OFFICERS OF International Chapter President Brenda J. Atchison P.E.O. STAR Scholarship Chairman, Janet Steury Jayme Resnik First Vice President Patricia L. Brolin-Ribi Sheri Bailey P.E.O. Foundation Chairman, Lou McLaren Second Vice President Cathy Moss Nicole Berner Margaret “Peggy” Rose Finance Committee Organizer Alix Smith Chairman, Lori O’Keefe (Barbara) Ann Bowen Ellen Fox Recording Secretary Kathryn S. Ebert Audit Committee Chairman, Lori O’Keefe (Barbara) Ann Bowen Ellen Fox Standing Appointments Administrative Staff Study and Research Committee Executive Director Kathy A. Soppe Chairman, Beth Linderman Vice Chairman, Karen Blair Elizabeth McFarland Director of Finance/Treasurer Dana Van Roekel Christine Ankeney Judith French Director of Communications/Historian Kate Westercamp Karen Leftwich Special Appointment Director of Information Technology Dawn Clayberg Parliamentarian, Barbara Rosi, PRP Nominating Committee Director of Membership Jennifer Chittenden Chairman, Lou Ireland Peggy Bottorf Jeanette Mooney The administrative staff has offices at the P.E.O. Executive Office. Mary Elliott Cottey College Cathy Manhart President, Jann Rudd Weitzel, Ph.D., 1000 West Austin Blvd., Nevada, MO 64772 Membership Committee Chairman, Jan Loftin Boards of Trustees and Standing Committees Vice Chairman, Jacqueline Dawson Cottey College Kathleen Feldman Chairman, Grace Chalker Rita Briggs Vice Chairman, Kathryn Bayne Lauri Cushing Secretary, Diann E. McChesney Laura A. Parris James R. Bickel P.E.O. Leadership Development Committee Cheryl Denslow Chairman, Jennifer Mitchell Georgann Douglas Marylou Ruud Tamara Kenworthy Debbie Kotecki Hope Zoeller Julee Carucci Jack Ewing Joan Braddock Lydia Bangert To Reach P.E.O. Mail P.E.O. Executive Office, 3700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312-2899 P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund Phone 515-255-3153 Fax 515-255-3820 Chairman, Jan Keeley Web peointernational.org (Go to Members Login, enter username Vice Chairman, Ann Lambert and password, then click Contact Us.) Nanci Rosensteel Laurel Andrew Stephanie Halton To Reach Cottey College Mail 1000 W Austin Blvd., Nevada, Missouri 64772-2790 P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund Phone 417-667-8181 Fax 417-667-8103 Chairman, Barbara C. Olson Email [email protected] Jan Knuckey Web cottey.edu Karen Neylon P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education To Reach The P.E.O. Record or Submit Material Chairman, Susan Penrod Becky Frazier, Editor Debra Dumler Mail 3700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50312 Beverly Prewitt Phone 515-255-3153 Fax 515-255-3820 P.E.O. Scholar Awards Email [email protected] Chairman, Laurie Collins Layout and design of The P.E.O. Record by Allison Vial Rebecca Daniel Terry Northcutt PRESIDENT’S|message A Field of Our Objects and Aims guide this Sisterhood and each member toward general improvement. We take to heart these words we speak together to seek growth in charity, in knowledge and in culture, and to have a sincere regard forDaisies our influence in the community of which we are a part. We lift each other up. We care for one another expressing a loving concern for each sister. Every sister. We are women helping women. All women. Brenda J. All women are elevated through our shared mission of supporting them Atchison, through education and our actions, both big and small. President, International On March 24, 2021, the Executive Board of International Chapter made Chapter the following statement of solidarity: Our Sisterhood could be thought As P.E.O.s, we seek growth in charity toward all with of as a field of daisies. whom we associate. We are all caretakers. The field is watered and nurtured; cared for as We do not tolerate racism, bigotry, bullying, hatred, the sun rises and sets. Hands of nature violence, or oppression toward any community or and human touch the field, ensuring that blossoms, both big and small, individual, inside or outside of our Sisterhood. will smile forth for all to see. We stand in solidarity with those who have been Many of us have daisies growing in our yards. It is amazing how different the impacted by recent violence, and particularly with blossoms can be on a single plant. our sisters who are feeling pain from the events that Some flowers are big “Look at Me” beauties, and some are small delights, continue to target marginalized identity groups. tucked into the plant. Some flowers are a bit chewed on by bugs and even We recognize that beyond words, positive actions missing petals, but the daisy plants will serve to memorialize the women who have lost when seen as a whole are glorious. As caretakers, we reseed the plants their lives. to help our field of daisies grow. We affirm our commitment to our shared mission To care for a field of daisies takes of supporting the education and advancement of all work. The rewards are glorious. women as a means of positive action. Reach out to your sisters. Reach out to all women. Love will prevail! Love will prevail. WWW.PEOINTERNATIONAL.ORG May–June 2021 | THE P.E.O. RECORD 1 Contents The P.E.O. Record | May–June 2021 | Vol. 133 | No. 3 Special Features Slate of Officers for Election to the Executive Board 5 of International Chapter 2021-2023 Jennifer Mitchell: Nominee for Office of Recording 5 Secretary of International Chapter 29 New Member Website Password Effective July 1 ON THE COVER: 8-20 Quilt by Natalie Salt, Ankeny, Iowa Convention of International Chapter 8 Welcome to the 75th Convention of International Chapter BY BRENDA J. ATCHISON 9 Join us for Opening Night of Convention of International Chapter! 