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Provincial Conference 2012! The next Provincial Conference will be held from June 8 - 10, 2012 at the University of Guelph, RIDGETOWN Campus (120 Main Street East, Ridgetown, ON, NOP 2C0). The theme for this Conference will be, “Yes We Can”. Those who register before March 1, 2012 will automatically qualify for an Early Bird Draw, entitling one Member to a refund of her registration fee. The final registration date is April 1, 2012. Registrations must be received at the FWIO Provincial Office by these dates. Registrations are transferable, but not refundable. No registrations will be taken at the door. Workshops There will be several workshops covering topics such as Digital Photography; Car Care for Women; Frauds, Scams and Senior Safety; Native Crafts; Quilting Old and New; Floral Arrangements; Photo Restoration; and Tai Chi â€" just to name a few! Competitions Essay: A 500 word essay on the theme, “Yes We Can!” Read the poem, “Yes We Can”, included in the registration package. It will inspire you with several ideas â€" or come up with your own interpretation. The choice is yours! Miniature Quilt: No larger than 18”x24”. The design and materials are up to you, so let your imagination run wild! Greeting Cards:Adisplayof5 handmade Greeting Cards. Please note: The registration package contains complete details about the Conference. If you have any registration questions or would like a copy of the registration package, please contact Martha Gammage at 519â€"674â€"0182 or martgamm@gmail.com. cf. 6 vfixfi;5W¢‘;’-é mugs“ w ‘ , r I .l i (I . BRANCH PROFILE Burriss WI Burriss WI (Northwestern Area) welcomes Members from right across Rainy River District. Organized in 1907, the Members proudly boast that they are the oldest Branch in the District. Burriss WI is very proud of their Tweedsmuir History Book, printed in 2004, as well as funding Burriss Township’s 100th Anniversary celebration in 1998. The Branch also printed a cookbook, with Members canvassing the township for tried and true recipes. It was so successful that a second print was needed! More than 10 years later, people are still asking if any cookbooks are kicking around. Branch President, Sheri Stamarski, refers to her copy as her “bible” and gets worried if she misplaces it. Burriss WI makes quilts for families in need, donates to the local Crisis Centre and is on the 'Emergency Plan’ call list for the township. The ladies also volunteer monthly at the ’Healthy Living Food Box’ â€" a program that helps people in the community purchase healthy food for a good price. Today, the Branch is very small with 3 Members. The ladies concentrate on volunteering at their Museum, which is owned and operated by the Rainy River District Women’s Institutes. Formed in 1968, the Museum outgrew its original location and now operates out of three former OPP houses, on property leased from the Township of Emo. With the exception of a small provincial grant, the women ofthe District bake several pies, serve A LOT of coffee and sew many quilts to raffle to keep the Museum going. This is by fartheir biggest and best achievement. The Museum is run completely by volunteers, with the exception of paid summer students. Burriss WI may be small in number, but the Branch is still vew active around Rainy River District. They may not be able to do the huge catering jobs they once did, visit the local school as often as they would like or bake as often as they feel they should, but they do what they can - and they proudly say that they are Women’s Institute Members. ' l 3%“ _. livfig’mfiwhmfim £71m!”