COCHIN, Sask. – The president of the Saskatchewan Women’s Institutes had a sombre message for her members, who are celebrating 90 years as an organization this year.
Doreen Holden said the group could fold without a cash injection of $10,000 by next Jan. 1.
The organization was founded in 1911 and for decades has been the largest group representing farm and rural women in the province.
Holden led a discussion at SWI’s annual meeting on June 3 that asked how members can raise more money to keep their office open and employ part-time staff.
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The SWI collects $30 a year from each of its 250 members. Part of the money is used to pay for the international and national structure and part for the provincial newsletter, The Second Penny. While the University of Saskatchewan provides free space for an office and pays the utility and postage bills, there is a $10,000 shortfall to pay for the 30-hour-a-week secretary.
Unlike other WIs, the Saskatchewan group gets no provincial government grant for administration.
Holden said “the beginning of the end was two years ago when SWI cashed out its $15,000 term deposit – our last investment – to pay for deficits. Our cushion is getting very thin.”
She said the board keeps expenses low by car pooling and holding meetings in member’s homes. It cannot issue tax-deductible receipts because it is not a charity.
While a member suggested applying for grants through the federal women’s programming department, national president Faye Mayberry said that department does not fund administrative costs and has stringent rules on projects it does assist.
Cutting the secretary’s hours was rejected as a cost-reduction measure after SWI members said they most value the newsletter and the communication with a person in the office. The 50 members attending the meeting said they would be willing to pay a larger membership fee, but didn’t think others would.
The women eventually agreed to send board members to corporations on personal missions of appeal and to ask the 20 WI branches in Saskatchewan to each hold a fund-raiser for provincial office administration.
Former SWI president Doris Pattison drew applause when she said branches should be raising money for the provincial office rather than donating to Red Cross or Telemiracle.
Mayberry said SWI’s problems are common to all organizations.
“It’s a sad reflection on our society today,” she said, with both parents working and driving further in a strained farm economy.
Holden said the discussion “got people thinking and talking. It’s a very iffy thing and we’ve got some strong branches out there that don’t want to shut down.”
