Officers of International Chapter President
P.E.O. STAR Scholarship Chair, Jayme Resnik
Vice Chair, Sheri Bailey Isabelle DuBois Wattles Susan Smith Sue Barker
Patricia L. Brolin-Ribi
First Vice President
Cathy Moss
P.E.O. Foundation Chair, Nicole Berner Margaret “Peggy” Rose Jennifer Bream Finance Committee Chair, (Barbara) Ann Bowen Ellen Fox Belinda Hargrove Audit Committee Chair, (Barbara) Ann Bowen Ellen Fox Belinda Hargrove Study and Research Committee Chair, Elizabeth McFarland Vice Chair, Christine Ankeney Judith French Karen Leftwich Ellen Busby Glenda Dixon Special Appointment Parliamentarian, Barbara Rosi, PRP Nominating Committee Chair, Cathy Manhart
Second Vice President
Alix Smith
Organizer
Kathryn S. Ebert
Recording Secretary
Jennifer G. Mitchell
Standing Appointments Administrative Staff Executive Director
Kathy A. Soppe
Director of Finance/Treasurer
Dana Van Roekel
Director of Communications/Historian
Kate Westercamp
Director of Information Technology
Dawn Clayberg
Director of Membership
Jennifer Chittenden
Susan Penrod Lori O’Keefe Jacqueline Dawson Marylou Ruud Membership Committee Chair, Rita Briggs Vice Chair, Kathleen Feldman
The administrative staff has offices at the P.E.O. Executive Office.
Cottey College President, Stefanie D. Niles, Ed.D., 1000 West Austin Blvd., Nevada, MO 64772 Boards of Trustees and Standing Committees Cottey College Chair, Kathryn Bayne
Lauri Cushing Laura A. Parris
Becky Clines Susan Harber P.E.O. Leadership Development Committee Chair, Debbie Kotecki Julee Carucci Karen Fite Special Committees Special Committee to Study a Virtual Ceremony of Initiation Jennifer G. Mitchell
Vice Chair, Georgann Douglas Secretary, Tamara Kenworthy
James R. Bickel Cheryl Denslow Jack Ewing
Joan Braddock Lydia Bangert Ariel I. Delaney Pamela E. Napier Penny Bessman P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund Chair, Ann Lambert Vice Chair, Nanci Rosensteel Laurel Andrew Stephanie Halton
Susan Penrod Janet Litterer Monica Brown Denise Rugani
Marti Ramsey Kristin Cresta P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund Chair, Jan Knuckey Karen Neylon Bobbie Gervais P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education Chair, Debra Dumler
To Reach P.E.O. P.E.O. Executive Office 3700 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312
To Reach Cottey College Cottey College 1000 W Austin Blvd. Nevada, MO 64772 P 417-667-8181 F 417-667-8103 E peorelations@ cottey.edu cottey.edu
To Reach The P.E.O. Record or Submit Material Becky Frazier, Editor 3700 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312
P 515-255-3153 F 515-255-3820
P 515-255-3153 F 515-255-3820 E bfrazier@ peodsm.org
peointernational.org (Go to Member Login, enter username and password, then click Contact Us.)
Beverly Prewitt Donna Corbin P.E.O. Scholar Awards Chair, Rebecca Daniel Terry Northcutt Lisa Cooley
Layout and design of The P.E.O. Record by Allison Vial
Making A Difference PRESIDENT’S | message by Patricia L. Brolin-Ribi, President, International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood
As fall brings thoughts of cooler days and a return to routines after summertime activities, it also evokes visions of students returning to school. Not only students in the primary and secondary grades, but also those pursuing further study at institutions of higher learning and vocational and certification programs. All of these are exciting times for students and families alike. For families with children and relatives ranging from pre-school to high school, each year brings its own rewards and challenges. Our P.E.O. sisters live with those every day through their families and friends. We enthusiastically encourage these students as they make their
Please join the Executive Board of International Chapter in extending a grateful thank you to Ann Lambert, past president of Massachusetts State Chapter, for her five years of service on the P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund Board of Trustees. We’re pleased to welcome Harpreet (Preeti) Sareen, past president of Ontario- Quebec Provincial Chapter, who has accepted an appointment to the P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund Board of Trustees for a five-year term commencing October 1, 2022. We also extend our gratitude to Diann McChesney, past president of Connecticut State Chapter, and Hope Zoeller for their seven years of service on the Cottey College Board of Trustees. Join us in welcoming Pamela E. Napier, past president of Kentucky State Chapter, and Penny Bessman, past president of Illinois State Chapter, who have accepted appointments to the Cottey College Board of Trustees for seven-year terms commencing June 1, 2022.
