As the Club activities wind down for the summer months and the weather warms up please remember that the Club is available at any point throughout the summer to have a private or sponsored function here.
The summer hours for the Club are:
July 6 – 8 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
July 13 – 15 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
August 17 – 19 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
August 24 – 26 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
August 31 – September 2 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The Club will reopen on the regular schedule on Tuesday September 7. Have a wonderful summer! For details, contact Janice MacDonald, Manager, 954 7880 uwc@mts.net. To get a taste of what this Club has to offer over the summer, click here.
April 22nd saw the return of "A
Metis Suite", sponsored by the Metis Culture and Heritage Resource
Centre. The performance was dedicated to the memory of Donna Blight (Past
President of UWC), and Lorraine Freeman, the co-directors of "A Metis
Suite". It was a wonderful evening, full of toe-tapping music, and
dancing. Special thanks to Irene Legg, UWC member and volunteer coordinator.
The University Women's Club of Winnipeg and the Friends of Ralph Connor
House are very pleased to announce the successful launch of the wonderful
book on the history of Ralph Connor House. Titled: 54 West Gate: Stories
of Ralph Connor House, the book promises to be a good choice for those
interested in Winnipeg's early history and stories of the family and the
house they built and shared. You can find out
more about the book and how to order - all proceeds go to the preservation
of the House - order yours today. Note: all proceeds go to the maintenance
of the historic house.
An activity of the Club for many years has been to support scholarships
for post secondary education. Recently, with funds from sales of Extraordinary Ordinary Women, the Club announced
a new scholarship - "The University Women's Club of Winnipeg Millennium
Scholarship". The $600.00 Millennium Scholarship will be awarded
annually to a student at Red River College in the Creative Communications
four year, joint degree program with the University of Winnipeg.
The Club is proud to be a member of the Manitoba Historical Society
as are many of our own members. Conserving
our historic house is one of the many contributions to the community
we take seriously. Visit the new website for the Manitoba
Historical Society here! And note the MHS
news of Ralph Connor House.
The University Women's Club of Winnipeg provides fellowship for members, leadership and effective action for community initiatives, and a voice for national issues through the Canadian Federation of University Women.
We offer a number of courses to the public through the Margaret McWilliams College .
Annual fees: $365.00 (regular and associate)
First Year membership fees: $230.00
Retaining membership: $140.00
Non Resident Fees: $90.00
To inquire about membership to the University Women's Club of Winnipeg, call 1-204 954 7880 or e-mail uwc@mts.net.
For an interesting profile of our members (careers/education), please look here. For more history on our Club and members, please look here.
The Club offers an enjoyable and congenial atmosphere for members to pursue:
To see more about what's on this month at the University Women's Club, look here. Interested in joining? Contact our Membership Chair, Sylvia Marsh at uwc@mts.net for further information.
Beautiful Drawing Room, Ralph Connor HouseThe Club is open year-round for sponsored and private entertainment. Meetings, parties and weddings have access to varied facilities ranging from a large formal dining room, an elegant large reception room and many private rooms to a screened-in porch and dining area overlooking the river. Beautiful lawns and gardens, which provide ideal photo opportunities, extend the entertainment area and the pleasure of guests. Full food and liquor service are offered, and menus and reception handbook are available. While members enjoy drop-in or reserve lunch privileges with an interesting variety of programs, the Club also caters to private functions and is open to public bookings. Consider us for your next party, reception, meeting or conference location.
For more information on general rental and catering costs, look here at our very reasonable Room Rentals for the general public or e-mail us uwc@mts.net.
Dr. Doris Saunders was a long time member of the University Women's Club of Winnipeg, and a past president of CFUW. See Dr. Doris Saunders. In 2001, Dr. Saunders celebrated her 100th birthday. For pictures from the party, look here.
The University Women's Club of Winnipeg was pleased to see the Honorable Flora MacDonald as the recipient of the UNIFEM Canada winner for International Women's Day, March 8th, 2001. If you would like to see pictures of the Hon. Flora MacDonald taken at our Club, please look here. The UNIFEM Canada Award is given each year to honour a Canadian individual who has contributed significantly to the goals of women's development in economic independence, in political participation, or in human rights.A previous recpient was Muriel Smith, Past President, of the University Women's Club of Winnipeg.
There are a number of women who have served as role models in the history of health care in Manitoba. To celebrate Women's History Month, October 2001, Women Working for Healthy Communities has been assembled by the University of Manitoba (Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library) and the Manitoba Women's Directorate. Dr. Ellen Douglass is profiled there - she was a Life Member of the University Women's Club of Winnipeg.
The University Women's Club of Winnipeg is over 90 years old - a review of our 90th year, the events, the people and our future, has been prepared.
