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REPORT OF THE SECRETARY The following are some facts and figures gathered from the Annual Reports that come in from all Provincial Units before the close of our fiscal year, April 30. Membership â€" 3.000 branches with an ap proximate membership of 58,000. Overseas Work â€" of the international or- ganization, the Associated Country Women of the World; Constituent Societies of A,C.W.W. (each province is a constituent society, as is F.W.I_C.) send their contributions directly to the Central Office in London. Eng, but the to- tals are reported to our National Office in Or» tawa, For the triennium 1967â€"1970. Lady Aberdeen Scholarship Fund $7.730 Pennies For Friendship $34,298 Unesco Gift Coupon for the Child Care and Home Improvement Training Centre at Villa Maria, Columbia, South America (completed September 1969) â€" $3,630. In addition to the support given by F.W,I.C. to International Projects, $15,124 was given in the 1967-1970 term to the National Project. Women’s Institute expansion into the North- west Territories, Reminders from the National Secretary. 1. All contributions to National and Interna- tional Projects must be sent first to your own Provincial Treasurer. 2. All subscriptions to Federated News and Northern Lights Bulletin must be sent to the National Office. Ideas From the National Secretary 1. Some ACWW supplies are always kept in the National Office. These are needed as “hand-out" material for visitors. However. as all Provincial Units are also Constituent Societies of ACWW, I know they will be glad to handle your orders through their own contact with the Central Office. Lon don. This is the reason we have decided to discontinue listing ACWW supplies in the column in the Federated News. "FWIC Supplies: National Office". It is not because we have lost interest but do not want to pre-empt the prerogative of your own Pm» vincial Offices. Don‘t byâ€"pass your own Provincial Conven- ers when looking for program helps 1n your Standing Committees. She likes I to hear from you, and it helps her to do a Job if you give her this enconragement. If you don‘t know who she is. ask your Provinctal office -â€" don’t be afraid to use this channel of “Communication”, that is what it is there for. IQ FALL 1970 REPORT OF THE RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE During the triennium only one provincial unit, British Columbia. has submitted resolu- tions to the committee. This fact has led your committee to give serious consideration to the .. . . . whys‘ and “hows‘ of resolutions. Have resolutions such as we have known them in the past outlived their usefulness, and do we need to change our way of approaching governments for action on matters of concern to our organization? Should we devise some means within our organization of the provin- cial units studying specific issues. and form conclusions drawn from a thorough knowledge of a subject before resolutions which would then follow. This has been considered before, the conveners of the standing committees have recommended topics for study, but a more effective way of implementing such studies must be found. Comments made by Stanley Knowles. a pan liarncntarian with many years of experience. when addressing a national women‘s organizaâ€" tion. are worthy of our consideration: “The voice is mightier than the pen when it comes to spurring the government to action . . . Get at the MP. directly. at home or in Ottawa . . . If they wanted to write, they Sh0uld save the inch-thick bundles of resolutions and mim- cogruphetl letters with hundreds of signs- tures . . . Just 10 individually written posh cards are worth more than L000 mimeoâ€" graphed letters . . . The MP. has to answer individual letters and think about them . . Groups seeking action should see members of all parties. and concentrate on making one or two points . . Don‘t mail in great batches of resolutions â€" it's almost better to save the postage on them . . . It is possible for voltm- teer groups to help change laws through direct action in their community and education of themselves and the public . . . Don't expect government action the week or the month after the brief is presented . . . We have to be eternally patient about things. and think in terms of our influence being on a long-term basis.“ These thoughts may be useful as we seek to establish a more effective way of seek- ing social action. "When looking for faults, use a mirror, not a telescnpe." 19