The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Dear W,I. members: As 1983 draws to a close I cannot help but reflect on the exciting ex- periences l have had this past year. First, to attend my first world con- ference in Vancouver, and to experi- ence first hand the fellowship shared by women from around the world; to share in the toe-tapping rhythm of Latin music, to listen with interest to an educational program prepared for teaching women in Fiji, and to weep as we heard of the plight of the women in Lebanon. The second, and most exciting experience was to be elected President of our great Federated Women‘s Institutes of Ontario. To be entrusted with the leadership of our organization is an honor, and I thank the board members for giving me the oppor- tunity to represent Cochrane District and my own Clute Branch, and to share their love and success with the rest of Ontario. I shall never forget, and will always be grateful for, the heart- warming welcome I received from the board members and executive that afternoon in Toronto on Nov. 23, 1983. I felt that I had the support of them then and trust that 1 will continue to merit their support. This is what W.I. is all about. Our strength lies in the friendship, the warmth, and the happiness we feel when one or any ofth is successful in an endeavour. The success of our branches is most evident when we care about each other’s feelings and share our good fortunes with one another. You will be gearing up for bicentennial celebrations by the time you read this column. As the season progresses it is my wish that your 4 branches, or districts, or areas may each be involved in commemorating some historical event in your area. Whether your community 15 F0 0" 250 years old, it is important in the development of that fibre. which links us all together as Ontarians. Is there a specific historic site that was a focal point in the lives of our forebears? Was it the reason for set- tlers in your area? Did one person demonstrate faith in the community that he or she was instrumental in drawing settlers to that community? Is it these things or persons we are remembering? Don't forget the wealth of information available from the senior members of our communities. I am sure none of us need to be reminded of interesting anecdotes we have heard and have perhaps recorded. Can they be in- corporated in presentations for homecomings? Our Bicentennial quilt should by now be ready for the quilters. Each Board member will have her block or blocks completed and many compe- tent needlewomen will have had the opportunity to express their talents in an hist0rical endeavour. It will be a beautiful creation, and one we will all be proud of. The finished product will be presented to the Premier in June and will hang in the Legislative Buildings for all to see. As the year-end for our branches draws near, please give serious conâ€" sideration to your secretaryâ€" treasurers. The Officers’ Conference at Waterloo this year is for branch and district secretary-treasurers, Part of our mandate as an organization for the development and training for rural women is to provide them with an opportunity to become better officers and leaders. Serious con- sideration has been given to this1 and your participation at the conference is anticipated. As 1 read about the purposes behind new women’s groups which are springing up, I cannot help but wonder why we are not more visible. Concerns of these groups have more than likely been concerns the W.I. has been adressing for years. The leadership training we provide is ex- cellent. The opportunity to express oneself in homemaking skills and to develop new skills is always there. Public Relations Officers â€" be ready to discuss our concerns with the local news media, and perhaps we shall encourage other women to realize that we do share their concerns and are prepared to do something abom them. The Women’s Institutes were founded by people with vision and determination. Let us continue to have this vision, and to move for. ward progressively and with assert. iveness. Because some of you may not be familiar with the geographical ma. tion of my home, I would like to w: you a brief description of ll, Cochrane lies between the Al am and Frederickhouse rivers, w ch join about 20 miles to the north "d ultimately flow into the Moose 1 er and on into James Bay. This p:- 3f Ontario is in the Greater Clay ' 2i. part of the Clay Belt which lies a :19 north side of the Canadian S id and between it and the Hudsor Ky Lowlands. It supports some is dairy herds and provides pastut it many beef animals. The community of Clute lies i in ten miles north of Cochrane it‘ parents homesteaded here, arriv. .n 1920 from Middlesex COL Ontario. My husband’s family ed in 1931 from Alberta. They,. us with many others developed a l ing community. Women came h returning soldiers as war brides t e First World War, people came it the west, the east, and the U (1 States to settle and make new ht " in a new country. This year the - . munity will celebrate 70 years of t- gress, and our local Women‘s l tute will celebrate its 60th anr sary. This is not to say that the are? {S entirely new to everyone though. it is within the trapping and Ira area of the Hudson’s Bay Comp The oldest English speaking v, munity in Ontario lies at the m J of the Moose River on Moose Isl. . Moose Factory, the second Huds > Bay Company post. celebrated ~ 300th anniversary in 1973. Our ti '3 were used as trading routes, and forests provided the livelihood r many trappers. Of such is history made, and are proud of those who have g- before us, and cherish the herit they have left for us. on Yours sincerely W ' ’