The ACWW Flag Tour in British Columbia
The first thing I remember about the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) Flag tour was a meeting with World President Raigh Roe - I believe it was in Richmond. Mrs. Roe had flown into Vancouver from her native Australia and had brought an ACWW flag to leave in Canada to start the ACWW Flag Tour.
The purpose of the Flag Tour was to raise money for a capital investment to help the international body be more self sufficient. The one flag was to tour all of Canada – we looked at each other and wondered: “How does one flag tour tour all of Canada in a period of less than a year?”
Ina McDowell of Langford Women's Institute soon solved that problem, by promptly sewing another flag -- which we used to travel British Columbia. The flag Mrs. Roe left with us was soon handed over to the Alberta Women's Institute and went on its way, gathering donations. Later we found out that a number of other provinces followed Ina's example and made their own flags so more of their members would be able to see and handle at least a replica of the official ACWW flag.
Here in BC the flag travelled many ways: by foot, by horseback, by snowmobile and skis, on buses, and many others. Everywhere it went it was greeted with newspaper coverage and large groups of enthusiastic members.
When the Provincial Board met in Dawson Creek, arrangements had been made to have our international flag fly above City Hall for a period of time. Mayor Arnold Dahlen was quite pleased to meet our request to have it raised in his city!
Before the BC Women's Institutes representatives left for the ACWW Conference in Hamburg, West Germany, the British Columbia Women's Institute donations were gathered in the Provincial office, tallied and a cheque made out to ACWW. Then the flag was retired (it was ours!). In Hamburg the final total was announced, and everyone agreed it had been an adventure, as well as a good way to set up a fund for ACWW's long-term finances. I am sure there are are many, many photos around the province showing the flag's travels and lots of memories about it also!
I am unsure of where “our” ACWW flag is now. Perhaps it is in the Provincial Office, or perhaps in an archive somewhere. But I never see a picture of it, or think of it, without Ina coming to mind. She really was “Johnny on the Spot” with her idea of duplicating it and then getting busy and doing it! A salute to you Ina – and we DO remember you!
Yours For Home and Country, Ruth Fenner, Provincial Historian, British Columbia Women's Institute