10 Required Seminars 11 Convention Displays 12 Signature Sessions 13 Workshops, Activities and Special Events 14 Projects Night 16 Convention Schedule 20 Registration for International Convention Opens May 1! 20 Who’s Who at Convention 29 FOLLOW US Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn: PEO International @peointernational @PEOSisterhood International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood 2 THE P.E.O. RECORD | May–June 2021 Women helping women reach for the stars IN THIS|issue In Every Issue Gallery of Presidents 1 President’s Message 30 Denise Williams, Alabama Sherilyn Burnett, Massachusetts A Field of Daisies Kristen Dyson, Alaska Debbie Zischke, Mississippi BY BRENDA J. ATCHISON Bev Adam, Jenny Nunn, Nevada Alberta-Saskatchewan Robyn Burns, New Jersey 4 Your Letters Deb Schmalz, Arizona Nicol Moss, New Mexico P.E.O. International 6 Maysel Teeter, Arkansas Viola Lunderville, Northeast District Membership Committee Jane Donald, British Columbia Keeping Engaged… Preeti Sareen, Ontario-Quebec Keeping Connected… Sue Miller, Delaware Nancy Labahn, Utah Keeping our Sisters Deborah Smith, Georgia Laurie Evans, Tennessee BY JACQUELINE DAWSON Lynette Phyfe, Karen Burgess Boothe, Texas Manitoba-Northwest Ontario Barb Daly, West Virginia 7 Tech Tip Barbara Florian, Maryland Member Site Password Updates BY ANNIE JENKINS 21 P.E.O. Leadership Development P.E.O. Philanthropies and Foundation Elements of Resilient Chapter Recognition Opportunities Leadership 22 BY JENNIFER MITCHELL 23 P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund AND DEBBIE KOTECKI ELF Recipient Works in Foreign Policy, Strives to Make a Difference for 38 Award Winning Ideas People and Communities Around the World BY STEPHANIE HALTON 40 P.E.O. Authors 24 Cottey College Updates from Cottey—A New Recognition Program for P.E.O. Chapters 42 New Chapters and the New Campus Center Grand Opening BY JANN WEITZEL 43 Fundraising Marketplace 25 P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund IPS: Building a Legacy of Worldwide Transformational Leaders 48 About P.E.O. BY JAN KNUCKEY 49 To The Point 26 P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education Former Sudanese Refugee’s Quest for Continuing Education Boosted by the Power of P.E.O. BY BEVERLY PREWITT 27 P.E.O. Scholar Awards A Model for Finding New Sisters BY REBECCA DANIEL 28 P.E.O. STAR Scholarship Building Your STAR Legacy: A Tale of Two Chapters BY SHERI BAILEY 29 P.E.O. Foundation Undesignated Funds What Are They Again? BY LOU MCLAREN 50 Thank you P.E.O. Project Recipient and Donation Totals The P.E.O. Record (ISSN 0746-5130) is published bimonthly by the P.E.O. Sisterhood, 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312-2899. Periodical class postage paid at Des Moines, Iowa, and at all additional mailing offices. Subscription price is $5.00 per year. Single copies are $1.00. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The P.E.O. Record, 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312-2899. Printed in USA. Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 40586518. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to IMEX, P.O. Box 4332, Station Rd., Toronto, ON M5W 3J4. LinkedIn: Submission of material to The P.E.O. Record is your consent to our right to edit and publish it, either all or in part, in any P.E.O. print or digital communication medium. International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood The content matter may or may not reflect the opinions of the Sisterhood. Complete submission guidelines appear on the “Members Only” section of P.E.O.’s official website, peointernational.org. The P.E.O. Record welcomes members’ submissions to the address on the inside front cover. WWW.PEOINTERNATIONAL.ORG May–June 2021 | THE P.E.O. RECORD 3 your LETTERS P.E.O.’s Legacy of Grace, Welcoming Diversity Loving Concern After The Chapter K, Charleston, South Carolina, program theme for a Natural Disaster 2020-2021 year is The Legacies of Sisterhood. My assigned topic Last August a derecho (a 140 mph land for the second March meeting via Zoom was The Legacy of Grace. hurricane) toppled 60 percent of Cedar Preparing the program was an awakening. I carefully considered Rapids, Iowa, trees. We lost 25 trees in our the question: What does the concept of grace mean within the yard—unfortunately four of these trees fell context of P.E.O.? This fundamental inquiry provided the focus across our driveway! As I was scheduled for for research and reflection.