cfuw edmonton annual report 2017-2018 · cfuw edmonton annual report: 2017–2018 3 | page...

CFUW Edmonton Annual Report

2017-2018

April 12, 2018

CFUW EDMONTON ANNUAL REPORT: 2017–2018 2 | P a g e

Contents

President’s Report: 2017–2018 ............................................................................................................... 3

Provincial, National and International Events ........................................................................................ 4

Membership ................................................................................................................................................ 4

Community Outreach ................................................................................................................................. 4

Academic Awards Fund (AAF) ................................................................................................................. 5

Communications ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Social Report .............................................................................................................................................. 6

Program Highlights ..................................................................................................................................... 7

Interests Groups ......................................................................................................................................... 9

Financial Status ........................................................................................................................................ 14


President’s Report: 2017–2018

Submitted by Amy Macleod, CFUW Edmonton President, April 15, 2018

CFUW Edmonton has been active over 100 years. Our membership is a community of women that has a long history of successful efforts to improve the status of women at the local, provincial, national, and international levels and a commitment to continue those efforts today and into the future.

As an all-volunteer organization I am very thankful for all our members that invest their time contributing to our club. I especially want to thank our executive: Joanne Morrison (Treasurer), Shirley Redmond (Social), Darlene Fraser (Communications & Programs), Lynn Masters (Membership), Bev Sohnle (Interest Groups), and Joy Hurst (Past-President); the academic awards fund executive: Anne Valentine (Chair), Brenda Kuerschner (Bursary Convenor), Judy Pagano (Scholarship Convenor), Audrey Keen (Casino Convenor), Margaret McInall (Secretary), Heather Pick (Treasurer), and all the readers of the hundreds of applications; the interest group convenors; Cathy Garvey and the rest of the phoning committee; bylaws & constitution committee; and the past-presidents circle. Their efforts and activities make CFUW Edmonton a welcoming and productive organization.

Many of our CFUW Edmonton members are also active in AB Council, CFUW committees, and are chosen as delegates to represent CFUW on international committees. We are proud to have them as members and thank them for their extension of volunteer service beyond our club at the provincial, national, and international levels. Dale Wilkie, Anne Valentine, Lil Selby, Myrna Snart, Judy Pagano, serving on CFUW

Alberta Council Dale Wilkie, serving on the CFUW Fellowships Committee Judy Pagano, serving on CFUW Status of Women Sub-Committee and 100th

Anniversary Committee Nina Jackson, serving on the CFUW Education Committee Joy Hurst, serving on the CFUW Human Resources Committee, as CFUW

representative on Canadian Commission for UNESCO, and as CFUW representative on the GWI ad hoc committee this past year, (Joy also liaises with the Alberta Ministry of the Status of Women for the club)

I am honored to follow all the presidents before me who contributed to the advancement of women and provided me opportunities not available to my mother and grandmother. Thank you to the long-term members for your commitment, and to the new members for joining our organization. Our members make this a great and impactful organization to be a part of, improving the status of women for ourselves, our daughters, and future generations.


Provincial, National and International Events

CFUW Edmonton was represented at the following events: 2017 CFUW AGM, June 23 – 25, 2017, Richmond, BC: Amy Macleod attended. 2017 Prairie Gathering, September 29-30, 2017, Edmonton, AB: CFUW Edmonton

hosted and many members attended. AB Council AGM: Lethbridge April 28-29, 2017, attended by 10 Edmonton members;

and the 2018 AGM April 27-28, 2018, attendance to be confirmed after the event.

Membership

We lost members this year primarily due to the changing personal circumstances of members and the passing of a few more but were pleased to have 13 new members and a total membership of 127 (122 regular, 2 students, 3 dual members).

Community Outreach

CFUW Edmonton was invited to attend the Global News Women of Vision Glass Cliff Event which featured distinguished leaders: Kirstine Stewart, Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell, Eveline Charles, Dr. Shawna Pandya.

