WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

In 1972 the President and Manager of the Summerside Lobster Carnival and Livestock Exhibition approached the Prince Edward

Island Women’s Institute Provincial Board to see if they would sponsor a Woman of the Year Contest and Talent Show at the Carnival and that day would be called Women’s Institute Day.

A committee from the Provincial Board drew up guidelines for the contest and selected three judges.

Any woman over 18 years of age who had lived on the Island for two years was eligible except members of the Provincial Board. She did not have to be a Women’s Institute member but her name must be submitted by a Women’s Institute Branch.

The nominees were judged on citation only with points allocated as follows:

Service to family ............................ 45 points Service to community ....................... 40 points Outstanding contribution to community ........ 15 points

to make 100 points

The Woman of the Year was presented with a Silver Tea Service and the two-runners-up were each presented with silver cream, sugar and tray by the Summerside Lobster Carnival.

The winners have been:

1972 - Mrs. Edith Eldershaw, Tignish

1973-Mrs. Elsie Leard, Kensington W.I.

1974 - Mrs. Coleen Marsh, Wilmot (St. Eleanor’s W.I.) 1975 - Mrs. Rona Burt, Kensington

1976 - Mrs. Helen Nicolle, White Sands WI.

1977 - Mrs. Eileen Manderson, Central Lot 16 WI 1978 - Mrs. Florence Livingstone, Southport W.I.

1979 - Mrs. Dorothy Lewis, Alpha-York W.I.

STATUS OF WOMEN

Women’s Institutes have worked to improve the status of the Homemaker for over 65 years with programs on health, home economics, education, citizenship, agriculture and leadership development. Within the last decade there has been a growing concern over the status of women in society and the changing role of women. The Federal Government, in answer to this concern, appointed a Royal Commission on the Status of Women with Florence Bird as Chairwoman. A report was released in September 1970 after extensive public hearings throughout the country.

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