“  …and we had to have the meeting over by 3 p.m. so the ladies could go shopping…”

A wonderful memory as related by 97 year old Betty Tugman, the third president of CFUW Ontario Council at the celebration on Saturday, November 24, who finished her reminiscence with the same message!

Betty elaborated on the beginnings of Ontario Council, which started as a conversation in Vancouver with Linda Souter,  who served not only as second president ofOntario Council, but led CFUW National and IFUW.  Betty and Linda saw the value of clubsgetting together to share accomplishments, to discuss potential policies, toexchange ideas for fundraising and to provide opportunities for life long learning.

And they were so right.

Edeltraud Neal (10^th president) spoke of advocacy and the importance of establishing and maintaining good relations with the government leaders, despite political stripes. Myra Willis (12^thpresident), focussed on the importance of research and ensuring that whatever we write, we are accurate.  Brenda Robertson (13^th president) recollected her four years as marked by relationships, working together and tackling the major issues facing Ontario women – human trafficking, for example.

Linda Souter (2^nd president), Roberta Brooks (4^th president), Susan Russell (5^th president) all provided recollections as reported by Sandy Thomson, the current president.

The celebration was highlighted by a picture board of photographs and a challenge to the audience to name individuals in other memorable photos!  The display featured 40 years of research papers, advocacy position papers, resolutions, Annual General Meetings, and Membership binders.

The dessert, Strawberry Shortcake, was definitely the “icing on the cake” to cap the laudatory moments!

Many thanks to Teri Shaw, Ontario Council, Advocacy Co-Ordinator,  and Myra Willis, past president, for the gathering of the historical documents, researched and obtained via a personal visit to the Ontario Archives.