CFUW Edmonton president, Amy Macleod, attended the Equali-TEA (Edmonton Public School Board & Famous 5 Foundation) as a table host at a table of high school student leaders in September, was a Role Model for Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science & Technology (WISEST) SET Conference in November, and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity December 4th during their “Women Build” week at the Carter Place build site.

As part of our December 2017 Social, members generously donated food and cash to the University of Alberta Campus Food Bank (250lbs and $885 in donations).

CFUW Edmonton partnered with the Edmonton Public Library to have three movie nights where free movies are offered to the public that feature strong women who overcome life challenges and make a difference in the community. Movies: “Maudie”, “Their Finest”, “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai”.

CFUW national partnered with MATCH International with any donations being matched if made before March 31 (2018). We auctioned two tote bags from MATCH

CFUW Members (president at center, past-president center-left) at the Global News Women of Vision event.


International at our March general meeting and received a couple of extra donations in cash for a total of $52 which, when matched, equals a contribution of $104.

CFUW Edmonton supported the Walterdale Theatre’s production of “Blue Stockings” which is a story of women in the time of suffrage in Britain as they endeavoured to attain an education. Before the start of the play CFUW Edmonton President Amy Macleod talked to audience members about CFUW Edmonton. Our banner and CFUW promotional materials were in the lobby. This was a great collaboration opportunity which helped raise the profile of CFUW Edmonton to the theatre community. Several CFUW Edmonton members attended the event which we promoted through social media and with our members.

A couple members of CFUW Edmonton had Alberta Reads Network training and volunteered their time to the reading program for primary schools in Edmonton.

Academic Awards Fund (AAF)

CFUW Edmonton supports post-secondary education and enables advanced study and research by female students at the University of Alberta. We began supporting students in 1911 and have since continued this philanthropy by awarding more than 1 million dollars to female students at the University of Alberta. In 1971, CFUW Edmonton established a needs-based bursary program and in 1985 established the Margaret Brine Graduate Scholarship Program which awards scholarships based on academic merit and contribution to the community. The CFUW Edmonton AAF is a Registered Charitable Organization.

Many thanks to the AAF 2017 executive, Anne Valentine (Chair), Magaret McInall (Secretary) and our Scholarship and Bursary Convenors: Judy Pagano and Brenda Kuerschner. The 2018 Scholarship cycle concluded at the end of March and 4 recipients were chosen. The 2018 AAF Executive is: Jean MacIntyre (Chair), Magaret MacInall (Secretary), Heather Pick (Treasurer), Convenors: Anne Valentine (Scholarship), Brenda Kuerschner (Bursary), Audrey Keen (Casino).

A special thank you is extended to Audrey Keen who continues to organize our casino fundraising. The April 2018 casino will occur on April 19-20.

In 2017, a total of $46,000 was awarded by CFUW Edmonton. • $18,000 was awarded to 4 Margaret Brine Graduate Scholarship recipients, two

Master's scholarship winners and two Doctoral winners. • In December 2017 bursary funds in the amount of $24,000 were released to 19

University of Alberta female applicants.

The University of Alberta awarded undergraduate scholarships from an endowment that was established by CFUW Edmonton long ago. The scholarships ($1,000 each) are


awarded annually, based on superior academic achievement, to two Alberta high school graduates entering the first year and second year of an undergraduate degree program at the University of Alberta. Recipients will have achieved a minimum average of 85% on the required Grade 12 Alberta examinations. As additional funds were available in 2016, the University awarded two additional scholarships for first year.

Communications

CFUW Edmonton communicates with members mainly through our electronic email newsletter and announcements at meetings. Thank you to the phoning committee who call members to inform them of upcoming meetings and reminders of special events. We added a calendar feature to the website www.cfuwedmonton.org. This convenient feature is available from all pages on the website. We continue to post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/CFUWEdmonton/ and we started a Twitter account https://twitter.com/cfuwedmonton which allows us to quickly interact with a variety of organizations and individuals relevant to CFUW. We also promote our meetings and events in Edmonton Journal’s What’s On Edmonton, http://www.edmontonjournal.com/ entertainment/whats-on/index.html

Social Report

CFUW Edmonton held seven general meetings and two special events in December and May at the Faculty Club, University of Alberta. Meetings were held on the third Monday evening of each month with adaptations in dates for long week-ends and the holiday season. The December special event, the Holiday Social, included a market place, piano playing by our member, Anna Guest, carol singing by members and entertainment by a well-known singer /story teller, Maria Dunn. The May special event barbeque is planned as a social end of year to celebrate our activities. For general meetings and Holiday Social, beverages were purchased from the Faculty Club. Snacks were provided by members of the various interest groups, Executive Committee and Academic Awards.

