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WCommunity Despite an aging membership. the lnstitute's new president says there is a new vibrancy in the group that wasn't always there in the past he Women's Institute lives by the motto "An Organization for Personal Growth and Community Ac- tron." And according to its newest provincial president. never . have those words been truer than they are right now. Marg Harris took over the reigns in November and for the next two years she will guide an organization of vol- unteers who are ready and willing to be at the fore- front of political and social change. The Women's Institute has along history; it's cen- tennial is in 1997. [t has seen many changossince it was first established pri marily as a social organization for rural housewives Since then it has evolved and grown. and it now boasts approximately H.500 members with 834 branches province-wide, Most of the women who are involved in the Wom- en‘s Institute an: longstanding members. Harris. in fact. recently received her 25 year lifetime membership. “renumberoftheSouthLobobt-mchhasheld many positions including treasurer. Twoodsmuir curator. prur- ident of the Middlesex North district and board. dime» tor from subdivision 2]. She also sat on the women in taxation committee. So even though it began as a "frivolous comment“ she let her name stand for the pmvincial presidency. be- lievingshehad the capabilities todothejob. Others must have believed it too. because she was elected to the position. It's not a commitment she takes lightly, Being pits- ident means serving a two-ya: term as pmidentâ€"eloct. followed by two years as president and men two years as past-president. But Harris says she doesn't find the prospect the least bitdaunting;she's been through much tougher timfi. She was widowed years ago when herhusband. who worked for Mater Feeds. died of complications from appendicitis while working in Trinidad. Harris term-nod toCanada withsixchildrcn tomise. andshedidsowlth the help of friends and family. She says she has since been blessed with a second husband whom the good Lord sent her way “while her eyesight was still good enough to see him conung." Duringhertetmtlmwillbemuchtodomottheleast of which is the 100th anniversary celebration. schod~ tried for June 1997 in Hamilton. Although die aru'liverâ€" sary is an important one. Harris says it won't detract from the many projects the Women's Institute has in 5mm. "We can't lose sight of the important things we do." she says. That includes an onâ€"going theme launched in I995 and expected to be carried on for several years entitled "Safe and Healthy Communities." ONTARIO FMMER-Tuesday. December 12 . I995 Women’s Institute makes a commitment The Women‘s lnstitutc rs expect? ed to tackle several issues based on this theme including the Young 01'- fenders Act. rural health care (in- cluding health care for semen) and the use of EST. "Our main wish is to provoke thought. r)ur purpose K to inform Mer HEW-l9 people oftht' resources avariahlt‘ w rthrn our communities and to enthuse groupx' who shim: cnnr mun concerns to partrcrpnte and to work With nne .m- othcr.“ Harris says. “What we try to do is nflcr <up- port ratherlhan doing it all ourselves," lftherr: is one area that needs rmpmvtng wrthrn the organiution it's promotion. "the Women's II‘L‘JJIUIB has always been forward in therr thinking and hoavtly m- volved in situations that need care and rtttentrnn Wr- haveseenaneedandgomqujedy abouttrytng tnchange it," according to Harris. Some of those changes have included thh} rng for fences around manure pits. usrng SMV rslow movmg vehicle) signs properly. using blue both for recycling and advocaung living wills. says Mary James. public 11’- latitrns officer for the province lanes also points out that thc Wunn-nk institute has strongly supported 4»H programs through the yezrn ‘The Women's Institute is one of the greatest \uppnrtr er of 4â€"H,“ says lanes. But while the quiet change and support has helped to accomplish much. more ts needed to one [he orga- nization's profile a boost. Han-i5 says she lcCl~ rt ~ :rl‘l’tul time they were more vocal about the work they ac- compljsh. “We need to be more vocal about being proud or" the work we do. There are so many wonderful women in- volved in the Women‘s htsumle. they are just masters at volunteering. We do filings so well except for the mar- keting aspect which maybe we haven't done as well " IT HAS BEEN that lack of promotion that has seen some branches fold to recent years. while others have been teetering on the edge. “The ohvrous change H that the membership is getting older. That is definitely a negative aspect. We're going to be in a bit of trouble without younger members." says lanes. But with the addition {our years ago of a member Ship morditmor. Harris says the Situation 15 looking bet- ter. Still. the bottom line is that as the esisting mama baship continues to age. there is a lack ofyounger wom- en waiting to assume their roles. The younger women have been reluctant to JDII'L says Harris, and it's understandable. \Vrth schedules al- ready crammed full there is very little time for volunâ€" leer organizations. But Harris says the Women's Imu- tute can fill: agap for young women. While mothers. aunts and grandmothers used to he arormd to provide much-needed suppon and advroe. that HJ<IL+C r l'.