PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. – The Manitoba Women’s Institute knows it has
a lot to offer women in both rural and urban areas of the province.
The challenge remains getting that message out so that more women will
join the organization. MWI focuses on personal development, the family,
agriculture and rural development, as well as community action, both
locally and globally.
“Our members are aging and unfortunately we’re not replacing them with
younger members,” said Diane Hall, of Gimli, Man., who was installed as
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president during the Manitoba WI’s annual convention in Portage on
April 24.
Hall said part of the difficulty is recruiting members when many women
are working full time and have fewer hours to spare for activities
outside their families.
However, the MWI remains strong, said Hall, and there’s a determination
to see it made even stronger. Last week, the MWI amended its mission
statement to include agriculture and rural development as part of its
focus.
“I just hope I can make a little bit of a difference,” Hall said.
Vivian Campbell, who last week completed her term as MWI president, had
a hard time summing up all the merits of the organization.
She spoke of the energy and commitment members give in dealing with
urgent issues facing rural areas today.
“I watched and listened in awe of so many women’s stories of courage
and determination. The courage to take a step into the unknown and the
determination to do something about a situation because it needed
changing.”
In her retirement speech, she left the members with a thought that has
inspired her during the past two years.
“To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure –
but risk we must, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk
nothing. The person who risks nothing is one who does nothing, has
nothing, is nothing. A person who takes risk is truly free.”
