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Dear Members: I note from the FWIC Annual Board Minutes that I am to report on “FWIC Issues". Perhaps I will stray just a little sometimes and when I do I’ll beg your forgiveness. Not that there aren't plenty of FWIC issues! There are, although legislation issues seem to predominate. Take the pension issue to start with. A recent issue of Federated News carried our pension submission to the Task Force on Pension Reform. Now the Task Force has issued a report and it is satisfying to see that several of our ideas have been incorporated along with others. Of course, pension reform has a long, rough road to travel yet before it comes into effect. Over the years FWIC has made its views known to the Justice Depart- ment on the Divorce Act. You have probably been reading in the papers lately that the Hon. Mark McGuigan has introduced Bill 010, an amendâ€" ment to the Divorce Act. He has ask- ed that we comment on it and that I have done. If you are interested in the Bill, send for "Divorce Law in Canada: Proposals for Change", to: Communications and Public Affairs Directorate, Department of Justice, Ottawa, Ontario. KIA 0H8 Telephone: (613) 995-2569 On April 6, Alice McLaggan and 1 met with Mr. Paul Fraser's Commit- tee on Pornography and Prostitution to present a submission from FWIC. I have asked for the opinions of the FWIC Board on several questions pertaining to the subject and their replies were incorporated into the submission. That, of course, is Only one step in trying to eradicate the problems of pornography and prosti- tution. We must ALL protest por« nography wherever we see or find it. It will take the avid efforts of all of us, everywhere, to light a billion dollar industry that is growing and affecting all of us so adversely. You will be happy to know that the Hoodless Homestead has now been designated as a heritage home of ar- 16 chitectural value by the township of South Dumfries. I hope that all the Women’s Institutes across Canada share the pride and joy of owning the home of our founder, and the privilege of keeping it in trust for Women‘s Institutes everywhere. The members of Ontario Women’s Institutes constitute twoâ€"thirds of the membership of FWIC. They have played a major and very important part in the growth of Ontario and of the WI. Without the initiative of Adelaide Hoodless and Erland Lee we may never have existed. Wouldn't it be fitting in this year of our Respected WI Dorothy E. Futcher, former presi» dent of the Federated Women‘s Institutes of Ontario, died suddenly in mid-February at the St. Thomas» Elgin General Hospital. Mrs. Futcher was the daughter of the late Edward A. and Isabel Allison Horton of St. Thomas and was a life- long resident of the St. Thomas area. She was a member of First United Church and an active member of the United Church Women. Mrs. Futcher served as president of the Middlemarch Women's Institute, West Elgin District, board director and president of the Federated Women’s Institute of Ontario and participated at two world conferences in Toronto and Copenhagen, Den- mark. Mrs. Futcher was a member of the board of directors of the Ontario Agricultural College and was later recognized for her contribution to agriculture with the OAC Medal. Mrs. Futcher was appointed by the province to the Archeological and Historic Sites Board and also served as a director of the Women’s Divi- sion of the Royal Winter Fair Board. She was founder and chairman of the Elgin County Pioneer Museum (1954-1980). With her husband, she enjoyed ex- tensive travels with their many friends of the Elgin Goodwill Tour. glacialth women’s filmetitutea of Giannini bicentennial to honor them in a very appropriate way? My thoughts are with you all often while you each play your part in the work of W.I. at the Branch, District. Area and Provincial levels and I play still a different role at FWIC level. Each role is as important as the other_ May we all be inspired to do our best wherever we are privileged to serve for Home and Country in this New Year. Sincerely, Bernice B. Noblitt member dies Mrs. FutCher was named Woman ol the Year by the St. Thomas Univers- ity Women’s Club at the Talbot Shivaree in 197]. The following are tributes to Mrs. Futcher from friends, colleagues and citizens who knew and worked with her. Ron McNeil, MPP for Elgin: “Mrs. Futcher made an outstanding contribution to the community. She was always interested in the com- munity (where she) worked very hard to establish the Elgin County Pioneer Museum, (and) she was well known across the province for her work with the Federated Women’s Institute of Ontario of which she was president. Janet Hiepleh of Springfield, immediate past president of the Federated Women's Institute of Ontario: “Mrs. Futcher was certainly a great influence on women’s insti- tutes. She was awarded a life membership by the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada, an award very few ever receive, and anyone who receives that has worked very hard (for the organization). She was a fine, wonderful lady who was very much respected and deeply laved." Courtesy of the St. Thomas Times - Journal.