WHITEWOOD, Sask. – Poverty has been a liberating experience, says the outgoing president of the Saskatchewan Women’s Institute.
Speaking during her report to SWI’s June 4 annual meeting, Virginia Kreklevich had to smile.
“We are the leaders in thrift for the WI movement in Canada,” she told the 35 members present.
She said it is a relief to not have to worry about scrounging for money to pay for an office and staff. Now, other provincial WIs are also looking at how to save money, moving offices to cheaper quarters and tightening their belts.
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During Kreklevich’s three-year term that ended last weekend, SWI closed its office at the University of Saskatchewan and laid off its administrator. She said turning the SWI back into a volunteer organization has kept the group alive. She and incoming president Shirley Wenaas have both dedicated a bedroom in their respective homes as an SWI file centre.
The group has about $10,000 in its bank account, about $1,000 more than it had last year at this time. The major expense is postage to keep in touch with members through a regular newsletter. Directors have reduced costs by bringing their own food to board meetings, meeting in cheap halls and using their personal telephone service to make SWI long distance phone calls.
Added SWI board member Bonnie Milman: “We’re not dead yet.”
As well, members got into the spirit by belting out We Ain’t Got a Barrel of Money, during its song break: “our theme song,” quipped Doris Pattison.
But past-president Doreen Holden injected a note of reality.
“We’re ahead of our time but we have no people. It’s sad,” she said.
Wenaas said her goal during her next three years as president is to keep the group upbeat. She said this year’s annual meeting, which included a session on ovarian cancer, was a good return to the WI roots of helping women learn about health issues.
Another return to SWI beginnings came with moving the annual meeting out of Regina and Saskatoon to small communities around rural Saskatchewan.
“Our speaker and entertainment comes from the local area,” Wenaas said of this year’s meeting in Whitewood. “Plus, it’s a lot cheaper.”
The Western Development Museum will be providing SWI branches in Moose Jaw and North Battleford with fundraising opportunities this summer. On June 30 the SWI has been invited to sell pie and coffee at the Moose Jaw museum, while on July 23 in North Battleford the group can sell light lunches during the Those Were the Days event.
Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada president Margaret Yetman of Newfoundland told the Saskatchewan meeting that the national organization now has 16,000 members, down 1,300 from last year because of aging and death of members.
“We would like to see it increase but unfortunately WI has been low profile,” she said.
“We don’t blow our own horn enough. The volunteerism we do across Canada is incredible.”
Yetman said one example is the overwhelming response to the FWIC appeal to make and gather clothing for babies in Labrador. She said the July FWIC board meeting will discuss adding another one or two clothing projects for other sites in northern Canada.
“Our members like hands-on things like making baby blankets and sets.”
Yetman said she is looking forward to next year’s triennial meeting of the FWIC in Red Deer. The theme is “valuing our past while adjusting to change.” Also attending will be Ursula Goh of Malaysia, president of the WI’s world body, the Associated Country Women of the World.