A major concern during 2017/2018 was the expected increase in room rental from $100 to $300 for each meeting at the Faculty Club. This significant increase was determined to exceed our budget as a non-profit organization. Preliminary investigation for another venue resulted in an awareness that meeting space could likely be found. However, it appeared that it would be difficult find a central location, with easy access to parking, no stairs, and provision of beverages, room set-up, audiovisual equipment, and catering when required. Also, our long standing relationship with the Faculty Club is appreciated by our members.

With discussions in 2017, the Faculty Club initially offered to maintain the $100 per meeting fee until June 2018 with the expectation of the significant increase to the range


of $200-$300 in Fall 2018. Recent negotiations resulted in agreement to maintain the $100 level of rent to June 2019 if 15 members or more purchase a meal or part of a meal before each meeting. It is hoped the membership will assist with this arrangement. New staff at the Faculty Club has shown to be an advantage in the rental negotiations and arrangements with staff for each meeting and special events. We anticipate a congenial relationship with the Faculty Club for the future.

Program Highlights

These meetings are held the third Monday of the month at the University of Alberta Faculty Club. When a meeting falls on a holiday the meeting occurs on the fourth Monday. Meetings typically include a guest speaker followed by a refreshment break and social time prior to the business meeting component. Thank you to the various interest groups for providing treats for each meeting.

• September: At our first meeting of the 2017-2018 year we welcomed returning members, guests, and interested newcomers. After an overview of CFUW focusing on CFUW Edmonton activities during the past year and coming up this year we had short presentations by interest group convenors. During the refreshment break attendees socialized and signed up for interest groups. This was followed by our speaker Mary Pat Barry talking about "Amplifying Our Collective Voice: Ideas on Mobilizing the CFUW" with tips on how to engage with a wider population to share the CFUW Edmonton story.

• October: Members and guests enjoyed hearing from Jacquelyn Cardinal, Sakāwithiniwak from the Sucker Creek Cree First Nation and the Founder and Director of Experience at Naheyawin, who spoke to us about "On Spirit and Intent: A Roadmap to Contemporary Treaty Relations". She talked of connecting with an elder and learning traditional beading; presenting to the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples about the work Naheyawin has been doing on contemporary treaty relations; and being a part of the Dakota Pipeline protest. This was followed by a refreshment break during which members perused the selection of books available at the Joyce Macdonald Memorial Book Sale. Proceeds going to Academic Awards. Amy Macleod offered a well-received, pre-meeting tutorial on social media with an introduction to Twitter.

• November: Our speaker was Kim Armstrong, Deputy Minister of Alberta Seniors and Housing. Kim offered selected segments from her presentation SLAM – Struck Like a Match – Inspiring, Igniting and Inciting Women in Leadership. This session looked at strategic networking; how gender bias impacts women in the workplace; working in teams. Kim also talked about the work of the Ministry of Seniors and Housing.

• December: CFUW members and guests enjoyed the Holiday Social featuring music from singer song-writer Maria Dunn. Anna Guest provided traditional Christmas music


during our social time. Members donated crafts, home preserves and other items to the Christmas market which raised funds for Members and guests brought food or cash donations for the University of Alberta Campus Food Bank.

• January: The January meeting is the highlight of the year for the Academic Awards Fund (AAF). This year, we had three of our four wonderful graduate scholarship winners giving presentations about their research. Our fourth recipient will present during the May meeting. The evening was rounded out with the AAF Annual General Meeting which is an overview of AAF business for 2017, with bursary, scholarship, casino and financial reports included.

