WI This Month - Nov 2011
Throughout the province members gather to learn about the issues that are important to WI. They organize and carry out a variety of fund raisers and take part in community activities. All of this helps support the Women's Institute locally and provincially as well as FWIC and ACWW.WI This Month(WITM) is a monthly post to let you know the where and when of BCWI Districts and Branches events. I will not only post coming events but we would love to know how the event turned out!
International Day For The Elimination of Violence Against Women
November 25 has been designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women by the United Nations General Assembly. Since 1981 Women's activists have marked the date as a day to fight violence against women.Join the UN, governments, international organizations and NGO's in marking November 25 and raising public awareness of violence against women.For more information about the United Nations' Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women go to UNWomen.
Hello Everyone, mark your calendars for the
2nd Annual Sumas Women's Trade show,
Somenos Women's Institute Holding a Travel and Adventure Tea
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Cecil Lake Craft Fair
- Cecil Lake Community Hall
- 4864 Cecil Lake Rd Cecil Lake BC
- Friday November 25 from 4pm-8pm
- Saturday November 26 from 9am - 4pm
- Hosted by Nor' Pioneer Women's Institute
- Concession stand will be open.
Jeneece Place – A Home Away from Home
On October 28, 2011, donors and longtime supporters of the Queen Alexandra Foundation gathered in the beautiful Vancouver Island Ballroom of the Pacific Grand Hotel in Victoria for the unveiling of the official portrait of Jeneece Edroff. Jeneece is the inspirational teen who has been the source of the idea for Jeneece Place. This home away from home for parents of children who have traveled to Victoria for treatment by the Queen Alexandra’s specialists will officially open in January 2012, on Janeece’s 18th birthday.
Greeting the Guests
Guests were greeted by Ron Hewitt, Chief Executive Officer of the Queen Alexandra Foundation, and by staff members. The approximately one hundred guests were serenaded by a stringed instrument trio as they visited with old friends and new.
Accreditation For BCWI
When the official ceremonies began, Mr. Hewitt spoke briefly, on his pleasure in his new role, and of the various services the Foundation provides. Next was Chuck Chandler, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Foundation who offered thanks for all the support the facility receives, and on the origins and reasons for the establishment of the original Queen Alexandra Solarium. His credit offered to the Women’s Institute for their role in the founding of the Queen Alexandra was informative and inspirational for those who were not aware of this history.
Jeneece Raises Over $1.5 Million
Mr. Chandler spoke briefly about Janeece, commenting that although she is not yet 18 years of age, she has already raised over 1.5 million dollars for this special house, and had done this at a tender age, while coping with a number of physical problems of her own.
Problems for Jackson Subsided
Rob Doucette was introduced and told of how he and his wife welcomed premature twins about six months ago, and learned the baby boy had digestive problems that required special formula and other considerations. Through the Queen Alexandra’s Bear Essential Fund they were granted assistance that has taken them over that hurdle. Baby Jackson’s problems have now subsided, and he expressed his family’s gratitude to the officers and staff of the Foundation for their assistance and familial-like support.
Creator of Jeneece's Paintings
David Goatley, the creator of the painting of Janeece, said, in part: “I have painted many British Columbia people who have achieved great things, but most of them were on the wrong side of 40!” Mr. Goatly created two paintings – one of Janeece in a Canadian hockey jersey which will hang over the fireplace in Jeneece Place, and a second one to meet her wish to be “an ordinary” girl. The second painting, which is a gift to this exemplary teenager and her parents, shows her holding a black dog.Dubbed the Dream Maker, Jeneece offered her thanks to the Queen Alexandra for “all their work to help make my dream come true.”Posted by Ruth Fenner. Ruth is also our History author and a member of Somenos WI
South Vancouver Island Rural Woman
of the Year Award
Around the turn of the century, ACWW, which has Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status at the United Nations, requested and gained the designation of October 15th as World Rural Women’s Day. Why? To, in some small way, acknowledge the contribution Rural Women make to the food industry and to their communities.A Name ChangeMore recently the name for the day has been changed to International Day of Rural Women, but the focus remains the same: to acknowledge the challenges rural women face and to honour those who rise to face a difficult or daunting task.Here in Canada the challenges are different – our role is established and we are fairly treated. But in the developing world, it is the women who produce half of the world’s food, yet only own 1 percent of the farmland; and two thirds of the illiterate adults in the