Honor the Past and Look to the Future

Greetings from St. Louis

Today we glimpsed several special moments in our Sisterhood's history.  We had a circa 1909 "visit" from Alice Bird Babb, one of our seven founding sisters.  Lynn Rymarz, IM, IL treated us to a touching portrayal of Alice in character sharing her memories of the birth and growth of P.E.O.  We also enjoyed a "centennial moment" with Chapter Original A.

Below, Pamela Griffin Weider (B, Appleton), Sharon Parham (PSP) and Mary Lou Rashke, Wisconsin State Vice President enjoy a light moment during this morning's prelude.  

The Wisconsin delegation prepares for the business of the day.

Past Wisconsin State Presidents (below l - r) Rosalie Daehler, Sharon Parham, Nancy Buck and Laura Wahl send greetings to all their Wisconsin sisters.  They miss you and urge you all to make a point to attend an International Convention, if at all possible. 



The convention conluded with this evenings banquet and Missouri night entertainment.  Below, members of the Wisconsin delegation enjoy their dinner.

Below Wisconsin Sisters are joined by Martha Flinspach (Original C, Fairfield, IA), Michele Erenberger (FS, Carrollton, TX), Kathy McCracken (BS, Fort Madison, IA) and Jean Bergman (BS, Fort Madison, IA)



Below Wisconsin sisters are joined by:
Cheryl White, Chapter H DC
Caran McKee, DC State President
Pat Nordine, DC State Organizer
Nancy Hale, EG, Beaumont, Texas
Alice Williams, AJ, Raleigh, NC
Marilyn works, KQ, Iowa City, IA
Jackie Batjer, GN, Abilene, TX
Janice Sweet, ES, Apache Junction, AZ

We're already planning a blog from the 71st Convention of International Chapter that will be held in Dallas, Texas September 26 - 28, 2013.  For now, good night and farewell from the 70th International Convention in St. Louis.

Judith and Chris

A Day of Celebrations

Greetings from St. Louis.

For the first time the Wisconsin delegation gathered in their assigned seating on the convention floor.  We were surrounded by sisters from Texas, British Columbia, Maryland and Oklahoma. 

Below Wisconsin State President Jeanner Herder, Wisconsin State Secretary Pat Spencer, and Past State President Nancy Buck greet one another on the convention floor during the piano prelude. 

Dr. Judy Rogers, the ever delightful President of Cottey College, helped us celebrate the role that Cottey plays in the development and nurturing of its young women students in preparation for their future.  One of the most essential ingredients to this is the Cottey faculty's committment to teaching - both inside and outside the classroom.

100 years ago next week, Chapter A, British Columbia was organized.  Today we celebrated 100 years of the P.E.O. Sisterhood in Canada.  How fitting that Chapter A, British Columbia, received its charter at Convention of Supreme Chapter in St. Louis, Missouri in 1911.  As a result of this, P.E.O. became an international organization. 

Below are sisters from Canada celebrating this momentous event.  From left to right are:

Rose-Ann Lewis, Chapter BC, Chilliwack, BC
Marg Hicks, Chapter BC, Chilliwack, BC
Sharon Bernard, Chapter J, Ottawa, ON
Phoebe Gowdy, Chapter J, Ottawa, ON
Pam Montie, Chapter BC, Chilliwack, BC
Sally Ross, Chapter BF, Abbotsford, BC

How fitting that we were able to end our day with Wisconsin Past State Presidents, Sue White, Marvel Williamson and Mary Garber (below l to r) reminiscing about their past International Conventions - among them, they have attended twenty-two.  These Past State Presidents shared with us how deeply touched they are by the number of sisters who remember the Milwaukee convention in September of 2001 (Marvel was Convention Chair) and who have made a point to speak to them this week.  Many of these sisters sought any method of transportation they could, to ensure they were in Milwaukee for our state's hosted International Convention.  One of these sisters remembered Marvel's two young grandsons presenting her with a bouquet of daisies - and inquired "How old are the boys now?".  That is Sisterhood! 

Good night from St. Louis.

Judith and Chris.