• February: The speaker for this meeting was Tracy Folorunsho-Barry, a community leader, author, wellness coach and founder of Gradual Rising of Women (GROW). Under GROW she has created Project 150 which showcases the stories of accomplished immigrant women in Canada in order to educate and inspire others. Tracy talked about GROW and her personal connection to the organization. She shared a few touching stories of the women who have been impacted by GROW.

• March: The March presenter, Dr. Lisa Ross-Rodriguez, is the Director of the Occupational Disease and Injury Prevention Section in the Ministry of Labour. Dr. Ross-Rodriguez received her MSc and PhD from the University of Alberta in Medical Sciences. Lisa is a former CFUW Edmonton Margaret Brine Scholarship recipient who talked about her educational and professional journey, and the impact of being a scholarship recipient. The main effect of receiving the scholarship was the impact it had on encouraging her and increasing her confidence. She used the financial support to attend a conference in Europe where she was able to meet and learn from experts in

2017 Margaret Brine Scholarship Recipients Hailey Pineau, MSc; Valerie Miller, PhD Sci; Elise La

Croix, MA; Anne Valentine, 2017 Chair, Academic Awards Fund.

Dr. Lisa Ross-Rodriguez speaking to members.


her field. We also had a ‘Member Spotlight’ on our new academic awards chair Jean MacIntyre followed by a discussion of the Resolutions that will be presented at the CFUW AGM in June.

• April: This is the CFUW Edmonton Annual General Meeting during which the Annual Report was presented and the incoming executive was introduced.

• May: The annual BBQ Social and end of year event celebrates our accomplishments and the start of our summer break.

PRAIRIE GATHERING CFUW Edmonton hosted the bi-annual tri-provincial Prairie Gathering meeting September 29-30 at Chateau Lacombe. Grace Hollet, CFUW president attended along with 37 others from the prairie provinces. The theme "Prairie Strength" was reflected in ideas, collaborations, and accomplishments of the Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba CFUW clubs. Attendees gave us numerous compliments on the organization and content of the meeting, as well as the beauty of Edmonton. Full summary can be found at http://www.cfuwedmonton.org/2017-prairie-gathering/

Interests Groups

CFUW Edmonton has 12 interest groups. We have three choices for Book Clubs ‐ Morning, Afternoon/Luncheon and Evening. There are also 3 cuisine groups ‐ Healthy Gourmet, Hospitality Cooking and Lunching out. The Bridge club has two groups. One meets in the Morning/afternoon and the other in the evening. We have two art groups ‐ Art For Fun and Fibre Arts. We also have very active Health Issues, Environmental Issues

2017 Prairie Gathering attendees.


and Film groups. The membership in these groups varied from 3 to 18. In total 62 of our members are involved in at least one interest group and many of those are members of many groups.

Annual Report for Art for Fun Group The ART FOR FUN group has continued to meet weekly, on Tuesday mornings, from 9 am to noon. We have had a core group of 5 who attend most weeks. The group attended the International Women's Day Women and the Arts lunch that was hosted by MLA Lori Sigurdson as an interest group of CFUW Edmonton. We each will be donating an artwork to the CFUW Alberta Council AGM as part of their silent auction. We plan to continue through the summer and are anticipating a fun and productive future. Submitted by Anne Valentine.

Annual Report for Morning Book Club Our group meets once a month on the fourth Wednesday at 9:30am. We have lively and fun discussions over a delicious breakfast!! We rotate the hosting duties among the members of the group. Currently we have nine members and we are accepting new members. This year we voted on member suggestions to compile our book list. In previous years we have focused on prize winning authors in various categories. In addition to our monthly meetings, we joined the Evening and Afternoon groups for a Christmas pot luck and there will be a wind-up event in June. Books for 2017-18: Any Known Blood by Lawrence Hill, The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, Holiday Season Potluck was held at Narayanni’s Restaurant, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews, Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks, The Tournament by Mathew Reilly, The Door - Magda Szabo. Submitted by Edith Morgan.

