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The Citizen, 2005-12-01, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2005. PAGE 19. Guelph Area WI holds 66th convention in Atwood By Winnie Trachsel The 66th Guelph Area Convention of the Women’s Institute was held recently at the Elma Community Centre in Atwood. An In Memoriam was held for all members who passed away in the previous year. Presiding president, Margaret McMahon addressed the members using the theme of Sharing Our Heritage. She said members should draw on the past to plan for the future. Janet Lee and Adelaide Hunter Hoodless (1897) realized that women had to be better informed. This is why the Women’s Institute became a reality. Today, the ROSE (Rural Ontario Sharing Education) program helps women to become better informed. Many health sessions through the ROSE program help people to practise prevention and educate how to diagnose health disorders. The Tweedsmuir histories are a valuable link to the past for helping in the search for family history, municipal, county, school and church history documentations. The mission and vision statements feature the work of the WI through the network of Branches offering quality education, support programs and services working towards personal growth and empowerment of all women. Elinor Rau, introduced Lutzen Reidstra, guest speaker for the morning session. Mr. Reidstra is the archivist administrator of the Stratford-Perth Archives. He told everyone that the Women’s Institute Tweedsmuir history books are the most used records. Over the course of 26 years a lot more historical awareness has been made because of the WI presenting history in a positive way. The WI has been a huge help across Ontario and Perth County in the past and in the present. The Perth District Health Unit was originated in Perth County because of the Women’s Institute. Records of buildings, cemeteries, the performing arts, theatre and music continues to evolve. Genealogists research for stories about ghosts, homes, communities, organizations and municipal bylaws. Records do not have to be on paper, he said. The use of slides, videos and trophies are great sources of historical facts. Lutzen then spoke of ways to help in the preservation of the WI Tweedsmuirs through the use of acid-free paper and card stock. Photos tend to stick to each other from the pressure. Always paste photos on the right-hand side only. Newspaper clipping are highly acidic and acid does migrate. Zerox articles will also stick together. Make smaller copies of oversized documents and put the smaller copy in the book. Acid-free boxes of all shapes and sizes are available for storage. The Stratford-Perth Archives has three divisions - Stratford-Perth in Stratford, Listowel and area and Mitchell and area. FWIO president Elsie Stephenson brought greetings from the Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario’s provincial board. She asked “what is a family?” the dictionary defines family as a brotherhood of persons united by political or religious ties. Ms Stephenson defined the FWIO family as a sisterhood of women united by a common interest in personal growth and community action. The FWIO family is made up of Branch members. Members must be retained and recruited. Providing interesting programs that use a variety of topics helps retain members. Membership in FWIO is now approximately 8,000 with 547 branches in 74 districts. For every new member recruited, Branches received a $5 FWIO buck which can be redeemed to purchase supplies, brochures etc. Washago WI won first place in the 2004-05 recruitment challenge with eight new members. Oxdrift WI was second with five. The Rugby, Second Line of Drummond, Sparrow Lake and Walsingham WIs tied for third place with four new members. First place includes a free provincial conference registration plus $50 in FWIO bucks. Second place is $100 and third place is $75 FWIO bucks. This will continue in 2005-06. FWIO is celebrating the sixth anniversary of ROSE. Using the 2005 programming theme Sharing Our Heritage, Ms Stephenson shared the WI heritage. The first WI was created at Squires’ Hall in Stoney Creek, Feb. 19, 1897. Each decade has been involved in producing many educational courses of action which accomplished many beneficial opportunities to improve the lives of families and communities. Today ROSE continues that tradition. The new ROSE program manager is Patty Stokes. Ms Stephenson extended a heartfelt thank you to members for contributing funds to the Erland Lee Museum Home. Each FWIO region is supporting different projects. The Western regions (Guelph Area) are supporting five groups in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. All Branches are asked to send small crafts supplies to the Grenada Homemakers Association over and above the support in their regions. . The Federated Women’s Institute of Ontario provincial conference 2006 will be held Aug. 11-13 at Fanshawe College, London. The Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada (FWIC) convention will be held at the Capri Centre in Red Deere, Alberta, June 14-17. The afternoon session began with the singing of the Hymn of All Nations. Glenna Smith, Guelph Area public relations officer reported on the 90th anniversary of the 4-H held at Heritage Park, Milton July 9. A new fundraiser will be the sale of seasonal storybooks with Christmas being the first season. More information will follow the November board meeting. Winnie Trachsel, RR2, Tavistock was nominated for the Western Region Board Director (FWIO). Cindy Rabstein, 23 White Bark Way, RR1, Belwood was elected the Guelph Area representative to FWIO and Leona Foerter, Fordwich was elected alternative area representative. The officers list is as follows: past president, Cindi Rabstein; president Margaret E. McMahon; first vice- president,' Pauline Weiland; secretary, Lorianne Schmidt; assistant secretary, Marilyn Sharp, treasurer, Everdina Bender; public relations officer, Glenna Smith; ROSE, Verna Coneybeare; advocacy, - Winnifred Mann; Tweedsmuir curator, Henrietta Claus; financial examiners, Ethel Corry, Margaret Cleland; 2005 convention co-ordinator past, June Cockwell; 2006 vice convention co­ ordinator, Elinor Rau; 2007 convention co-ordinator, Lynda Alexander; Area Representative to The 2006 (67th) Guelph Area FWIO, Cindi Rabstein, Leone Convention will be held in St. Foerter. Agatha Thursday, Oct. 19. Nifty Korners is the place to be For No Tax Giftware shopping you will see Home Decor is on the floor The walls adorned with gifts galore The Source by Circuit City is in there too With electronics and things to do. No Tax on Giftware December 3rd & 4th 33 Main St. Seaforth 527-1680 Nifty Korners d Source SAMSUNG inte SALE I SAMSUNG \ 10 Huron St., Clinton 482-9414 www.grovestv.com DECEMBER HOURS: Mon. - Thurs. 9-5:30; Fri. 9-8; Sat. 9-4; Sun. 1-4 The Stratford-Perth Archives began in January 1972 as the Perth County Archives. It has a geographic mandate to search all of Perth County’s and the City of Stratford’s heritage. The official role is to search out schools, churches, organizations and personal histories. The doors are open six days a week. The use of the internet helped to put the Archives into the modern world, he said. Historical documents can be viewed anywhere. In 20 years a hundred million images will have been on the internet. Paper documentations will still be preserved.