News You Need to Know
By popular request, I have started this again. It will not be daily as before, but once or twice a week. If you no longer wish to receive it, please let me know so I can take you off the list.
Linda Toews, President Elect, Alberta Women’s Institutes.
Contact Linda directly by emailing her click here.
ALBERTA
Announcements, Alberta News
Fiscal Update
Alberta’s outlook has dramatically improved over the first three months of the fiscal year. Finance Minister Travis Toews says that Alberta’s Recovery Plan to diversify the economy and create jobs is working
As of July, Alberta added 73,000 jobs since the beginning of the year and has recovered nearly 90% of the jobs lost when the pandemic started. The real gross domestic product is expected to grow by 6.7% in 2021, up from the budget forecast of 4.8%. Many economic forecasters, including the Conference Board of Canada and some of the largest Canadian banks, predict Alberta will lead all provinces in growth this year.
Increased investment and economic activity has led to unemployment dropping to 5.5%. Oilsands production has risen over 8% in the first half of the year. Investment in commodities other than energy is forecasted to grow about 5% in 2021 and 2022 and will return to 2019 levels this year.
Alberta’s deficit is still sizeable and more than $2.6 billion will be spent this year on debt servicing, reducing the amounts that could be spent on public services.
Alberta’s government is using 3 fiscal anchors to guide decision-making:
Read MorePaying with Credit Cards
Greetings all,
There was a glitch with the online check out to use a credit card to pay for the Provincial Convention. I have fixed by using a work around and different option with Square virtual terminal. The pay or now green register button should work. Just a heads up when you click on it, the virtual terminal on Square will say it is a donation. I had to use the donation checkout feature in order to ensure that multiple users could use this button.
Don’t panic! It still will be assigned to your registration for the Provincial Convention. My recommendation is to take down your confirmation number, put that on your registration from with the timestamp of your purchase and email or snail mail that form to the Provincial Office.
If you have questions, or run into issues do not hesitate to contact me either by email at awioffice@abwi.ca or phone. Remember if you are registering via snail mail, your registration MUST be postmarked by today as the deadline for registration is Sunday, September 5th.
September News and Notes
This issue of News and Notes is chock full of information about the upcoming Provincial Convention! Find out details of pre and post conference tours, the line up of guest speakers and much more.
We are holding both an online and in-person silent auction. Deadline for Early Bird registration is coming up fast — Sunday, September 5th!
Updated Convention Registration forms have been uploaded to the Provincial Convention Page as well.
See you at Convention!
2021 Provincial Convention – Registrations Welcome!
We are now accepting registrations for our 2021 Provincial Convention scheduled for September 28th and 29th.
There are workshops, pre and post conference tours and of course great speakers. This year we are offering both in person and virtual convention packages. We are back at the Norseman Inn in Camrose.
Workshops – Monday, September 27th
Workshop #1: “Card Making” $20.00 each- 6:30-8:00 pm. Work with Hilda Tomaszewski to make 10 beautiful hand-made cards to take home. Glue sticks available for purchase from Hilda or bring your own. Class size is limited so register early!
Workshop #2: “Creative Writing” $10.00 each – 8:00 – 9:00 pm, A chance to learn more about the writing process from Linda Toews, Creative Writing Coordinator.
Early Bird Registration Deadline – Sunday, September 5th
August: News and Notes
The August News & Notes is now available for your reading pleasure. The plans for the Provincial Convention are underway!
Highlights:
- Fundraising Reminders –
- Cash Raffle Tickets are all out! Be sure to sell your books.
- Clear out your clutter with Value Village Donations – collection at Provincial Convention!
- Bottles & Can Returns – every penny helps!
- Call for Silent Auction Items!
News and Notes – July
The latest edition of the News & Notes is now available to download.
Some Highlights:
- FWIC Triennial Convention coming up in July! Are you attending?
- Reminders – Fundraising – Bottles & Cans; Value Village: 2021 Cash Raffle Tickets On Sale NOW!
- Caregivers Survey
- Update from Handicraft Coordinator
Handicraft Entry Forms Now Available!
AWI Handicraft Entry Information and Entry Forms are now available online for you to download. Visit our Handicraft Page for full details on the competition, entry rules and guidelines and to download your entry form.
Important Dates to note:
- All information must be received by Handicraft Coordinator by August 27th!
- Send your entries to Norsemen Inn, Camrose, AB to arrive between September 20-24th, 2021. Your entry MUST arrive by September 24.
- If delivering your entries in person to the Norsemen, they MUST be received by Sunday, September 26, by 4:00pm.
Calling all writers!
There is still time to make the extended Creative Writing Competitions deadline of June 30 for your creative writing submissions. Check out the full details of the competition and rules on the Creative Writing page!
You can email your submissions to our Creative Writing Coordinator Linda Toews at awicreativewriting@gmail.com
Each year AWI hosts a Creative Writing Competition, the deadline for submissions is March 31 of each year. However, in 2021 Council has extended the submissions deadline to June 30. Get your submissions in today to be part of this competition.
Classes include: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry and Plays.
Happy Writing!
Summer Solace, National Indigenous Day
June 21, A few WI members from different areas of the province met on Google Meets for a virtual visit tonight. It was nice to meet some of them for the first time and also good to see old friends. We will have to do this again.
Home and Country – Latest Issue
The most recent issue of the Home & Country is now available for your reading pleasure. Click on picture to download or here.
Items of Interest.
Alberta Women's Institutes 