As P.E.O.s, we readily say “we support women pursuing their educational goals.” We should take a moment to think about the tremendous impact we make through our International projects of ELF, Cottey, IPS, PCE, PSA and STAR. For the returning student as she struggles to pay for tuition or books—or even bus fare and child care; for the woman who needs more than anything to have strong encouragement and someone to believe in her abilities; for the doctoral candidate amassing student debt as she pours herself into her research; for the young student finding her way in a new school environment as she learns life skills along with her course work; and for the brave woman from a foreign
“We educate women because it is smart. We educate women because it changes the world.” — Drew Gilpin Faust, a historian and the first woman to be president of Harvard
country balancing not only her studies, but also cultural aspects. For all of these women P.E.O.’s financial support and encouragement can make a significant difference. For some, that impact is also life-changing and lifts up not only the recipient, but her family and community as well. The next time you are asked about P.E.O., you can answer proudly with our Mission Statement that “P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations.” Above all, please know how much each of you is appreciated for your support of our projects and our recipients. Your efforts are truly making a difference as you continue to Raise the Bar to the Stars. WITH BEST WISHES AND P.E.O. LOVE, Patti
way through each grade and cheer them on and share pride in them as they do. Then for students venturing on past high school, the world opens up possibilities and opportunities, and also challenges them with real-life experiences. In all of these scenarios, P.E.O. sisters make a huge difference in students’ lives. For the women who apply for grants, loans, awards and scholarships through our P.E.O. projects, we go a step further as we provide support both in the form of meaningful financial assistance and our equally important encouragement. Each of you makes a big difference in this regard. It is through your individual efforts to assist with your chapter’s fundraiser that you contribute to the pool of available educational funds. And it is through your efforts to search out applicants and encourage them through the process that deserving women are able to pursue their educational goals. With more than 5,700 chapters and over 203,000 members doing the same, the impact grows exponentially. It is impressive that P.E.O. sisters have provided over $398 million* of financial assistance over the years for women pursuing educational opportunities.
*As of April 2022
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Contents The P.E.O. Record | September–October 2022 | Vol. 134 | No. 5
cover story
BY NANCY DI FRANCIA 6
The Secret to Growing Membership
What is
Dorothy
Caravias’ Secret to Growing Membership?
Special Features
4
Announcing the Special Committee for P.E.O. Inclusion and Belonging BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER
8
You Add to P.E.O. and P.E.O. Adds to You!
6
12
Celebrating the Memory Room’s Centennial BY JEAN THOMSON
14
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Amendments to International Documents and Resolutions BY THE INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER STUDY AND RESEARCH COMMITTEE Accepting Alzheimer’s: How Loving Kindness Can Lift Up Those Living with the Disease BY MARY MARGARET LEHMANN
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Instagram: @peointernational
Twitter: @PEOSisterhood
LinkedIn: International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood
PEO International
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THE P.E.O. RECORD | September–October 2022
Women helping women reach for the stars
IN THIS | issue
In Every Issue 1
P.E.O. Philanthropies and Foundation 19 P .E.O. Educational Loan Fund The ELF Difference BY STEPHANIE HALTON 20 Cottey College Getting to Know Cottey BY DR. STEFANIE D. NILES 21 P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund Growing Connections with IPS Students— From Recipient to Sister and Beyond BY KAREN NEYLON
President’s Message Making A Difference BY PATRICIA L. BROLIN-RIBI
11
P.E.O. Leadership Development The Beauty of Assistants for Chapter Officers…Wait, We Can Have Those? BY DEBBIE KOTECKI
18
P.E.O. International Membership Committee Connecting the Ties that Bind BY SUSAN HARBER
22 P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education
Celebrating 50 Years of PCE BY BEVERLY PREWITT
23 P.E.O. Scholar Awards
36 Award-Winning Ideas 38 P.E.O. Authors 39 New Chapters 40 Centennial Chapters 42 Where in the World is The Record? 44 Fundraising Marketplace
Named and Endowed Scholar Awards 2022 BY P.E.O. SCHOLAR AWARDS BOARD OF TRUSTEES
27 P.E.O. Foundation
Raising the Educational Bar at Cottey College BY P.E.O. FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
28 P.E.O. STAR Scholarship
Going Above and Beyond for STAR BY SUE BARKER
50 P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund
P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Partners in Peace (PIP) News
48 About P.E.O. 49 To the Point
Gallery of Presidents 29 P aisley L. Huntoon, Colorado Jane Byerley, District of Columbia Ann Ward, Illinois
Renee Piper, Nebraska Wanda Ness Seyler, North Dakota Susan Holak, Northeast District Jamée Ard, New York Jane Koch, Ohio Starr Hull, Pennsylvania Elizabeth Freer, South Dakota Julie Anne Black, Washington Sally Jane Northrop, Wisconsin Sharon Johnson, Wyoming
Events and Reminders 4 Connect with P.E.O. on Social Media 5 P.E.O. Bed and Breakfast is Back! 10 The P.E.O. Record Digital Edition is Better than Ever!
Carrie Wilkinson, Iowa Linda Kekina, Kansas Lisa Cole, Missouri Alicia Nolan, Louisiana Debbie Hedrick, Montana
The P.E.O. Record (ISSN 0746-5130) is published bimonthly by the P.E.O. Sisterhood, 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312-2899. Periodical class postage paid at Des Moines, Iowa, and at all additional mailing offices. Subscription price is $5.00 per year. Single copies are $1.00. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The P.E.O. Record, 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312-2899. Printed in USA. Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 40586518. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to IMEX, P.O. Box 4332, Station Rd., Toronto, ON M5W 3J4. Submission of material to The P.E.O. Record is your consent to our right to edit and publish it, either all or in part, in any P.E.O. print or digital communication medium. The content matter may or may not reflect the opinions of the Sisterhood. Complete submission guidelines appear on the “Members Only” section of P.E.O.’s official website, peointernational.org. The P.E.O. Record welcomes members’ submissions to the address on the inside front cover.
