Having influence with the government and other organizations has been one of the major accomplishments for the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada, says its president, Faye Mayberry.
The Red Deer woman is stepping down after a three-year term and will be replaced during the group’s triennial conference in Lennoxville, Que., June 24-29.
On a national level, Mayberry said the FWIC was consulted in the development of the federal agricultural policy framework, worked on the National Farmers Union’s family farm work project and participated in the national agricultural awareness education conference.
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Internationally, the group was represented at the world farm women’s conference in Spain last fall and participated in various activities of the Associated Country Women of the World.
But Mayberry said one of the group’s best ideas during her term was a twinning program to connect Grade 6 students across the country.
For example, Alberta students are partnered with those in Newfoundland.
They learn social and language skills, as well as the culture and geography of another part of Canada. A report on that project will be given at the upcoming conference.
Mayberry said the group had hoped to bring a participating student from each province to the conference, but couldn’t get funding.
She would like to see the twinning continue under the next FWIC president, who will be decided in an election between Patsy Nagel of British Columbia and Sheila Needham of Quebec.
Safe water is a new project planned for the FWIC, and will be announced during the conference. The Saskatchewan WI held a session on rural water quality at its recent annual meeting.
Mayberry said she hoped the FWIC’s work has made the public more aware of women’s institutes.
“I’m hoping so. We tried hard to do so. Our website is updated every other month,” she said. “The national organization is still vital and will remain vital. There is a place for the women’s institutes in Canada even though the membership may be getting older.”
Early in Mayberry’s term, the FWIC sent a revitalization document to all its provincial chapters. After much discussion, the national group is trying to implement the changes on which there is agreement.
“One idea was whether to partner with other groups. People had never thought, ‘hey they’re doing the same thing as us. Let’s get together and work on it.’ “
Another administrative change was to hire professional fundraisers, who have more time and expertise than WI members.
Mayberry said another one of her accomplishments as president was to attend each provincial branch’s annual meeting. The last one she attended was in her home province of Alberta, when it was held in Camrose June 4-5.
