W.I. convention held in Thunder Bay

Submitted by
Eleanor Wiersema

The eighty-eighth Northwestern Area Women's Institute Convention was held in Thunder Bay on Friday, September 19 and Saturday, September 20 at the Vicker's Heights Community Centre.
Members from the Rainy River District, Thunder Bay District and Dryden were in attendance. The Kenora W.I. District no longer exists as two more branches, Barclay and New Prospect have disbanded.
Although the numbers were down, the weather was beautiful and the atmosphere congenial. The theme of the convention was Going Green. The program was full with business, a banquet and entertainment by a local Country Western Band, the Wannabees, speaker on Going Green - Maggie Milne Chicoine workshop on making greeting cards and election of new executive for 2009.
Rebecca Johnson, serving as deputy mayor of Thunder Bay and long time W.I. member, gave the address of welcome. She congratulated W.I. on it's one hundred and eleven years of existence and on getting on the band wagon and going green.
Joy Trimble, our W.I. Provincial President, from Orangeville, Ontario, reinforced this in her address. She challenged each W.I. member to change something in her everyday life that would have an impact on the environment and reduce our carbon footprints. A few things Joy suggested were using one half cup of vinegar in washing machines instead of fabric softener, a ball of tin foil in the dryer to reduce static cling, buying Fair Trade chocolate and coffee and that all Canadians should avoid bottled water as it takes as long as 100 years for the plastic bottles to break down in the landfills.
Since Women's Institute is both a national and international organization, Joy announced the upcoming Federated Women's Institute of Canada convention in P.E.I. in 2009 and the A.C.W.W. (Associated Country Women of the World) Convention in 2010 will be held in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Leila Pettigrew, our international officers spoke on our more recent project - Canada Comforts. We support a group of women in Victoria, BC by knitting, crocheting and sewing items that are sent on request to third world countries. This project has been well received in our area as it has been all through out Ontario. At this time there is a great need for children's sweaters sizes 2 - 10. The ACWW project is sponsoring an orphanage in India, money is needed for this project.
The new executive for 2009 are Pres. Ellen Chojko-Bolec, 1st Vice - Jean Wilson, Tweedsmuir Curator - Sheri Stamarski, Regional Provincial Board Director - Gerd Hamilton, Area Voting Delegate - Ellen Chojko-Bolec, Sec/Treasurer to be appointed.