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SPECIAL | feature
ANNOUNCING THE Special Committee for P.E.O. Inclusion and Belonging by the Executive Board of International Chapter
As an important component of loving concern, and one to which we are called by our Objects and Aims, P.E.O. will continue working for membership inclusion for women who acknowledge a belief in God, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, national origin, sexual orientation, age and abilities. It is essential that current and future sisters feel they have a place in our Sisterhood. To foster an inclusive culture, we must continue to be thoughtful and respectful of our current sisters, while welcoming new members to P.E.O. in ways that allow them to truly belong. This is not about telling members what to think, or asking anyone to change their belief system. Local chapters have always, and will continue to, select their own membership. With those guiding principles in mind, P.E.O. adopted the following commitment at the beginning of the biennium: P.E.O. SISTERHOOD COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND BELONGING
The P.E.O. Sisterhood is a nonprofit volunteer women’s organization grounded in our loving concern for each other and our mission of supporting women to pursue their educational goals. Joined by a shared commitment to these two foundational tenets, P.E.O. strives to offer a sense of belonging to current and future members by embracing each person’s unique talents, background and perspective. This is aligned with our virtues of faith, love, purity, justice and truth and follows the principles of our Objects and Aims. Honoring our long and proud history while looking to the future, it is crucial for members to contribute to actions that will sustain P.E.O. while maintaining our fundamental values. We strive to achieve inclusion and a sense of belonging for all women 18 years of age or older who acknowledge a belief in God, regardless of their religious affiliation, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, abilities and socio-economic status. By sharing P.E.O. with a broad group of women, our chapters benefit from perspectives and talents that make us stronger and will sustain our Sisterhood into the future.
It is an honor to announce the appointment of a Special Committee for P.E.O. Inclusion and Belonging. We appreciate the following members who have agreed to serve: – Chair Julie Wilson, past member of the Cottey College Board of Trustees; past chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for the P.E.O. Leadership Development Initiative; Chapter AL, Portland, Oregon – Janet Steury, past chair of the P.E.O. STAR Scholarship Board of Trustees; past president of Missouri State Chapter; Chapter FL, St. Joseph, Missouri – Mahin Tavakoli, past member of the Special Committee on the Culture of Inclusiveness in P.E.O.; Chapter O, Ottawa, Ontario-Quebec – Kristi Harlan, past president of Minnesota State Chapter, Chapter FP, Bloomington, Minnesota – Pauline Carter, past president of North Carolina State Chapter, Chapter BR, Charlotte, North Carolina
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THE P.E.O. RECORD | September–October 2022
Women helping women reach for the stars
B ed and B reakfast P.E.O.
is back!
The P.E.O. Bed and Breakfast (B&B) program is once again available for all members. The P.E.O. B&B program provides a home away from home for many and creates connections between sisters living in the United States and Canada. Proceeds from P.E.O. B&B stays have provided more than half a million dollars annually in support of the advancement of women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College.
For those wishing to stay at a P.E.O. B&B the listing is available on our P.E.O. International member website at https://members.peointernational.org/bedandbreakfast . The service is available to active P.E.O. members and guests traveling with them.
All P.E.O. Bed and Breakfast listings are online and are updated as we receive information from new hostess chapters. The list will continue to grow throughout the year so check back often. If your chapter would like to host a P.E.O. B&B, all of the information is available on the P.E.O. International member website. Thank you to all chapters sponsoring a B&B and those sisters staying at a B&B. You are supporting “women helping women reach for the stars.”
The P.E.O. B&B program provides a home away from home for many!
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COVER | story
THE Secret TO
GROWING MEMBERSHIP
by Nancy DiFrancia, IS, Kirkland, Washington
Dorothy Adds To P.E.O.
She influenced some from her current chapter to transfer, reached out to women about their daughters joining P.E.O. through this new chapter, called unaffiliates in the area, talked with friends and called women on the referrals list. Chapter IS organized April 22, 1995, with 30 members. Dorothy didn’t stop there. She enthusiastically delights in reaching out to people about P.E.O. When she learns of an unaffiliate in her area, she calls her. When she learns of a woman who has been referred for P.E.O. membership, she calls her. When she meets someone who she thinks would make a positive addition to P.E.O., she invites them to meet other sisters. Do some lead very busy lives? Yes. Does this deter her? No. She advises to not miss out on inviting busy women because you never know when the time may be right for a prospective member. Never assume they are too busy; give them the opportunity to make the decision for themselves. When she reaches out, she has a sincerity and warmth that welcomes others. “Dorothy was the first P.E.O. to invite me to a meeting. She made me feel like an old friend,” says Ann Guthrie who transferred to Chapter IS after receiving a call from Dorothy when on the unaffiliate list. Similar to Dorothy’s first impression that P.E.O. was right for her because of the nice women she met, she has mirrored that generosity to others. Cheryl Mana’o, who was initiated into Chapter IS in 1998, shares, “Dorothy WAS the reason I joined P.E.O! I met Dorothy through a mutual friend and we had an instant connection. Dorothy is a selfless, generous, caring, independent woman. When she told me about P.E.O. and the amazing women involved, there was no question. If P.E.O. had a group of women like Dorothy, I wanted to be part of it. Dorothy has made me a better person!” While wearing a Cottey College sweatshirt on a plane, Dorothy met a P.E.O. from another state which led to another sister for Chapter IS. When serving as Unaffiliate Chair for Washington State Chapter, she called a woman who had been a P.E.O. for 27 years and had never gone to meetings. At the moment she called, the woman was looking at her calendar and thinking “I need something to do on Thursdays,” which happened to be the Chapter IS meeting night! You never know when your call will be the right time for a sister.