developing world are women. We are grateful North American women are not part of that pattern, but we salute those women who still give their best under such difficult situations, and pay tribute to the rural women in our communities who add so much more to the lives of those around them.The 2011 Honouree’s Service To The CommunityThe 2011 recipient of the South Vancouver Island District’s Rural Woman of the Year has a long and faithful service to her community. Those who have nominated her, or supported her with letters enumerating her services to various groups in her community display great admiration and affection for her.The tributes include some of these services:- working side by side with her husband as they raise sheep, cattle, chickens, as well as producing the food for those animals. They produce three different types of hay crops.- serving with 4-H activities for over 40 years, working with hundreds of young people and their parents.- serving with the Saanich Fair for over 40 years, 30 of those years in the Grains and Cereal sections of the Fair. She also offers her time in the Saanich Fair’s educational cooperative store where she teaches children the importance of how the farmer fills the grocery cart. The many children she interacts with seldom want to leave the store to go see the rest of the Fair.- She also assists with the Old Farm Machinery section where exhibits come from their farm and from several neighbours, and demonstrates grain grinding, water pumping and other old time practices.- She is a volunteer with the Early Ford V8 Car Club, and the North Saanich Dog Obedience Training Club.The fact is she is the personification of the rural woman: helping her husband on the farm; growing a large garden and processing or sharing the bounty it produces; being a hostess at all times (the coffee pot is seldom off in their home), assisting her community whenever and wherever she can.We salute Judy Wallace of Lazy Maple Farm, Victoria our Rural Woman of the Year for 2011
Horsefly WI Rally
On Saturday, September 24, the Horsefly WI held the Cariboo Branch Rally.
Various members from Dragon Lake, Horsefly(of course!!), Kersley, Lyne Creek, Hixon, Springhouse and Watch Lake. A total of fifteen visitors attended. Registration began a t10:00 am and W.I. business was conducted until 11:00– The FWIC inVictoria next year, national participation.Frank from Horsefly Gas Station gave a talk about over-wintering plants – Geraniums, Fuschia, bulbs and general maintenance. He was well received and in appreciation was given a gift basket of homemade jams.
A cold plate luncheon was served including several desserts. Afterwards, Sue Goglin entertained everyone with music and sing-a-longs. Bud Weir and Merv Furlong brought their horses and carriage to give the ladies a ride around Horsefly to finish off the event. Posted by Suzie Ambrose member of Horsefly WI.
Atchelitz WI Partner With Girl Guides
In July 2000 Girl Guides and their volunteer Guiders gathered in Agassiz for a one week camp entitled Spirit Of Adventure Rendezvous (SOAR). The campers 
came from all over our province, across Canada and many other countries around the world! They camped in patrols of eight girls with two Guiders, each patrol having their own tenting area where they also prepared their own meals!Each camper chose their preferred activity in program areas on Active Recreation, Environment, Science, Waterfront, Crafts, Off-site adventure trips, service projects, Fine Art and city/country out trips plus they had time to do scavenger hunts around Agassiz! They had a very busy week and the few days of clouds or light showers never did hamper their excitement.Atchelitz Women’s Institute took up the opportunity to assist with the service projects. The girls learned to knit blankets, hand sew fleece Hats for the Homeless (although some of the hats were distributed to the local Family Place for needy children and families), preserve applesauce for the Food Bank, sand and paint cabins and picnic tables at a nearby camp, scrub and clean playground equipment, chop onions at Fraser Valley Gleaners, prune roses with the city gardener, pack school supply packages for needy children and paint art for the park where they camped! Over 4500 hours of volunteer service were contributed to the local community!BC Girl Guides appreciated partnering with Atchelitz WI, who provided
funds to purchase the 360 pounds of apples the girls canned into quart jars for the Food Bank!! Many girls said they knew their grandmothers preserved fruit and vegetables but very few had ever had the opportunity to try it!! They learned by doing and now they can! They even asked about Women’s Institute!!More pictures and details can be viewed at www.bc-girlguides.org/SOAR2011Thanks Marian for Posting this event! I'm sure the girls learned a lot!Marion D is the Service Director for SOAR 2011 Girl Guides and is also a member of Langford WI.
Thanks everyone that sent in articles to be posted. Was your Branches' event missed or do you have something about an event that took place in your community that you would like to share? I will be posting WI's events and festivities the First Monday of every month. If you have an event you would like posted you can email me at hooperc@bcwi.ca Don't forget to send a picture!Until next monthColleen
