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Fall 2024 Issue of Home and Country
Greetings all!
The Fall Issue of the Home and Country is now available! Catch up on all the happenings from Convention and more! Review the FWIC Resolutions that will be decided upon at the National Convention in September, as well as an Emergency Resolution that was made at Convention after we heard the presentation from the Federal Corrections Officers from Bowen Institution.
Happy reading, enjoy the rest of your summer, be sure to stay cool and hydrated!
Summer issue of News and Notes
Greetings all,
Here is the latest issue of the President’s News and Notes. It is chalk full of information and notifications, including the announcement of employment opportunity with AWI! Click on the picture to download your copy!
Happy reading!
Employment Opportunity
The Alberta Women’s Institutes (AWI) is looking for an outgoing, hardworking, community-minded individual to join our team as Executive Director. This person should be a member of AWI, or be familiar with AWI and in agreement with its aims and objectives.
We are looking for someone with excellent communication, interpersonal, office management, and computer skills who will take direction from the AWI Executive and Council. This person should have experience working with volunteers and boards, particularly non-profits, and be a team player. This individual must be willing to attend conventions, workshops, committee and other meetings as required, and take minutes as needed.
The successful candidate will have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and have basic understanding of finances/bookkeeping. Skills in website development and management, as well as social media platforms, Google Meet, G-Suite and Zoom are an important part of the job. We will consider a strong candidate who has excellent abilities in some of these areas who would be willing to learn the other skills.
The successful Executive Director must be willing to supply an office space (some compensation may be available for this), as well as storage for AWI’s equipment and materials.
This is a permanent part-time position, currently averaging 10 hours/week, which could work into more hours by mutual agreement. Compensation: $17.00/hour
Please send resume with cover letter to:
Linda Toews
President, Alberta Women’s Institutes
34548 Rge Rd 25, Red Deer County, T4G 0K5
lindat4awi@gmail.com
Deadline for applications: August 30, 2024
Fall Tuesday Coffee Chats – New Time
Greetings all,
Starting in Fall 2024 (September) our Tuesday Coffee Chats will be at a new time on the last Tuesday of the month.
Why are we changing the time you ask? Well at the Provincial Convention in June, the Associate members in attendance met and discussed some future topics and even the timing of our Tuesday Coffee Chats. We are going to try a time change to allow those members who work during the day to be able to attend as well and maybe the evening time slot will work out better for others as well.
Tuesday Coffee Chats will still be held on the last Tuesday of the month but we are going to try for evening sessions instead of morning. New Time is 7 pm MST.
Another item of discussion was starting a virtual book club, as many of us are avid readers. But ours is going to have a bit of a twist. Instead of assigning a book that we all read then discuss. At our September meeting, we are going to share your best Summer Read. As we all are fairly certain there is going to be some kind of reading completed over this coming summer.
So come prepared to share your best read, discuss some highlights or challenges and recommendations for the others in the group.
October topic – Planning for the End
Have you done your funeral planning? If you were gone today, does your family know where your important papers are? Do you know where they are? Why planning for the end is important for you and those left behind.
Other topics you would like to discuss, share your ideas at the wrap up for September. I encourage each of you to consider what you’d like to explore in depth with the group. The link to the new Zoom meeting time is below, as well it has been updated on the Online Learning page of our website, and if you click on the picture at the top of this page, the link is embedded in that too. Finally, if you are on my Tuesday Coffee Chat list… then you have received the updated link in your inbox as well.
In the meantime enjoy your summer. Happy reading!
Click here for Zoom Coffee Chat invitation link.
All the best
Bernadette
May News and Notes
Greetings all!
Here is the May issue of your News and Notes, chalk full of reminders and information about upcoming Provincial Convention and the FWIC Convention in the Fall. Click on the picture or the words below to download your copy.
Happy Reading!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
In honour of Mental Health Awareness month, our May Tuesday Coffee Chat was about mental health. Thank you again, to all who joined in our conversation and were so willing and brave to share their experiences, tips and suggestions with each other. You are all helping improve each other’s lives.
In 1951, Mental Health Awareness month was introduced across Canada. Celebrating mental health awareness month means taking steps to understand and better our own mental health, as well as the mental health of others. Mental health is just as important to an individual’s well-being as physical health.
There are a wealth of resources online and in your community to help you better your mental health.
I asked the group during Coffee Chat what they did to improve their mental health. And their shares were wonderful. Doing things for your own mental health can range from finding a quiet corner to read, meditate, to listening to your favourite music, crafting, getting out in nature to walk, garden or just sit, interacting with animals — of all kinds are all great ways to help improve your mental health.
Eating well, physical exercise and getting a good night’s rest all go far in ensuring your own mental health. Remember you are not alone, even when it seems like the world is against you, there is help out there. If you are uncomfortable interacting with others or speaking to someone about your mental health, there are numerous online resources to get you started on the path towards better mental health.
One topic that came up was Empty Nester and how to deal with that. Again the group shared how they dealt with empty nest syndrome themselves with grace and humour. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/) has some great resources as well. I would recommend their article “Off You Go” https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/catalyst/off-you-go/
There are a number of myths and misconceptions around mental health that to a great extent continue to be perpetuated through media. Again I turn to the Mental Health Commission of Canada for a great fact sheet that goes through some common myths and misconceptions around mental health. https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/resource/fact-sheet-common-mental-health-myths-and-misconceptions/
I encourage each of you to do something for your own mental health each day! I know that it can be challenging to put yourself first, I struggle with this myself. But, if I am going to be able to be there for others, I need to have full cup.
To wrap up, below is a list of some online mental health resources to help you get started.
Wishing you good mental health!
Mental Health Resources – Online
- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) https://alberta.cmha.ca/find-help/help-right-now/ This website as links to numerous supports
- Contact 211 to gain access to a broad network of community, social, health, and government services. Your call, text, or chat will be answered by a professional 211 community resource specialist who is trained to assess your needs and refer you to the appropriate service(s).
- 211 services are available across Alberta and can help in over 170 languages over the phone. Ways to contact 211 include:
- Call 2-1-1
- Text INFO to 211
- Chat with 211
- 211 Blog has great articles on a variety of topics https://ab.211.ca/blog/
- Alberta Health Services https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/amh/Page14063.asp This link takes you to Addiction and Mental Health Services – province scroll down for resources in your zone of province.
- Also Access Addiction and Mental Health: Call 1-888-594-0211 to have an Information & Referral Specialist help find the service that’s right for you.
- Community based assistance
- Mental Health Foundation – Edmonton https://mentalhealthfoundation.ca/resources/
- Accessibility for Ontarians Disability Act – good information and resources
Gardening from Kitchen Scraps and More
We have a great Coffee Chat this morning. And I just wanted to share the video I mentioned during our chat about growing food from kitchen scraps. As well there are other posts that have been shared on our Facebook page as well (https://www.facebook.com/awialberta). Below is the video on growing from Kitchen Scraps what works and what doesn’t. Enjoy!
March News and Notes
Greetings all,
The March issue of the News and Notes is now available for your reading pleasure. Hard copies will be mailed out to those branches and members who do not receive it via email later this week. Also coming in the mail are the cash raffle tickets. I will be sending the same number to you as you received last year. The proceeds from the cash raffle help to offset the cost of the Provincial Convention. The more cash raffle tickets sold, then cost of the Provincial Convention can be kept to a more affordable price. Despite rising costs of hotel conference services, food and of course accommodations.
Other News and Notes Highlights – Updating on Convention Planning; Upcoming events around the Province, an FWIC news!
Items of Interest.
Alberta Women's Institutes 