When gathered for a recent chapter anniversary celebration, sisters in
Chapter IS, Kirkland, Washington, shared stories about how they came to P.E.O. It quickly became humorous when
so many shared similar stories such as “When I met Dorothy…,” “When Dorothy called me…,”
“When Dorothy invited me…,” etc. So many of these sisters had one thing in common. They came to be in Chapter IS, Kirkland, Washington, through Dorothy Caravias, a 36-year member of P.E.O. who served as the chapter’s first president and repeated a
two-year term during the pandemic. Of the 107 women who have been in Chapter IS, Dorothy has been a part of well over half of them joining the chapter either through initiation or transfer. Since some chapters in our Sisterhood struggle with finding new sisters, perhaps we can learn Dorothy’s secret to having such influence on a chapter’s membership growth. Dorothy is a self-proclaimed introvert who was very shy when she was first asked if she was interested in P.E.O. by a college friend. Encouraged by her mother, she went to an organizing meeting and thought “If people are as nice as this, I’m in!” The first woman Dorothy arranged to be presented for membership was her mother, Ethel Caravias, Chapter Eternal, who was initiated a year-and-a-half after Dorothy. Dorothy then presented her first name for membership, her roommate, after just three years in P.E.O. A few years later, she was asked to help a small group of women who were organizing a new chapter in her city. After the first meeting she attended, she said to herself “I want to do this!” And, she was off and running with developing the charter membership.
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COVER | story
When she is at work, at the doctor’s office, at a volunteer event or traveling, Dorothy talks about P.E.O. She does not refer to it as “a women’s group,” she says “P.E.O.” such as “I have a P.E.O. meeting tonight” or “I think I will try that with my P.E.O. chapter.” If their interest is piqued, they’ll ask about P.E.O. And she is happy to share! Sometimes it takes more than one attempt. One sister shared with Dorothy that she visited Chapter IS and finally transferred “because you wouldn’t give up on me.” Have they all worked out? No. Over the years, Dorothy has presented at least two dozen names for membership. Four of those declined. Others initiated or transferred and later went inactive. She advises to not take this personally or give up when it doesn’t go as planned. Had she given up, many wonderful women would not be in our Sisterhood today. Dorothy continues to inspire a new generation to join P.E.O. Cheryl Mana'o shares “My daughter, Haleigh, was super young when I joined, but Dorothy was a huge part of her life. Haleigh looked up to Dorothy and always wanted to be part of P.E.O. because of her.” Haleigh was
circle’ is pretty much comprised of P.E.O.s and I honestly do not know what I would have
done if I did not have my P.E.O. sisters as my mom aged, became ill and entered chapter eternal. Also, I love the mixing of women of different ages and the immediate connection when you
first meet another P.E.O. And oh how I love the way the noise volume increases in the room when a group of P.E.O.s get together! I love (trying) to live the Objects and Aims
Dorothy leading a meeting of Chapter IS
and hearing that recited at International Convention gives me goose bumps.”
Dorothy continues, “On the more intellectual side, I see how our projects change lives. My three nieces all have ELF loans; I compare them to the loans my nephew now
“As far as what P.E.O. has brought to the lives of those I have invited,” says Dorothy, “I hope they have experiences similar to mine because P.E.O. is pure magic.”
initiated into Chapter IS when she turned 18 and she is one of seven daughters of members of Chapter IS who are also P.E.O.s. So, what is Dorothy’s “secret?” It turns out it is no secret at all. Talk about P.E.O. Wear P.E.O. Call the unaffiliate. Call the referral. Call the member moving into your area. Invite women you know to events. And, again talk, talk, talk about P.E.O. And, don’t give up. By talking about P.E.O., Dorothy says you may find a new sister, project recipient or both! P.E.O. Adds to Dorothy When asked why she is so passionate about P.E.O. and bringing others into the Sisterhood, Dorothy talks about the blessings it has brought into her life. She said, “The P.E.O. Sisterhood has brought a feeling of inclusion and belonging. When I joined P.E.O at 22 I was painfully shy, still hurting from being blackballed from a sorority in college. At the very first P.E.O. meeting I attended as a potential charter initiate, I could feel the warmth and love these women felt for each other, the joy at their being together, the acceptance of each other; I didn’t understand it, but I felt it. Over the years, P.E.O. has given me the opportunity to grow, and to not be so shy. It also gave me the gift of being able to be a leader in any role I wanted to try…I knew that I would not fail because my sisters had my back...be that a chapter officer or accepting a role at the reciprocity or state level. My ‘inner
has, and it becomes crystal clear what a gift ELF and its 2% interest is to these young women just starting out in life. I love, love, LOVE how our projects change the lives of so many women.” “As far as what P.E.O. has brought to the lives of those I have invited,” says Dorothy, “I hope they have experiences similar to mine because P.E.O. is pure magic.” After 34 years of being a P.E.O. Dorothy has not slowed her efforts. In 2020, Dorothy’s sister, Alice Caravias and sister-in-law, Vita Caravias, were initiated into Chapter IS through affirmation. Alice is now a member of XX, Carlsbad, California, and Vita is planning to join a chapter in Michigan. The power is within each of us to grow P.E.O. Be inspired by Dorothy’s successes and take the opportunities in front of you to bring more wonderful women into your chapter and share the magic and many blessings that come with being a P.E.O. sister. • • • • • Nancy DiFancia is a 1998 initiate who learned about P.E.O. from Dorothy while they were volunteers with Big Sisters.