Annual Report for Afternoon Book Club We usually meet over a luncheon at a member's home, The Royal Glenora Club, or another restaurant where we have a lively discussion of the book and other topics as they arise. We laugh lots! The books we read this year are: Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton, Three Sisters, Three Queens by Phillipa Gregory, Lady Susan; Sanditon; The Watsons by Jane Austen (all short), Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (autobio), Transit by Rachel Cusk, The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood, A Wake for the Dreamland by Laurel Deedrick-Mayne. Submitted by Janet Clark.

Morning Book Club members (some members not present).


Annual Report for Evening Book Club Our reading group meets the second Thursday of the month (September to May) at 7:30 PM. We take turns providing the venue and a light assortment of refreshments which may include a glass of wine. Usually, but not always, one of us volunteers to present the book, provide a bit of background about the author, share some reviews and ask some questions. We read an eclectic assortment of books compiled from suggestions from the group. We have an informal and relaxed atmosphere and welcome new members. We usually join with the Morning and Afternoon reading groups to hold a potluck or dinner outing in December and June. In November, we were delighted to host Caterina Edwards, an Edmonton author. We discussed her book The Sicilian Wife and she talked about her writing process. She kindly left us with gifts of some of her books. In December, we enjoyed an East Indian meal at Narayanni’s in Old Strathcona. We also read the following books: The Eagle and the Raven by Pauline Gedge, Map of Glass by Jane Urquhart, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Door by Magda Szabo, Tides of Honour by Genevieve Graham, My Secret Sister by Helen Edwards and Jenny Lee Smith. New members are welcome. It is a great way to get to know CFUW members in a more personal way. Submitted by Norma Kabaroff. Annual Report for Bridge Group We have two groups that meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. One meets either in the in the morning or afternoon and one meets in the evening. The daytime group meet at each other’s homes or at the Royal Glenora at 11 and play a round of bridge, pause for lunch and then play another 2 or 3 rounds. We end around 2:30PM. The evening group meets from 7 to 9:30PM. We play 8-12 games and then stop for coffee and snacks. We take turns hosting and providing a snack. We collect $2.00 per person at each meeting and use these funds for an evening dinner at a local restaurant towards the end of the year. Both groups attended this event. Both groups are playing for fun and new members are welcome.

Annual Report for Environment Group The group continues to meet on the second Thursday of the month at St. Paul’s United Church, 11526 76th Avenue, at 1.30 pm. This year 11 members paid the annual fee which covers the cost of the church rental and a gift for guest speakers. We have a few e-mail members who are unable to attend meetings but want to be kept up to date on environmental issues. Active members take turns providing snacks for meetings and one dutiful member brings thermoses of coffee and tea. New members are always welcome and we frequently encourage guests to swell our numbers when having guest speakers.

Our guest speakers have expertise in varied topics but all made most interesting presentations, geared toward our non-expert group. Billie Milholland spoke about her fascination with the 12 sub-watersheds that contribute to our North Saskatchewan Watershed, described in her newly published and well- illustrated book “Living in the


Shed.” Retired meteorologist Tim Goos (and husband of CFUW Strathcona County member Lynn McPherson) discussed the many aspects and repercussions of Climate Change. Botanist Patsy Cotterill conveyed her passion for Edmonton’s natural areas, particularly the river valley and ravines and the need for their continued protection. Several years ago, our small group was involved in the establishment of the Edmonton and Area Land Trust and it was gratifying to learn, from Executive Director Pam Wight, of the many new areas now protected by the Trust. In January, several members joined with the Strathcona County club to hear Glen David Dickie, an engineering instructor at NAIT, speak about solar energy in Alberta. This month, our own member Fran Savage will pass on information she absorbed during the recent international conference on Climate Change. In May we traditionally have a field trip.

While the group as a whole has not been involved in advocacy this year, several members have expressed concerns regarding threats to the river valley by the proposed erection of solar panels near the E.L. Smith Water panel and the construction of a large house in Mill Creek Ravine. Letters to the government and to the Journal editor have been written on these concerns as well as provincial protection of the Castle Wilderness from OHV use and protection of habitat for woodland caribou.

