United Church Women make their own lunch for 60th anniversary celebration

The program following the celebration of the UnitHG &KXUFK :RPHQ¶V WK DQQLYHUVDU\ DW 0LQWR 8QLWHG Church featured sharing of memories by members and former members.

Some of the memories were from members in rural churches. Minto’s congregation swelled about 45 years ago when a number of district United Churches joined this church. Members from other rural churches also joined as their churches closed.

“We worked hard; we played hard,” said Vivian Wilson, the only active original Minto UCW member left.

Wilson was presented with a porcelain angel inscribed with “Not All Angels Are in Heaven.”

Wilson said three others have been UCW members IRU \HDUV EXW LQ GLIIHUHQW FKXUFKHV ² -DQ &RZDUG Kathleen Froese and Vivian Francis

Adele Dixon of Trinity UCW joked “Never accept an RI¿FH \RX¶OO EH WKHUH IRUHYHU ´

A companion from her UCW Bev Rioux noted she has been secretary for 14 years.

Forence Binner recalled the fun had and work done for years by the UCW at Parkbeg.

Joyce Walter, who never was a UCW member, said she used to serve lunches and sample them when the Parkbeg group met at her parents’ home.

She enjoyed going to lunches of different members as “it seemed there was a competition to see who had the best lunch.”

Muriel Harris described herself as a travelling UCW member having been a member at Smith Falls, Ont., Winnipeg, Brandon and Moose Jaw. Leone Townend of Minto, once a member of the Mount Pleasant UCW northeast of Moose Jaw, said it was a good way to meet people in the district.

“They made lots of pies. For the life of me I couldn’t PDNH SLHV ´ +HU ¿UVW SLH ZRXQG XS EXULHG E\ WKH GRJ

“One of the ladies took me under her wing and showed me how to make pies. That’s how I learned to make pies.”

Jan Coward outlined all the work the UCWs have done and recalled the Drinkwater UCW involvement in raising funds for the church, community and missions from bake sales to concessions at farm auctions.

UCWs across the country have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the church and mission work and assisted the community.

Eleanor Akins of Hearne remembered when there were two United Church women’s groups, one focused on missions, one focused on the local church and commuQLW\ 7KH\ EHFDPH WKH 8&: \HDUV DJR

She said the UCW was on the forefront of change, ZRUNLQJ IRU WKH ¿UVW WUDQVLWLRQ KRXVHV IRU ZRPHQ ZKR DUH