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SPECIAL | feature
And P.E.O. Adds to YOU!
You Add to P.E.O. is a fun initiative within the P.E.O. Sisterhood with three components: You Add to P.E.O.
P.E.O. Adds to YOU Think about what P.E.O. adds to your life. It could be the close friendships you’ve developed and the loving concern you feel from your sisters. Perhaps it is the confidence in taking on a leadership role within your local chapter or your state, provincial or district chapter knowing you have the support of your sisters, who want to see you succeed and flourish. It may be the good feeling you get from knowing you’re helping women pursue their goals of higher education and in doing so changing their lives, their family’s lives and our communities. Maybe you came to the Sisterhood as a recipient of a grant, loan or scholarship and the financial and emotional support assisted you in achieving your goals.
Each member shares her talents, strengths and gifts with the Sisterhood to help further our mission—either within the local chapter or through our philanthropic impact. The loving concern among our members makes us a true sisterhood. Our organization is stronger and more vibrant because of each individual member.
“Encouragement and support when I stepped outside my box. I did things through P.E.O. that I never would have imagined I could have done. I could not have done it without the support of my sisters. Lasting friendships and common interests, It has been a wonderful journey.”
“As a 57-year member of P.E.O., the thing I enjoy the most is the bond of sisterly
love between all of our members. The grand idea of helping women achieve their life goals through education is just about as good as it gets.”
“P.E.O. brought a sense of purpose to my life along with new friends.
I love everything about P.E.O. I have enjoyed each position I have taken and the committees I have been on. But hands down it is raising the money for projects and helping a woman reach her goals.” Caren Browne, CI, Twin Falls, Idaho
Diana Field, EF, Brighton, Michigan
Carole B. O’Riley, KP, Maryville, Missouri
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Women helping women reach for the stars
SPECIAL | feature
“Friendship with many women and participation in the community. Satisfaction for helping women achieve their educational goals.” Marie Walters, CI,
“P.E.O. has given me a sense of purpose, of being of service outside myself!” Nanci Hallett Schoenfelder, U, Glasgow, Montana
“I am a 2nd-generation P.E.O. I have been allowed the opportunity to know other women, to grow as an individual and to help women achieve their goals. My oldest daughter, (3rd-generation P.E.O.) is a Cottey grad. We are so grateful for the education she received. P.E.O. remains an important part of my life.”
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Gail A. Carder, P, Holton, Kansas
You Add 2 P.E.O. Each member is encouraged to think of friends, relatives, neighbors and colleagues who would embrace the mission of our Sisterhood, bring her own unique gifts and talents to P.E.O. while benefitting from loving concern. Invite them to join and meet the You Add to P.E.O. challenge! As our Sisterhood grows, so does our impact on the hundreds of thousands of women who benefit from our philanthropies.
Celebrate! Local chapters who meet the challenge will be recognized in The P.E.O. Record and on the P.E.O. International member website and will receive a congratulatory letter from the President of International Chapter. These chapters will also be entered into a drawing to be spotlighted on the official P.E.O. Facebook page and in the new P.E.O. blog. Special recognition is also being planned for 2023 s/p/d conventions AND at the 2023 Convention of International Chapter.
You Add 2 P.E.O. LOCAL CHAPTERS —Add two or more members via initiation or reinstatement between March 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023. Many of you may have already met this challenge! STATE/PROVINCIAL/DISTRICT (S/P/D) CHAPTERS —Have 2% growth via initiation OR a 2% growth in reinstatement OR a 2% decline in inactive members between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023 as compared to membership numbers on February 28, 2022. S/P/Ds don’t have to meet all three challenges, but the more you meet, the more rewards you get! The rewards are sure to foster pride for all members within those s/p/ds. Details about these rewards will be announced at a later date.
Visit the You Add to P.E.O . page on the P.E.O. International member website,
https://members.peointernational.org/you-add-peo to find resources such as local chapter programs that will help you strengthen our Sisterhood. Resources will continue to be added during the campaign. Ready…Set… You Add to P.E.O.!
“I have met lovely women who have become friends. It has given me a place to help women achieve their dreams.” Kay Rhodes Nazarchyk, BK, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
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The P.E.O. Record Digital Edition is
Better than Ever!
Visit www.peointernational.org/peo-record to read The P.E.O. Record online. The flipbook-style digital edition features useful tools for those reading on a smart phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. What’s New? Click the icon on the bottom left to open up a sidebar with a clickable Table of Contents. This allows you to view the Table of Contents no matter what page you’re on, making navigating the magazine even easier!
