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Tit . mcsrou WHIGSTANDARD MONDAY, MAY 10, 1999' 9 LOCAL NEWS Women's Institute re-elects president , 'Our motto is For Home and Country,' said Marjorie Thompson By Christina Varga Whig-Standard Staff Writer IKE RIPPLES SPREADING FROM A thrown pebble, a global women's group spread from two women's efforts in Stoney Creek more than 100 years ago. On Saturday, the Frontenac District group of the Women's Institute ChOse their new executive in the Glenburnie United Church, re-electing Marjorie Thompson as their president. Norma Abrams, of Sydenham, was re--elected secretary-treasurer. "Out motto is For Home and Coun- try," said Thompson, describing the or- ganization's work as beginning on a personal level, but having effects on a far wider scale. Women traditionally have taken on the role of knitting together communi- ties through actions that affect people on the most personal level. "We do charity work and help out any- one who is in need," said Thompson, emphasizing the work the area Women's Institutes do for senior citizens. Members entertain seniors and care for people who are unable to leave their homes, saidThompson. , ' u 2 gram _ , -_' .u edugatio ,1'cation of campaign to make people aware of telephone scams, especially those that target seniors. The Women's Institute was started in 1897, after the 14-month-old son of Ade laide Hunter Hoodless, along with sev- eral other babies, died from drinking contaminated milk. Hoodless, together with Janet Lee, organized a largely rural Ontario movement to prevent tragedies like Hoodless'. "The objective of the institute is to promote that knowledge of Household Science with a View to raising the general standard of health," wrote the founders of the Women's Institute in 1897. By 1919, the group had grown into a provincial organization, and rapidly became a national one. In 1930, the As sociated Country Women of the World was formed. _ GOALS HAVE EXPANDED Though the goals of the group have ex» panded to keep pace with the times, the v original notion of enacting wide» reaching changes to create healthier, safer'communities through a tight f0- cus on family and neighbourhood needs have remained. I Since those early beginnings, a pub- 'e..o ,g' izatiqn.states ABRAMS ' HooN some of the group's achievements, in» cluding: - Mandatory stopping by other traffic ' for school buses with flashing lights; - signs at railroad crossings; - enforcement of handicapped park- mg; - funding for battered women's shel- ters. The rural emphasis is felt not only in community development projects in developing countries, but in eastern Ontario as well. Each year the group presents the Bernice Ballantyne scholarship, named after a member who died, to Young woman. The $200 prize goes to a 4H member who demonstrates scholas- tic achievement, community involve- ment and leadership. Last year, the area Women's Institute groups were heavily involved with the International Plowing Match Sun- The Family Lifestyles section includ- ed a quilting competition, arts and crafts and a raffle prize of a painting ' by a local artist, who happened to be none other than Thompson herself. In addition, Women's Institute members ' made gifts for the event. "We made more than 500 gifts for the Plowing Match door prize draws," said Thompson. Another project of the organization is to preserve local history. Thompson is well-placed to be part of that link to the past, as her grandmoth er was the first president of Glen- burnie Women's Institute and her mother was, like Thompson, a district president, in 1958-59. CHANGING PRESS URES It is difficult to attract new members, though and Thompson said she under- stands the changing pressures on women. ' "Young women who work and have families a the last thing they want to do is go to a meeting," said Thompson. The contemporary goals of the Women's Institutes include working to- ward a sustainable,clean environment, involving women with technology and, on a global level, acting as a forum on international for rural Women- including having a spice, at fligynited Nations. 1 ' - "t, last.