In 1997, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada recommended Canadian women winning the vote to be an event of national historic significance. The plaque commemorating women winning the vote in Canada, along with a banner and two-panel interpretive exhibit, is located outside the Walker Theatre, at 364 Smith Street, in downtown Winnipeg,
Extraordinary Ordinary Women - the book that celebrates women's everyday lives! This book is a wonderful example of the work of the University Women's Club, and the other two CFUW Clubs in Manitoba. It has gone through three printings, for a total of 3,500 and raised over $30,000 for scholarships, much of it matched ty the Pronvice. These scholarships support many women attending postsecondary institutions in Winnipeg, Portage, and Brandon. There are just a few copies remaining - the book contains 39 stories of individual women and 2 stories of women's groups - beautifully written and illustrated with historic photos from throughout Manitoba. A special millennium project of the Manitoba Council of CFUW. SORRY - SOLD OUT.
In honour of Women's History Month, why not check out "Changing Women, Changing History: Canadian Women Activists", sponsored by the National Library of Canada. Included here are biographies of "The Famous Five" - Irene Parlby, Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Louise McKinney. The University Women's Club of Winnipeg treasures the set of books, currently displayed in the Ralph Connor Library at the Club, written by Nellie McLung.
Included in the "Women's Exhibition", is a picture and biography of E. Cora Hind, (1861-1942) Winnipeg Agriculturist and Journalist. Cora Hind was an honorary member of the University Women's Club of Winnipeg. She did not have a degree but received an honourary degree from the University of Manitoba in 1935. Her then employer, J.W. Dafoe, presented her with the degree as he was then chancellor. Recently, Agriculture Canada named a new wheat variety after Cora: AC CORA. When she died in 1942 at 82 years the London Times and the New York Times referred to her as "Canada's most famous woman."
Elizabeth Dafoe (1900-1960) is also recognized in the Women's Exhibition, National Library of Canada. In recognition of her vision and accomplishments in the areas of collection development, cataloguing standards and resource sharing, a new library, built in 1953 at the University of Manitoba, was renamed in her honour. Her commitment to quality librarianship, considering it nothing less than essential, continues to benefit many university institutions and library associations and their clients throughout Canada. Elizabeth Dafoe was a member of the University Women's Club of Winnipeg.
In 1908, Dr. Mary Crawford was one of the early organizers of the University Women's Club of Winnipeg, along with Lillian Benyon Thomas. Mary Crawford came to Winnipeg in 1903 to join the city's small corps of professional women as a doctor of medicine. She was an obstetrician by training, and she specialized her practice in the diseases of women and children. Mary Crawford was one of a small cadre of professional women who took up liberal causes, using her status as an educated woman to campaign for better housing, better wages and working conditions (especially for female workers), and for better treatment of non-English immigrants. Dr. Crawford served several terms as President of the Club.
An excellent brochure has been produced by the Manitoba Women's Directorate on women's Herstory for Women's History Month, 2002 - "Celebrating Women's History: Rediscover our history by learning about the women who helped to create it." Background on the Person's Case, the Famous Five, history of political milestones, legislation affecting Manitoba women, Aboriginal women and families. Even puzzles and quizes are included.
There has been considerable interest in calling for a renewal of the Canadian Royal Commission on the Status of Women, tabled in 1970. Laura Sabia, a President of CFUW, was one of the leaders calling for the Commission. Click here to read a paper (pdf format) by Brenda O'Neill, Associate Professor, Department of Political Studies, University of Winnipeg, "Royal Commission on the Status of Women: Looking Back, Looking Forward".
Dr. Doris Boyce Saunders died peacefully on May 3, 2003 at the Convalescent Home of Winnipeg. A long time member of the University Women's Club and the Canadian Federation of University Women, she will be remembered fondly for her sense of drama, her pursuit of excellence and support and leadership. Our condolences to her family and friends. To see more, click here.
Canadian Federation of University Women
Members from the University Women's Club of Winnipeg attending the CFUW AGM in Vancouver, BC, August, 2007.
Front row: Denise Naherny (Brandon CFUW), Muriel Smith, Joyce Hill
Back row: Janet Goldack, Sylvia Marsh, Helen Norrie, Sandy Millen, Irene
Crofts. Missing: Rhoda Sewell, Doris Mae Oulton
The University Women's Club is affiliated with CFUW and with the International Federation of University Women. Members are active in public affairs, working to raise the social, economic and legal status of women. Members work to improve the education, the environment, peace, justice and human rights. They raise and discuss resolutions from the 130 Clubs across Canada. When approved, they become the policy of our Club. Also resolutions can be submitted to the International Federation of University Women. IFUW has consultative status with the UN.
CFUW Manitoba Council will be holding their next meeting April 28th at Delta Marsh, hosted by the Portage La Prairie Club.
The University Women's Club received two awards at the annual CFUW conference held in Montreal, August 7th to 9th. An award for "Extraordinary Ordinary Women: Manitoba Women and Their Stories" was given to the three CFUW Clubs: Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie and Brandon. Winnipeg also received an award for Housing Seminar "Meeting Winnipeg's Housing Needs: Key to the Future".
The University Women's Club of Vancouver also own and operate an historic house - to see detailed history of the McRae family, the building of the house and see beautiful photos of the house, please click here.
SCAPE - the study of Cultural Adaptations in the Prairie Ecozone. This is an integrated study into the lifeways and process that guided the survival and progress of First Nations Peoples living within the Canadian Prairies over the millennia.
"Bonkers" rehearses for a Bear Named
Winnie at Ralph Connor House