Policy and Procedures Manual - Update

              MYTHS & TRUTHS ABOUT
WOMEN'S INSTITUTES
l. Myth:
TRUTH:
" W. I. is a « 3 old women's club
W. I. IS NOT A CLUB, BUT AN ORGANIZATION. EACH
BRANCH IS AN EXTENSION OF THE LARGER
PROVINCIAL ORGANIZATION. . W. I.' S DEAL WITH
CURRENT ISSUES CONCERNING WOMEN OF ALL AGES.
THE DIVERSITY OF AGE IN OUR MEMBERSHIP GIVES
US A BROADER PERSPECTIVE OF ISSUES CONCERNING
ALL WOMEN.
Myth: " Only farm wcmen can belong to W. I."
TRUTH: MEMBERSHIP IN W. I. IS OPEN TO ALL WOMEN,
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN RURAL
ORIENTED, W. I. IS AND CAN BE AN ORGANIZATION
FOR WOMEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE - BOTH RURAL
AND URBAN.
Myth: " Programming is too rigid"
TRUTH: BRANCHES AND BRANCH PROGRAMMING CAN - BE VERY
FLEXIBLE. THE BRANCHES MAY STRUCTURE THEIR
OWN PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS WITHIN THE
PARAMETERS OF THE FIVE CONVENERSHIPS TO SUIT
THEIR OWN MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNITY.
Myth: " W. I. branches are just fund raisers"
TRUTH: ALTHOUGH SOME BRANCHES CHOOSE TO CATER, HAVE
TEAS, RAFFLES, ETC., TO RAISE FUNDS TO HELP
THEIR COMMUNITIES, THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT A
NECESSARY ROLE FOR ALL W. I. BRANCHES TO
ASSUME. BRANCHES MAY CHOOSE NOT TO DO FUND
RAISING AT ALL.
Myth: " W. I. branches have interests that are too
widely based.
TRUTH: RECOGNIZING THAT COMMUNITIES ARE MADE UP OF A
DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, W. I. INCLUDES A
WIDE RANGE OF INTERESTS IN ITS PROGRAMMING.
THUS, W. I. OFTEN BECOMES, OR HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO BECOME, A UNIFYING INFLUENCE ON THE
COMMUNITY.