Convention of International Chapter Opens in St. Louis

Good Evening from St. Louis.  We've just returned from the Convention Opening Ceremonies and Philanthropies Program.  What an inspiring evening!  Jeanne Herder, Wisconsin State Chapter President and Alice Kapla, Wisconsin State Chapter Organizer, proudly carried the Wisconsin flag during the parade of flags.  Elizabeth Garrels, International Chapter President, warmly welcomed all to the 70th P.E.O. International Convention.  We were so impressed by each speaker who represented the P.E.O. Philanthropy of which she was a recipient. Tonight's program reinforced to all in attendance the mission of P.E.O.

Today began with two educational sessions for delegates to prepare them for the work of convention.  Below are Alice, me, Jessica and Jeanne (from l - r) attending this morning's finance workshop.

Our afternoon was devoted to the exhibit hall.  Each P.E.O. Project has a unique display that shows the spirit and the practical application of its philanthropy.  The International Chairperson and committee members for each project were on hand to welcome visitors and share their insights and practical knowledge - a true display of their personal commitment.

Below are Cottey College Student Body President Shereese Fagan (r) and her classmate showing us the way to the Cottey room.  Shereese was our inspiring Cottey speaker this evening.

Alice Bird Babcock was on hand to greet guests into her salon.

A little P.E.O. retail therapy under the Gateway Arch of Balloons!

Did you know?   

Until tomorrow, signing off from St. Louis ..

Judith Bloom, Delegate and Chris Kosin, Visitor
Chapter EO, Minocqua, WI

Wisconsin Delegation Arrives in St. Louis

At exactly 3 o'clock this afternoon, the Wisconsin Delegation arrived.  Sounds like the bus ride was a lot of fun - with games (like what's in your purse from A to Z) and a movie (The King's Speech) - and a WONderful bus driver who made it here in record time!!!  After a quick check-in, and registration - all met in the lobby of the Rennaisance. 

The group 'hoofed it' east to the river's edge and south to board the Becky Thatcher for a lovely dinner cruise with the Delegations from CT, DC, ID, MT, NV, WV and NM.  Tomorrow begins the "work of convention".

Earlier in the day, while waiting for their arrival, we took advantage of another of the wonderful tours organized by our Missouri sisters.  The Gateway Arch and Museum of Westward Expansion is a wonderful testament to Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase - and has a great view of Busch Stadium!

Then it was off to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery for a tour of this historic complex - including the Busch family's original Clydesdale stable (talk about fancy digs) - where we saw not only some of the famous Clydesdale's, but also one of the Dalmatians. 

Another great day at International.

Good night from St. Louis!

Greetings from St. Louis

Greetings Wisconsin Sisters.

This is our first posting from International and we look forward to sharing the week with you.  Despite the early hour, upon our arrival at baggage claim we were delighted to be greeted by our Missouri sisters with their welcoming P.E.O. banners.  We hardly had to introduce ourselves – there must have been something about our faces that said we were sisters.

And weren’t we the lucky ones – Fred (NOT a BIL!) Simpson, Nancy Poage and Sharon Link of Chapter CH Eldon, MO,  were on their way to the convention center and so we had the honor of a personal ride from the co-chairs of the Greeting Committee (Fred and Nancy) – we really hit the 'jack'pot!  They are members of Chapter CH in Eldon/Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.  On our way in I commented how impressed I was with the tours that had been arranged and Nancy responded that her friend Tish was co-chair of that committee and that Tish would be delighted to receive the compliment.  (Stay tuned….).   Fred delivered us to the portico entrance of the St. Louis Renaissance Grand, home this week of the Wisconsin Delegation.  The Grand was originally opened in 1917 as the Statler Hotel and was often referred to as the Grand Dame of St. Louis.  It has hosted some of this city’s grandest events over the years.

After settling in to our lovely room, we went on the hunt for lunch.  Imagine our surprise as we stepped off the elevator to meet head on with Dr. Judy Rogers and her husband.  Dr. Rogers was a wonderful guest and speaker at the Wisconsin State Convention – and she is thrilled that a bus load of sisters will be visiting Cottey this weekend.  We found a local deli and ran into another sister and (surprise!) we discovered she was “Tish”, tour co-chair.  We were able to pass along our compliments to her in person.

This afternoon we had a wonderful tour of the Missouri Botanical Gardens and historic residential neighborhoods. 

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Jeanne Herder and the rest of the Wisconsin

delegation tomorrow afternoon.

Until then, goodnight from St. Louis, Gateway to the West!

Judith Bloom, Delegate and Chris Kosin, Visitor

Chapter EO, Minocqua