Orell Smallman 
     
    

    
     1978-1979-2008-2014 
     
     It is over 75 years since I joined the Knutsford 
     
     Women’s Institute. This time has been shared with a 
     
     large group of ladies for our community over the 
     
     years. There have been a lot of changes since I 
     
     became a member, but I think the biggest one was 
     
     our group acquiring the school as our Community 
     
     Centre. The ladies have spent a lot of hours raising 
     
    
   
   
    
     funds which has made extra work towards the 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     upkeep of the Community Centre. They have participated in many projects such as yard 
     
     sales, community breakfast, quilting quilts to sell, just a few things we have done over the 
     
     years. I enjoyed being a member of the institute and was happy to have worked on 
     
     different commttees, and felt blessed to be serving as president and secretary. We have 
     
    
   
   
    
     had fun times and serious times. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Fun evening: I felt bad one night I was late for an institute meeting because the horse 
     
     kicked my lantern as I hitched her to the sleigh, and I couldn’t see very good. The same 
     
     night, a lady brought an old Eaton’s catalogue for the girl’s outhouse. This was this 
     
     meeting they needed a new broom for the school costing 89 cents. They voted to buy it. 
     
     (Fun times). A lot has sure changed since then. The two outhouses (girls and boys) have 
     
     been replaced with indoor plumbing and the old woodshed that held the wood for the 
     
     stove is also gone and replaced with modern electric heating. As I attended the Provincial 
     
     Convention, I was pleasantly surprised to receive the Adelaide Hoodless Award. I was 
     
     thankful to my sister members for nominating me for this award. For me, the highlight of 
     
     being a member of the Knutsford Women’s Institute is the friendship shared and enjoyed 
     
     with the many ladies from our community, especially the ladies who became members 
     
    
   
   
    
     you became closer with. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Written by Orell Smallman 
     
    
   
   
    
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