WI told to embrace change
By Mary MacArthur
Camrose bureau
Marion Brown stood at the front of the convention
hall and asked the women if they could remember
when they were afraid to eat food
cooked in a microwave oven.
Then the Alberta Women's Institutes'
convener on agriculture education
asked how they feel today about
biotechnology and genetically altered
food.
Agriculture is changing, the world is
changing and Brown challenged the
women to find out as much as they can
about the changing world to help
them face the upcoming
changes to
theWI.
The Challenge of
Change was the
theme of the two-day
AWI convention
in Camrose.
Keynote speaker
Morris Flewwelling
said the women may
feel overwhelmed
with changes facing
their organization
established in 1909,
but change is nothing
new.
In the past 50
years homes have
gone from rotary
telephones to computers
and the in-
V ou have to
change the WI to
remain strong,
relevant and vital."
— MORRIS FLEWWELLING,
SPEAKER
WP photo by Mary MacArthur
DELEGATES AT THE ALBERTA WOMEN'S INSTITUTES MEETING IN
CAMROSE WERE TOLD TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.
ternet. Hospitals and libraries, once established by
Women's Institutes to help the community, are being
run by government- appointed boards and the rural
economy is tied to global happenings.
" The WI has been an engine on the
train in many areas of social change," said
Flewwelling, adding that the organization
must continue its community work.
" At no time in our history have we
needed people like you more."
With an aging membership and a
structure that hasn't changed much since
it was established, Flewwelling challenged
the women to adopt change within
their organization.
" You may have
to change the WI
in order to remain
strong, relevant
and vital. You may
have to change
your structure.
" You need an organization
that is
responsive, athletic
and loving."
President Doris
Northey of Red
Deer echoed Flew-welling's
remarks
that change is necessary.
" We will move
forward. We will
have regrets, but
we will move forward."
