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«v e y' <. A new Women ’5 Institute branch formed in Green wood _'./ - .j, ‘ link-4m boasted 19 charter members. District president Caryl Yokale If Beachburg and federation representative Peggy McLeod were on hand for the group 's first meeting. Left to right, back row, are Dianne Siebarth, Teuna Cotnam, secretary; Elaine Hennessy. president; Gail F letcher. Sharon Cotnam. listrict and branch director; Shirley Whitmore, Cathy Green, Doreen Jackson, branch director; Mina Deveen, Kathy Bennett, public relations. Front row, Evelyn Wilson, alternate district director and branch director; Bev Smith. first nice-president; Carol R yon, treasurer; Debbie Olsheski, Susan DeHaan, Carole Whitmore, Heather McLaughlin, second ice-president. Absent were Benita Richardson and Sharon Jansen. The branch now numbers 25 members. ‘Not all members are farm women. . . ’ new people interested in achieving common goals. “Not all of our members are farm women," she says. “In fact, only seven reside on farms. The rest live in the suburbs or in the city. Quite a few are working mothers, and the majority have children"1 says Mrs. Hennessy, a part-time secretary with rural roots. Mrs. Hennessy says the reason she never belonged to a WI before is that most branches were made up of women who were significantly older than herself. “There never seemed to be anyone my own age, and I thought l‘d feel a little out of place.” Mrs. Hennessy says the new WI branch has received a lot of positive feedback from the Pleasant View WI, which has an older membership. “They say they’re glad another branch has formed and they’re anx- ious to help us in any way they can.” FWIO president Charlotte Johnson is delighted by the news that the Greenwood W1 is doing so well. New blood in the organization serves as a reminder that there is a future for the Women‘s Institutes of Ontario. “We've been developing leaders for many years, and we’ll continue to develop leaders for many years to come,” Mrs. Johnson says. She looks forward to the strides WI members â€" young and old â€" can make in the areas of child care, pen- sions, personal investments and in finding solutions to family violence. “There are many social issues we must grapple with, and, as a group. it is much easier. We can have discus- sions, studies and lobby to bring about needed changes in today's society," Mrs. Johnson says. In other words. FWlO members. you‘ve come a long way â€" but you have miles to go before you sleep! WI tree grows another branch The following news flash reached Home 8: Country at deadline, and as a result, we M’E’l'el'l'l able to follow- up with interviews and a feature about the new branch in time for this issue. We did not, however, want to go to press withonl at least mention- ing the charter night for Bishops Mills W1. We hope to be able to tell you a little more about the new WI branch in our next edition. Wellâ€"wishers from Grenville North and South and surrounding districts gathered in Bishops Mills on July 6, I985 to welcome a new WI branch in the Ottawa Convention area. Board director Margaret Munro swore in the 22 charter members and their new slate of officers. Keynote speaker was Bernice Nob- litt, past president of FWIC. Mrs. Noblitt encouraged the new branch to do its own thing to meet the needs of its own community, while at the same time maintaining close ties with the older branches in the dis- trict. Area president Edith Jenkins brought congratulations from the Ottawa area and a copy of the W0- men’s Institutes Story was presented by district president Margaret Angus. The latest copies of Home & Country magazine and W1 handbooks were also circulated. Mildred Adams, treasurer of the new branch, said she believes the W1 can help unite the community in a stronger bond than already exists. Mrs. Adams said the recent influx of new residents in the area share a c0rr1~ mon ground and she hopes the new WI branch will provide a forum for their concerns so positive action can be taken for the good of all.