Icy streets have not been kind to our group convener Wendy Watt and to new member Sylvia Marsh as in February they both fell and broke their right arms in three places, copying our club president Amy Macleod who did the same thing in December. We wish them early healing. This report has been compiled by past convener Tammy Irwin, whose right arm is not in a cast, with the help of Pat Wishart’s excellent minutes.

Annual Report for Fibre Arts Group This group is being led by talented fibre artist, Debbie Caseburg Tyson. The group meets the 1st Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm. Projects are selected by group interest and we often work on our own projects as well. Past explorations have included quilting, knitting, stitching, doll making, dyeing, and felting. This year saw much knitting and a little felting and a whole bunch of laughter. As always, we knit and collect hats and mitts for students entering into the full day kindergarten program at various Edmonton Public Schools. The full day kindergarten programs are an initiative of the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation, and supports children living in socially vulnerable neighborhoods.

Annual Report for Film Group There were 17 women signed up for the Film Group this year. We saw shows in October 2017, November 2017, February 2018 and March 2018. On average about 6 to 8 members attended each show. Some of the films we saw were: Victoria and Abdul, a 2017 British biographical comedy-drama film. The film is based on the book of same name by Shrabani Basu, about the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria of the


United Kingdom and her Indian servant Abdul Karim. Jane, an intimate portrait of anthropologist and environmentalist Jane Goodall featuring previously unseen footage of her earliest research trips, which include expeditions to Africa in the 1960s. The film also includes a wide-ranging interview with Goodall in the present day, as she discusses her life and work. We enjoyed casual conversation and a bite to eat after the shows at a nearby cafe or restaurant. Our last film evening for the year will be April 18 2018. Submitted by Nafeesa Mohamed. Annual Report for Health Issues Group It appears to be most practical for our group to meet 3 to 4 times per year and usually in the afternoon. We have been meeting at 1:30 PM on the 4th Thursday of the month. When necessary, we will do an out trip or perhaps try an evening get-together. Since September we have experienced STARS Air Ambulance and discussed two major topics: Water with Dr. Bill Shotyk and Pharmacare with Chad Mitchell, BSc Pharmacy, MSc. Submitted by Judi Cook

Annual Report for Healthy Gourmet Group October to May (excluding December) our group meets at members' homes in the evening of the 4th Wednesday of the month. The hostess chooses a menu and is responsible for supplying the main dish and the "drinks". The other recipes are prepared at home by the participants. Cost of the meal is shared. Attempts are made to keep the dishes simple, "healthy", and not requiring great effort or culinary talent. Sharing of food and good conversation is indeed the best recipe for fellowship. Submitted by Judi Cook and Audrey Keen

Annual Report for Hospitality Cooking Group The group has enjoyed another year of fabulous food and stimulating conversation. There are 11 group members which enables us to evenly spread out our once per month get togethers from September to June. In December (Christmas) and June the men happily join us. Hostesses choose the menu with recipes from: on-line, family cookbooks, magazines, while on cruises, and from our own cookbook that we put together 15 years ago. There seems to be an unending supply of interesting and fantastic recipes. The cost of ingredients and wine is shared. Submitted by Judi Cook and Suzanne Connell Annual Report for Lunching Out Group Fondly called the "Out to Lunch" group, we continue to meet every 2nd Friday (yes, all 12 months) for lunch in new and favorite restaurants to try their fare and open our horizons, or just to share interesting and stimulating conversation. Recent visits include: Halong Bay, Vintage Fork in Rutherford House, XIX (Nineteen), Vaticano, Juniper, Royal Glenora on the patio, as well as Why Not. Submitted by Judi Cook.


Financial Status

The 2016-17 Audit completed on August 21, 2017 included review of CFUW Edmonton general ledger and reconciled all expense statements, deposit slips, bank statements and check stubs. There were no discrepancies and the books balance. The club has a positive bank balance and is in good financial standing.

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