LOVE READING The P.E.O. Record Online? You can opt out of receiving The P.E.O. Record in the mail. Simply send an email to membership@peodsm.org and tell them you want to be removed from The Record mailing list. Going forward, you will receive an email notifying you as soon as the new issue of The Record is posted online—typically more than a week before it hits mailboxes. This is a good option if you: • Prefer to read periodicals on a phone, computer or tablet • Are environmentally conscious and want to save paper and reduce your carbon footprint • Are trying to reduce clutter in your home
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THE P.E.O. RECORD | September–October 2022
Women helping women reach for the stars
P.E.O. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The Beauty of Assistants for Chapter Officers…
This system can make saying YES to an office easier and help ensure a flowing pipeline of prepared leaders for the chapter. Many chapters already use this type of cycle for the incoming/outgoing vice president and president, as these officers already function in a similar and naturally supportive way. When members see evidence that the officers of their chapter are supported, it makes it easier to consider serving in that role. Support also includes starting the chapter year with an effective Officer Transition meeting, receiving proper supplies and P.E.O. website- backed officer training and establishing a pattern of regular communication between the president and all officers. Whether it is in person or via a hybrid mode, sisters need to be assured that in serving, they will be secure, prepared and part of the “leadership team” of their chapter. Establish the support to show that those who agree to be officers in your chapter are not in it alone…and you may experience more sisters willing to say YES to officer service! by Debbie Kotecki, Chair, P.E.O. Leadership Development Committee WE CAN HAVE THOSE?
s described in the Leadership Development resource, “Create a Flowing Pipeline of Chapter Leaders,” there are generally four elements present in those chapters where sisters are most willing and ready to serve as an officer in their chapter…Clarity, Opportunity, Support and Appreciation. Let’s take a closer look at the element of SUPPORT . One supportive option for chapters to consider is to have the president appoint assistants. If your chapter has difficulty finding officers for specific offices, such as treasurer, an assistant may ease their concerns. Or, if a sister would be glad to serve but knows that her travel plans mean she will not be available for several meetings, an assistant can be used. Although there is only one officially installed sister in each office, the assistant works alongside her to either learn from the officer or to guide her . Let’s walk through a couple of examples of how this works. TO LEARN: The assistant position can serve as a training time for a sister who is not familiar with the office. She is working to assist an experienced officer so she can learn what the job entails. • Nancy was asked to be “treasurer assistant” to Bonnie, an experienced treasurer who was serving in her second term. • Nancy sat next to treasurer Bonnie at meetings to watch and learn the ropes. Bonnie took time to explain to Nancy the treasurer duties she’d be working on between meetings and patiently answered all of Nancy’s questions.
• Several times when she was unable to attend a meeting, Bonnie confidently asked her assistant Nancy to be her substitute. In February, Nancy sat alongside Bonnie when she completed the treasurer’s annual report. • Nancy was then elected and installed as the next chapter treasurer. TO GUIDE: An assistant can also be a sister already experienced in that office who helps guide an inexperienced officer through the various tasks and duties as she experiences them throughout the chapter year. • Outgoing treasurer Bonnie was appointed to be the “treasurer assistant” for the first year of Nancy’s service as treasurer. • Bonnie was now Nancy’s back-up for meetings she couldn’t attend and was Nancy’s mentor as she learned the job. The beauty of this LEARN and GUIDE cycle of assistants is that it both prepares and supports the sisters who agree to serve our chapters as officers. • When Nancy was installed for a second term as chapter treasurer, another sister, Barbara, was appointed by the president as the new assistant to the treasurer, and she spent the year learning the job from Nancy. • The following year, Barbara was at ease accepting the office, and outgoing treasurer Nancy became Barbara’s “treasurer assistant” for the year.
Leadership Tip: Lead up to the nominating committee calls by having a minute during your autumn meetings for each officer to share what she is learning and enjoying about serving in that office.
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September–October 2022 | THE P.E.O. RECORD
WWW.PEOINTERNATIONAL.ORG
SPECIAL | feature
On a June day during Iowa Wesleyan’s Commencement Week, 1922, the founding site of P.E.O., now to be honored as the Memory Room, was first opened to guests. On a June evening 100 years later, P.E.O. sisters gathered again to celebrate its centennial. Both the picnic dinner and the program that followed echoed the original events. Celebrating the MEMORY ROOM’S CENTENNIAL
The place for both 1922 and 2022 was the lawn in front of Old Main. As bright sunlight filtered through the towering old pines and sycamores, guests arrived to be greeted by members of Chapter NZ, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, who hosted this special gathering of Henry County sisters. In tribute to the anniversary, NZ sisters had trimmed and donned straw hats and put on summer frocks with longer hemlines—all very appropriate for a festive occasion in 1922. The picnic dinner enjoyed by members of the four Henry County chapters and their special guests, Iowa State Chapter president Carrie Wilkinson and organizer Lisa Reindl and past state president Sue Aanes, followed closely the menu served in 1922: fried chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, bread and butter sandwiches, pickles and olives. Tables were covered with red-and-white checked tablecloths; vases of daisies and vintage photographs of the Memory Room adorned each table. After dinner, Chapter NZ president Jan Lange invited guests to imagine their way back to 1922, noting the surrounding college buildings that stood much as we see them today. In addition, she shared some recent events in the news. Iowa’s
first radio station, WOC in Davenport, had recently begun to broadcast. Farther afield, in Washington, D.C., the recently completed Lincoln Memorial was dedicated—of great local interest in Mount Pleasant, where Robert Todd Lincoln owned property and visited his Harlan in-laws often. And around the globe, Russia made news – imagine that! – in this instance by joining in the Soviet Union. Just then...all present heard, then saw a car rounding the corner of Old Main. As the new model 1923 Dodge pulled to a stop, Past President of International Chapter Elizabeth E. Garrels stepped out and walked to the podium. After thanking her driver, she segued to remarks honoring Florence Johnson McKibbin, longtime conservator and curator of the Memory Room. In 1922, Florence McKibbin was already a 30-year member of Chapter Original A and appreciated the purpose and significance of P.E.O. As a librarian, she had served both the city of Mount Pleasant and Iowa Wesleyan, so she was well-equipped to identify important documents and artifacts. She understood their value in telling stories of historical importance.
