HOWICK HAPPY WANDERERS CLUE#2

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"ROSE WELCOMES HAPPY WANDERERS"

On February 19, 1897 a group of women met in Stoney Creek, Ontario with the goal of improving the lives of women and their families through education and lobbying for better services. The result was the birth of the Federated Women's Institute of Ontario(FWIO).

The Women's Institute is one of only a few organizations that still remains active after 125 years, a true testament to the work and dedication of its members. Although the numbers are down to approximately 2600 members in 220 branches in Ontario, the Federated Women's Institute of Ontario (FWIO) continues to remain active in their communities, even with all of the advances that have been made in health care, education, and science. A part of these advances have been made due to the efforts and lobbying of FWIO members.

From the beginning, most WI meetings were held in members' homes. Many women were fairly isolated in rural communities, without easy access to town halls. Most often the women would take their small children with them. Hence, the home became the central hub of WI meetings. Many cooking, canning, baking, sewing and quilting demonstrations and work bees were held in members' homes. After all, the homes were set up for all of these activities. Women would meet in either the kitchen or living room, depending on the topic of the meeting.

A lot of the same types of meetings are still held today, after all these years, and despite the arrival of computers and the internet. While the internet does contain a lot of information, it simply cannot compete with the "hands on" and "social" aspect of a group of women meeting together to learn something new. Whether the meeting is in a member's home or a community hall, WI members are always learning about new things to empower them to provide for their families and communities.

Look at the picture we have of a Women's Institute home, with a meeting about to occur. The kitchen is the main gathering place of the meeting. The table is filled with some of the basic necessities for cooking and healthy eating. Note the white pitcher of milk, a reminder of one of the most important results of the early WI lobbying the government for having milk pasteurized, which resulted in saving the lives of thousands of babies and young children. There is also a cozy spot with a nice fireplace for warmth, and perhaps when the meeting is over they will gather around the fireplace with tea and some baked goods that no doubt were made in the kitchen.

Even today, WI members do have a lot of their meetings in their homes. There is something about meeting together in small groups that computers and internet cannot replace. No matter what new and modern advances come along, the Women's Institute remains a strong dedicated group of women, working together to ensure more and more families can enjoy being safe and happy in their "Home Sweet Home".

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