your expertise and work. The quilt that would have been raffled has been sent to Toronto for sale, and there are no further plans to make more.
The cost of materials for the cemetery planters and Fun Day have been paid, and without the usual proceeds from the quilt raffle, we will be trying other methods of fund-raising.
A Harvest Dinner has been planned with the Morson and Forest Branches to be held on Saturday, October first at the Bergland Hall at 5 p.m. The cost is $12.50 for adults, age 7 to 10 is $4.00, and age 6 and under are
free. There will be entertainment, and everyone is welcome. Proceeds will go for maintenance and heating the museum. Another dinner will be held in Devlin on October 23rd. There will be a fall tea and bake sale at the museum in Emo on September 19th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. after which the museum will be closed for the season.
As a busy season starts up, I am reminded of some of the many improvements to daily life that the Federated Women‚s Institutes of Ontario have been instrumental in helping to accomplish. A few of these are: Dental and medical inspections in schools, banning the sale of mineral based detergents, hospital benefits for all nursing homes and fluorescent markings on the sides of rail cars.