The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Boxoll WI Member Awarded by the Province June 4, 2001, was an important day {Or 24 seniors in Ontario. They re- ceived a Ministry of Citizenship Senior Achievement Award from the province. The ceremony and reception. hosted by Lieutenant Governor Hilary Weston. was held in the front lobby and recep- tion hall of the Ontario Legislative Building. Ann McLean from the Boxail Women‘s insti- tute in Elgin County was one of the reâ€" cipients in the category of C o m rn u n ity Service, Volunteerism and Humanitar- ian Activities. Ann has held many Wl offices locally and in the District. and was the first President of the newly amalgamated Elgin County District WI. But it was her involvement with the Elgin Safety Team that led Kathy Nes- bitt of the Elgin County Public Health Unit to nominate her. When the Public Health Unit appealed for volunteers to become involved in theirSeniors Salety Program, Ann travelled to numerous local events with her light-hearted skits with a message. For over 50 years Ann has used her skills and experiences as a former teacher and farm wife while giving many hours at service to her commu- nity. Ann has been involved in a host of community programs and groups. in- cluding the Pearce Williams Christian Centre, the Elgin Presbytery, 4-H clubs. Meals on Wheels. Elgin County Pioneer Museum Advisory Board and the East- ern Star. For more than 20 years, she has been a part of the Fingal Quilters who complete a decorative quilt each winter to donate as a fundraiser to the West Elgin Daffodil Society. Submitted by Edith Auckland. PRO. Elgin County WI. Sharing War Memories and Memorabilia By Mary Janes Women's Institute (WI) members across Canada are being afforded an exciting opportunity to share stories of their members‘ war efforts by becoming part of the Canadian Letters and Images Project. This project, as described by Di» ane Kowalchuk in Manitoba‘s Women '5 Institute News (September 2001). “is an onlinc archive ofthc Canadian war experi- ence from any period of Canada’s past and uses letters, diaries. photographs and other personal materials." Kowalchuk continues, "Dr. Stephen Davies is hopeful to include in the project more materials related to the efforts of the WI during wartime, He is seeking copies of letters from servicemen to local Women‘s institutes or other similar mate» rials connecting the Wi to the war effort. The project already includes a number of letters from World War [I servicemen thanking the members ofthc Dutton WI for the parcels they had sent. Letters such as these are valuable sources of the Canadian past which should be made more accessi- blc. it is also a good means to highlight the history of the Women's institute and the important contribution the local Branches and their members made during wartime." Dr. Linda Ambrose wrote of the remark- able war effort in her book Women ’s Inrrimlcs in Cantu/'11: The First One Hurr- dred err, [8974997. She recorded: “The way in which the women ofCanada rallied around this cause is remarkable by any standard. According to one estimate. in the Ontario WI alone. more than 4 mil- lion dollars in cash and goods were raised. collected and created by members of the Women‘s institutes. Their pattern was re- peated throughout the country as women took up their needles to knit socks, sew pyjamas and roll bandages for soldiers in cooperation with other national organiza» tions such as the Canadian Red Cross. WI members also stopped in to increase food production, individually as they carefully followed the rations imposed upon them in their own homes. and collectively as they came together to preserve and ship fruits and other foods for overseas consumption. Here the members of the WI were in their element. because their expertise as homeâ€" makers was being turned to national and international causes." The war efforts of WW 1 were equaled in WW ii. as members were challenged with the adage “make your thinking as valuable as your knitting." As members knit and sewed they made postwar plans for inter- national peace. They also planned other practical help. For example. to offset the food shortages in England they shipped two tons of garden seeds under the Seeds for English Gardens project in I941. What better way to remember those who gave their lives for freedom and peace than to support this project with letters, photos and artifacts. The success of the Canadian Letters and images project. found at http://www.mala.bc.ca/history/letters has been built on word-otlmouth publicity, As an online archive. the project does not keep any of the materials. It scans photos. memorabilia and original letters. Ifmatcri- als are borrowed, they are picked up and returned via courier. For more information or to share stories. contact Dr. Stephen Davies at Malaspina University-College, Department of History. 900 Fifth St.. Nanaimo BC V9R SSS. Phone: 250-753- 3245. Ext. 2 | 3 l. Fax: 250-742-2667. Email: |etler@ma|a.bc,ca Written by Mary Janos. Warwrck WI, Lambton North, lor Belween lhe Funows Home In Country, Wlnier 200i 4001 IS