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THE P.E.O. RECORD | September–October 2022
Women helping women reach for the stars
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Today, we make our own centennial memory by being here at this same place to enjoy the continuing growth and relevance of the Memory Room… — ELIZABETH E. GARRELS
Chapter NZ, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, hosted the Memory Room centennial celebration
Just five years earlier, campus visitor Mary Bliss had struggled to locate the place where P.E.O. had begun. There were no signs and passersby were unable to help. Mary Bliss took her concern to the Iowa P.E.O. convention in Fairfield, which accepted her idea of a tablet to be placed in the Old Main founding site. The leaders of Iowa Wesleyan generously agreed to set aside that former music classroom. In a ceremony on September 25, 1917, a bronze tablet commemorating the Founders and their sisterhood was installed on the classroom wall. Visitors today see that tablet as they enter the Memory Room. Florence McKibbin led the way in expanding the vision to encompass a historical museum room. She was supported in this venture by three living Founders. Alice Bird Babb essentially provided a name when she termed the Old Main classroom “so full of memories.” Collection and placement of furniture, artifacts and documents proceeded from 1917 until 1922. Florence McKibbin was assisted in this work by a strong committee and especially by May Brooks Snider, a past president of Iowa State Chapter and Iowa Wesleyan’s Dean of Women. Just as the 1922 picnic celebration of the Memory Room included a simple candle lighting tribute to the Founders, so did the 2022 celebration. Members of Chapter NZ, indeed, followed the 1922 script as they honored each of the Founders.
Afterward, Elizabeth Garrels closed the program with these words: “Today, we make our own centennial memory by being here at this same place to enjoy the continuing growth and relevance of the Memory Room… With the 1980 restoration of Old Main… the additional rooms of the west half of the second floor were also generously designated by Iowa Wesleyan for P.E.O. purposes… We are now pleased to show physical improvements, many conserved artifacts, expanded informational displays, new archival equipment and lighting and the updated kitchenette made possible from Sesquicentennial 150 Fund and Henry County preservation fund monies.” With that, and with a brief tribute to Carol Nemitz, chair of Chapter Original A’s Memory Room Committee for the past 30 years, all were invited to browse in the rooms and to sign the guest registry. Respect and festivity, both hallmarks of celebration, were evident throughout the evening of June 7, 2022, at the birthplace of P.E.O., signaling that the everlasting spirit of P.E.O. shines on. The Memory Room testifies to continuity with our past and growth into P.E.O.’s future. ––––– ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jean Thomson is Professor Emerita at Iowa Wesleyan University, where she taught English for 30 years. She served as president of Chapter NZ 2019-2021.
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September–October 2022 | THE P.E.O. RECORD
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Regarding Amendments to International Documents and Resolutions by the Study and Research Committee of International Chapter
P.E.O.’s governing documents and ceremonies have evolved over the years based on the proposals of sisters, local chapters, committees, state, provincial and district (s/p/d) chapters and the leadership team of International Chapter. As an organization we use a set of standard practices that align with the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order to ensure a fair process that allows sisters with differing views to be heard as we consider changes to our documents through amendments. You are encouraged to participate in the amendment process. It is your right and it is your responsibility. Your involvement in the process can allow you to feel a greater sense of ownership of our Sisterhood. The following frequently asked questions (FAQs) are intended to help answer key questions about the amendment process.
QUESTION: Who can propose amendments to International documents and propose resolutions? ANSWER: Any active member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood has the right to submit proposals using the appropriate procedures. This article will help you better understand those procedures.
QUESTION: What is a resolution and when would a resolution be proposed? ANSWER: A resolution is used to make a motion such as a proposal for a change that involves actions, not a change to wording in an International document. For example, a resolution could be made to establish a committee to conduct a study and provide a report on its findings.
QUESTION: What does a local chapter member need to do to propose an amendment to an International document or a resolution? ANSWER: First, the member must receive the support of her local chapter. She submits the proposal in writing at her local chapter meeting and at the next chapter meeting a counted vote is taken. The proposal must receive a 2/3 favorable vote to proceed. If the vote is favorable, it becomes a proposal of and “belongs to” the local chapter.
