Olds/ Sundre W. I. Constituency
Combined conference held at Cottonwood
The combined W. I. Constituency
Conference for
Innisfail and Olds/ Sundre
was held April 18 at the
Cottonwood Hall. There were
34 members and two visitors
present. The theme for the
conference was " Challenges
of Change". The conference
was co- chaired by Elaine
Kaiser, Olds/ Sundre
Convener and Barb
Thomson, Innisfail Convener.
During the morning the following
reports were given:
the Girl's Club reports by the
Tiger Lilies and Coburnettes;
Educational reports on Health
and Home Economics,
International Affairs,
Agricultural & Canadian
Industries, and Education &
Cultural Activities; Both
Constituency Conveners
reports; and District 5
Director, Bernice Willsie's
report. Next on the agenda
was a quick craft. Blanche
Cunningham showed us how
to make gift bags out of gift
wrap or wall paper. We all got
to try our hand at it and had a
nice gift bag to take home.
Shirley Shrader played the
piano while all members sang
the Prairie Rose followed by
the Pennies for Friendship
March which lead us all to a
bountiful pot- luck lunch.
In the afternoon all members
were informed by four
women forming a panel on
" Focus for Women". Each
woman spoke about the
country she had lived in for a
time and her insight into how
the women live in those
countries. Karen Kaiser
spoke on her experiences in
the Middle East when she
lived in the United Arab
Emirates and Orman for two
months. The women are segregated
in every way and
their only role is to be a wife,
mother, and homemaker. The
United Arab Emirates is a
very oil rich country and its
native people work only in
the managerial positions.
Many nationalities from all
over the world live in the
UAE and they do the physical
labor. Sherry Schnell
spoke on her trip to India.
There is still a caste system in
India only they are called different
names so it is supposedly
not so demeaning now.
In the upper class the women
are allowed outside the home
only if they are escorted by a
male relative. Arranged marriages
are still the normal
way of life. Shelly Bradshaw
told of her agricultural tour
trip to Mexico. Everyone
both male and female from
young to old work both
inside and outside the home.
Much of the work is still
by Elaine Kaiser
S U N D R E R O U N D U P W E D N E S D A Y * " J U N E 10, 1 9 98
done manually in the country, their husbands are working To wind up me year tne
There are too many children
to attend school at the same
time, so half attend in the
morning, and rest go in the
afternoon. Also that way the
children can be working the
remainder half of the day.
Margaret Dinnsen wrote a
report on Barbados since she
lived there for a few weeks
with her friends who are
Barbadians. The majority of
people are descendants of
slaves brought to Barbados
from Africa between 1636
and 1834, when slavery was
abolished. Since both men
and women were set free at
the same time, they both are
on the same level as far as
equality is now. In fact, the
women probably have even
more to say in their own lives
because they are usually the
ones who manage their
households and families as
far away from home and only
return occasionally. In just
these four countries we were
able to grasp the difference
women experience in their
lives everyday. What a contrast
from one country to
another. The A. W. I.
Provincial Vice President,
Millard Luz spoke on
A. C. W. W. theme, Shaping
Tomorrows World toward
2000. A memorial service was
held in which two members
from Innisfail Constituency
and one member from Glamis
W. I. were remembered. In
closing for the service Grace
Duff sang " Garden of Peace
and Prayer" accompanied by
Gloria Gorril. The Secretary
Reports were given by each
club. Then each constituency
held their own business meeting.
The raffle of two
Afghans, one donated by
each of the constituencies
were drawn for. The Afghans
were made by Bernice
Willsie of Bowden and Fay
Stirton of Olds. They were
won by Mildred Luz of
Camrose and Win Waters of
Innisfail. A door prize, a
flowering plant, donated by
the Olds College was won by
Stella Graham of Innisfail.
Each lady who attended
received two plants, one
donated from each of the two
constituencies.
The afternoon was concluded
by Isabel Bartholow
giving the courtesy report.
Women's Institute and Girl's
Club held a Social on May
30th at the Olds Legion.
Elaine Kaiser, Olds Sundre
Constituency Convener
chaired the event. In attendance
were members from:
Coburn, Mary Riley, Glamis,
Eagle Valley, Tiger Lilies and
Coburnettes. The afternoon
began by each club supplying
entertainment. Most clubs
shared some readings and
special moments from the
past while other clubs entertained
with music. Then the
women and girls were paired
off to work together at different
card making stations.
Four stations were set up: 1.
Cards using rubber stamps
taught by Linda Hengen; 2.
Cards using stencils and
appliques with fabric and wall
paper instructed by Rhonda
Duff and Adelaine Johnson;
3. Envelope making and card
edging with fancy- edge sciz-zors
shown by Flo Kinney; 4.
Printing verses and signing
the cards taught by Emma
Ehrhardt. Lunch and visiting
followed. Door prizes were
won by the following: Lee
Ann Johnson and Doris Dube,
two stitchery picture kits.
Carol Brown won a flowering
plant donated by the Olds
College. Special thanks to to
the College for their beautiful
plants. The afternoon was
enjoyed by both Mother and
Daughter clubs of the
Women's Institute.
