1937 - Convention Report

              TWENTIETH PROVINCIAL, CONVENTION 35
Lacombe- Ponoka— Mrs. A. A. Davis, Convener, reports seven Branches
with 146 members, three Branches having disbanded. Lacombe is entering on its
twenty- tilth year of Institute work. All Branches are busy assisting with relief,
hospital, educational and community work. Birch Lake is a new Branch with
ten members. Prospects of reorganization of disbanded Branches may be pos­sible
in the near future. All Branches are doing splendid work and raised nearly
$ 1,800.00 since last report.
Olds East— See report of Red Deer- Innisfail.
Olds West— Mrs. W. J. Morris, Convener, reports nine Branches, all very
active in their own communities and doing good work along relief, good cheer,
good fellowship lines. One Branch Secretary thought the outstanding thing in
her Institute was " they had stuck together." Another had a wonderful flower
show and gave rose bushes and tulip bulbs as prizes. Much sickness and blocked
roads have prevented regular meetings at some points, but all are carrying on
with a right good- will.
" Glamis" W. I. was organized on May 14th, 1937; also a Girls' Club at
Cottonwood was recently organized.
Ribstone— Mrs. R. P. Biggs, Convener, reports four active Branches with 48
members, also one Branch inactive. They have raised nearly $ 500.00. One
Branch provided four layettes, another supplied glasses for a needy case, while
another presented albums to successful Grade VIII pupils.
Sedgewick— Mrs. W. J. Haynes, Convener, with eight Branches and 176
members, are also doing a great deal of community work. One Branch is super­vising
the care of a needy family, where the mother is very sick, and have had
her placed in an institution, and supplied a new home, equipment and clothing for
the fam'ly- They sponsor a musical festival, also picture show, concert and dance
to assist in the raising of funds. The main feature of the community work is
the beautification of cemeteries. Kinsella and Viking are being transferred to
the Wainwright Constituency on account of road conditions.
Stettler— Mrs. W. M. McDonald, Convener. Has five Branches with 89
members, and reports the Kanata Branch was reorganizing. All are actively
engaged in educational and community work. Stettler is still paying a caretaker
to keep their cemetery beautiful, while Botha co- operates with the Village Council
in the upkeep of theirs.
Red Deer East— Mrs. J . H . Brown, of Delburne, Convener. With five
Branches and a membership of 90, they have raised $ 1,125.67 during the last two
years. They also are doing a great deal of relief work, providing 13 mothers'
bundles and have given fruit or flowers to any who are ill, not necessarily W. I.
members. Torrington Branch was organized in 1936 and held a fowl supper and
bazaar which netted them $ 169.80, which gave them a splendid start. They supply
cocoa and sugar to the children in the school districts in the cold weather. Olds
East, consisting of only one Branch, was reported to have transferred to the
Red Deer East Constituency by Mrs. W. C. Malcolm, Convener.
Red Deer Centre— Mrs. J. W. Lawrence, Convener. With seven Branches
and 104 members, they have a decrease in membership but a decided increase in
receipts, $ 1,533.30 has been raised since last Convention, as against $ 973.93
on last report. One Branch reports a successful " Clipper Club", each member
bringing a clipping of any kind that appeals to her, reads it at the meeting, all
members taking part in discussion that follows. They change their officers
annually, so all share the responsibilities. Penhold, the smallest Branch in mem­bers,
accomplished the most financially. Possibly the most important thing done
was the sending of a crippled boy to the Red Cross Hospital and paying the
special charges in connection with the case. All Branches are working for the
schools and the community. Liberal donations of cash, food and clothing have
been given to those in need. One new Branch has been organized, Poplar Ridge,
and one disbanded since last Convention.