South Berwick’s report from the 2018 Women’s Institutes of Nova Scotia convention
The 2018 Women’s Institutes of Nova Scotia (WINS) Convention was held at the Holiday Inn in Truro on Aug. 1 and 2 with 75 registrants. The theme of the convention was Building Blocks of Success.
WINS president Sheila Richards opened the meeting with O Canada being sung and the Mary Stewart Collect and Flag Salute were recited.
Special guests for the convention were Sheila Needham, ACWW Canada Area president; Doreen Wall, PEI president; and Joan Holthe, FWIC president. Local dignitaries were also in attendance.
The Resolution regarding district directors passed with an adjustment. There will be a maximum of seven regional directors and technology will be used for much communication to cut costs further.
Changes will come into effect in August 2019. The budget was passed.
Joan Holthe, FWIC president, spoke about how each province is going through “withdrawal of their governments’ long time support” and all are scrambling to find viable alternatives for office space and staff and area representatives. She praised WINS for addressing the issues in a well thought out manner.
The keynote speaker was Heather Devouge who is the owner of Whole Home Organizing Co. Her company was created out of her passion for organizing and love of working with people in their homes and offices. The goal is to turn your space into an efficient and functional area to save you time, reduce stress, and promote productivity.
In downsizing she offers the idea of taking pictures of items we find hard to give up and keeping a small photo album of them. She can help identify what is important and offer non-judgmental and objective professional advice for home or business.
Judy Parks, Canada representative for the Friendship Link Program, gave a presentation and she has already received seven referrals for pen pals around the world.
The 2018 handcraft tea cozies were very popular and first prize went to one of our special guests – Doreen Wall from P.E.I. Theme baskets were donated from each district, for fundraising, and Kings West District collected enough items from the four branches to put together three “chocolate-themed” baskets. A total of $500 was raised from the baskets. The Touch and Take table proved very popular also.
Eleanor Lilley, Pictou district director, was installed as our new provincial president. She will hold this position for the next three years. Jacqueline Melvin from East Kings District was installed as presidentelect.
Further information will be forthcoming on the annual general meeting to be held during the first week of August 2019.