| P.E.O. Sisterhood represented at State Convention, continues to provide local financial awards for education |
| June 2, 2016 |
|
The 101st Convention of the Idaho State Chapter
of the P.E.O. Sisterhood met in Boise, Idaho on
May 20-22, 2016. Judith A. Weatherbie, a member
of Chapter CI in Twin Falls, served as presiding
officer, following seven years of executive
board service. New State Officers for 2016-2017
installed at the convention were President Jane
Ingram, Chapter BU, Boise; Vice-President Helen
Iverson-Metzger, Chapter D, Twin Falls;
Organizer Barbara Jensen, Chapter BO, Nampa;
Treasurer Teresa Baillie, Chapter M, Kellogg;
and Secretary Phyllis Howard, Chapter BG, Idaho
Falls. Chapter AP in Bonners Ferry, Idaho was represented at the convention by Dianna Zills and Dottie Gray. Chapter AP was founded in 1937 and currently has 37 members. Officers for Chapter AP 2016-2017 are President Dottie Gray; Vice President Debra Perry; Recording Secretary Bobbie Bowen; Corresponding Secretary Nancy Clatworthy; Treasurer Therese Helmer; Chaplain Annie Sundstrom; and Guard Ada Gardiner. The P.E.O. Sisterhood is a philanthropic educational organization in which women celebrate the advancement of women. P.E.O strives to motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations by providing educational opportunities through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College, an independent liberal arts and sciences college for women in Nevada, MO. Bonners Ferry graduate, Katy Studer, attended and graduated from Cottey, served her country in the military, and completed her education at the University of Idaho. Bonners Ferry’s most recent recipients of the P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education Grants include Charlene Lyle, Alyssa Pinkerton, Trish Robbins, and Danielle Pintler. Chapter AP also provides a local scholarship to a Bonners Ferry High School graduating senior woman each year. In recent years, Mackenzie Mendenhall, Kylie Byers, and Amy Maggi have received this scholarship. This year’s recipient is yet to be determined. Grant, loan and award recipients, as well as Cottey College students, need not be members of P.E.O. Founded in 1869, P.E.O. has nearly 6,000 chapters internationally and nearly 250,000 members worldwide. In Idaho there are 89 chapters with 3,646 members. Between March 1, 2015 and February 29, 2016, Idaho Chapter members contributed over $186,000 to celebrate the advancement of women through education. P.E.O. has given nearly $283 million in financial assistance to almost 99,000 recipients through these projects. As a result, P.E.O is clearly making a difference in the lives of women all over the world. Further information about P.E.O. and its scholarship programs is available on the website peointernational.org. |