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QUESTION: Which International documents can be changed with amendments? ANSWER: The Constitution, Bylaws and Standing Rules of the P.E.O. Sisterhood and the Procedure for P.E.O. Chapter Meeting, including the Opening Ode, Objects and Aims, the Ceremony of Initiation and the Ceremony of Installation, all can be changed via the amendment process. (The portions of the Procedure for P.E.O. Chapter Meeting, Ceremony of Initiation and Ceremony of Installation that are in italics are instructions from the Executive Board of International Chapter and are not amendable. The Appendices are supplementary materials to the Procedure for P.E.O. Chapter Meeting and are not amendable.)
QUESTION: Who decides if an amendment/resolution will be proposed? ANSWER: A member who feels strongly about an issue may propose a change. It is up to the member’s
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QUESTION: Once a local chapter votes favorably to propose an amendment to an International document or a resolution, what are the next steps and how involved is the local chapter in those steps? ANSWER: Immediately following the favorable vote, the proposal is sent by the local chapter to the s/p/d president and Amendments & Recommendations (A&R) chair. Include the date the vote was taken and the number of pro votes and the number of con votes. The A&R chair submits the proposal to the Study & Research (S&R) chair immediately, but no later than January 1.
local chapter if they want the amendment/resolution to be
submitted to the s/p/d. If the vote is favorable at the local chapter, it is then up to all local chapters of the s/p/d to vote on whether or not the amendment/resolution should be considered at the s/p/d convention. If that vote is favorable, it is then considered at the s/p/d convention and is up to the voting members of the s/p/d convention if the amendment/resolution should be considered at CIC. If that vote is favorable, the amendment/resolution will be considered at CIC.
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THE P.E.O. RECORD | September–October 2022
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QUESTION: How many amendments/resolutions were
QUESTION: During debate at convention, what is a Request for Information (RFI) and what is its purpose? ANSWER: The purpose of a Request for Information is to ask a question about the amendment/resolution that is being considered at that time. It must be stated as a question. The answer provided must be factual, not based on opinion or debate. Robert’s Rules of Order, 12th edition (33:6), defines a Request for Information as “a request directed to the chair [president], or through the chair [president] to another officer or member, for information relevant to the business at hand but not related to parliamentary procedure.”
continued... The S&R chair works closely with the local chapter to review and format the proposal. She may suggest some new wording to clarify the intent. She will review the draft amendment to determine if the proposal will necessitate other changes in the
proposed by local chapters and s/p/d boards during the 2021-2022 year?
ANSWER: Thirty-five local chapters proposed 98 amendments and resolutions and executive boards of five s/p/d chapters proposed 23 amendments and resolutions.
same document or in other International documents.
Don’t wait to begin the process! Allow ample time for the exchange of correspondence between the S&R chair and the submitting entity and for “polling” the s/p/d local chapters (vote at the local chapter level to determine if the proposals should be considered at the s/p/d convention). Proposed amendments may be submitted early but deadlines are firm.
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QUESTION: How many amendments/resolutions passed polling (vote at the local chapter level to determine if the proposals should be considered at the s/p/d convention) during the 2021-2022 year? Of those that passed polling, how many were approved at the s/p/d convention? ANSWER: Forty-four of the amendments/resolutions proposed by local chapters passed polling and 43 of those were approved at the
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QUESTION: What is the role of the parliamentarian at a s/p/d convention?
QUESTION: Please clarify the intricacies of the January 1 deadline for approved proposed amendments to International documents or resolutions to be in the hands of the S&R chair. ANSWER: As defined in the Constitution, the deadline for submission of approved proposed amendments to International documents or resolutions to the S&R chair, is January 1 of the year of Convention of International Chapter (CIC). This means the proposal needs to be voted on by the convention of s/p/d chapter by January 1 of the year of CIC to be considered at the International Chapter convention in the fall. Since s/p/d conventions are held in the spring of each year, a proposal must have been approved by the s/p/d convention in the year(s) prior to the year of CIC in order to meet the January 1 deadline. If the proposal is received by the chair after January first of the year of CIC or during the following year, then it shall be acted upon at the next CIC. For example, any proposals to be considered at the 2023 CIC needed to be approved by the s/p/d convention in 2021 or 2022. Any proposals approved at the 2023 s/p/d convention will be considered at the 2025 CIC.
ANSWER: As defined in Robert’s Rules of Order, 12th edition (47:46): “The parliamentarian’s role during a meeting is purely an advisory and consultative one – since parliamentary law gives to the chair alone the power to rule on questions of order or to answer parliamentary inquiries.” In other words, it is the president who is the one who makes the ruling on the matter. The president can take the advice of the parliamentarian or ignore it.
s/p/d convention and will be considered at the 2023 CIC.
Twenty-three of the amendments/ resolutions proposed by executive boards of s/p/d chapters passed polling and 15 were approved at the s/p/d convention to be considered at the 2023 CIC.
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QUESTION: Why are the local chapters not listed as the submitting entity when the amendments/ resolutions are considered at CIC? ANSWER: Once the amendment/ resolution is approved at the s/p/d convention for consideration at CIC, it becomes a proposal of and “belongs to” the s/p/d chapter.
There are several resources available on the P.E.O. International member website that will help you further understand the steps of proposing amendments/resolutions. They include the Constitution, the Manual for Amendments and Recommendations Committees and the Amendments to Bylaws and Standing Rules Flowchart. It is encouraged that members review these documents. The s/p/d chapter A&R committee can also assist with the process.
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September–October 2022 | THE P.E.O. RECORD
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