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.NOTES FROM THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR By Mary Lou Norton his year should be a busy and exciting year for Women's Institute members in Ontario. Your Program Committee has been busy preparing information which we hope you have received and are planning to act on this year. Pam-rlhip Agreements - A Challangc We would like to remind you of the partâ€" nership agreements made with the following four groups: 0 Community Abuse Program of Rural Ontario (CAPRO) - Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Asso- ciation of Canada (PMAC) - Osteoporosis Society of Canada (OSC) I Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) These groups agreed to partner and work together with the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario (FWlO) presenting edu- cational programs throughout Ontario. Now. we Challenge you - the members. Branches. .Jistricts and Areas - to initiate at least lOO programs in 1998 with each of these partners. Let us prove that we are good partners Let us help inform Ontario women and commu- nities. Contact: For contact information on each of these projects see pages 8 and 9 of the Fall 1997 Home & Country. Safe and Healthy Communhiou Insert Programs. projects and resource infonna» tion on the Safe and Healthy Communities theme can also be found in the gold-coloured insert that came with your Winter 1996-97 Home & Country. Page 3 of this insert rec- ommended “Safety - How to Make your Communities Safe“ as this year‘s theme. Contact: Ask your Branch Secretary forthis insert or call the FWIO Provincial Office for a copy. Am. Crafts and Hal:ka At the November Board Meeting. another theme - "Arts, Crafts and Hobbies" - was approved for the upcoming year. This theme was chosen for a number of reasons: 0 busy hands keep the mind healthy and alert C this theme may interest prospective members if we invite all women to join in as we learn a new craft or technique I children. youth and adults can be taught crafts and hobbies this coming year 0 each WI can take the opportunity to learn one new craft this year 0 WI members have many skills and tale ents to offer in the area of arts. crafts and hobbies Organize an “Arts. Crafts or Hobbies" workshop and invite people of all ages from your community to join in. Ask those who are directly involved with arts. crafts or hob- bies to be a guest speaker or demonstrator at your meeting or education workshop. Contact: Contact Mary Lou Norton for inâ€" formation related to this theme. She can be reached by calling (snowâ€"2052 or faxing (613)3938378. Competitions Organized Competitions have been initiated as an ad- ditional component of Conference ‘98 at Loyalist College in Belleville. We encourage individuals, groups. Branches or District to enter. The competition categories include: D Quilting - pieced. applique or mixed media (2 or more techniques) 0 Quilted Clothing - Counted Cross Stitch Picture I Hand-crafted Doll Deadline: All entries to be completed by July 1. l998. Note: Watch for details about these compe- titions in a January Branch mailing. Cont-ranc- '98 Workshop- The provincial Program Committee is ofâ€" fering a number of half and full-day. pre and post Conference ‘98 workshops. Also watch for details in a January Branch mailing. Mary Lllll Nrmrm Jr the Program Coordinalnrfurlhe Federated Women '.r Institute: alaniariu, She can be reached or RR 2. Blanmfitld 0N KDK ICU. Phone: MIRHDJ-ZOSZ. Fax: (613)393»1378. 1“er; call your Program Coordinator or Brmrd Director for additional Lusixlancz. Stay Alon - Don't Got Hurt: Howick Junior Women's Institute Farm Safety Day The Howick JWI organized and spon- sored a farm safety day at their local Community Centre. Grades 4 and 5 Howick Central School students spent the day leam- ing about safety - on the farm and around the house. Guest speaker. Ken Kelly of Paisley. who lost a hand in u power tukcoft’unit. told the students how it happened and how it changed his and his family's life. Following the guest speaker. the students attended eight different learning stations on the various topics: the Ontario Farm Safety Association on uugcrs: Onlnnn Hydro on kites and wires: the Muitlnnd Valley (‘onsep vulion Authority on ice and rising water; the Wingham and Area Fin: Dcpnmncnts on the use of fire extinguishers; LMS [Equipment on avoiding tractor rollovers; the llumn County Public Health Unil on farm cleanliness; Hugh Douglas and E. Bowman on gruvrly box dan- gers: and. LMS Equipment on lawnmower safety. The message at each station was loud and clear - acting without thinking can cost you an arm. a leg or even your lil'e. One 0/ the students J5 being tnslrucled by Dale Edgar, Wingharn and Area Fire Department! volun- teer, on how to properly extinguish a fire. Submllrtd by Kale Ten-ll. H/Iwu'k Junmr Women's Ins/Hurt. Home at Country, Winter '97 9