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Rural Women Today A close look at three by Elinor Humphries Changes in the rural community during the past decade have greatly affected rural women. Today they are coping with more stress from financial burden, narrow profit margins and high interest rates, than ever before. The Federated Women‘s Institute of Ontario. (F.W.I.O.) has remained prominent throughout these changing times and in addition several other groups have been extablished. Together they form a support network to meet the diversity at needs of today's rural women. Junior Women ’5 Institute of Ontario "Junior Women's Institute . . . For Today's Women" is the slogan used on the membership drive posters for the J.W.I.O. The group had its inception in I915. It began operating in conjunction with the Junior l‘urmers' Association in 1944 and then was re-established in I969. Cur- rently there are 22 branches from Owen Sound to Niagara Falls and St. Thomas to Belleville involving 400 members. A young woman must be 14 to join but there is no upper age limit. The majority of women in the organization are 20-40 years of age, "Junior Women's Institute is less structured than the Fiw. 1.0.." says Carol Hyde, Program Advisor for the J.W. I.O.. “and each group meets needs at a local level." The objectives are in keeping with those of the Women's Institutes - leadership 14 development, community involve- ment, homemaking and development of citizenship. These objectives are met through programs such as stress management, defensive driving, the education system and craft programs appealing to women from both rural and urban areas. The members become involved in the community sometimes with fundraising activities or working at senior citizens’ homes. “Women achieve a good self- concept in a fun atmosphere in which they can learn and share," explains Carol. “It also provides an oppor- tunity to get away from home and socialize with women of similar age and interests." The J.W.I.O. is not provincially oriented. but they do have two Board Directors involved in the Federated Women‘s Institute of Ontario to ex» change ideas and information. “The F.W.I.O. is open to ideas,“ says Carol. Recently the JIWIO. became an associate member of the A.C.W. W. (Associated County Women of the World). Women for the Support of Agriculture Women for the Support (Survival) of Agriculture had its beginnings at a ltitchen table in Winchester. Ontario In I975. The group was formed by Dianne Harkin and Dorothy Mid- dleton, two farm women who felt they could not take the current farm problems sitting down! There are now six groups in Ontario, thr n Prince Edward Island and 01‘ n B.C. with membership of over 1 :. “The W.S.A. is actionâ€"Orin .j and non-structured," says M Peters, one of the founders or 1 Wellington W.S.A.. A code oft . and guidelines are followed to e: E a positive image is always port:- The goals and objectives 0, group include self education, e. tion of others, bridging the r urban gap, unifying producers suring the survival of the family and lobbying. These goals are through local programs such as l ing to prepare books for the am tant, accident prevention and dl sion of current issues. “The a dance at the organization‘s very meeting indicates that we are fill- l definite need,” Norma feels. The WASA. encourages ‘ women to become active in . organizations. Dianne Harkin plained, “the W.S.A. is a Hat ground for organizations like Ontario Federation of Agricultu The group motivates women to b fective communicators and to ass active roles in the farm commit not to be the “silent partner”. l Dianne and Norma want to wor harmony with other women‘s gri and farm organizations to fOI'I support network across the provi and the country. Concerned Farm Women In response to the economic co and escalating interest rates, W011 in Bruce County formed a group September 1981 called Concern