The Role Played by Women's Institutes in Western Canada by Louise Showman (Toffelmre)

              When help was not available locally, the Women's Institutes would assist in sending those
who needed operations, to the centres that could provide the care. Numerous people from all
around Alberta, were helped in this way. A child was sent to Edmonton for eye surgery.''' two
children in another family both were sponsored, one for a harelip, the other a club foot. 7" Not only
the children benefited. A woman in Grand Prairie had her hospital expenses paid, and in addition,
twenty- five dollars worth of food, was given to the family." There was a radium fund started in
Lethbridge, to supply free radium treatment to cancer patients"" with another started later in Grand
Prairie." 1 During the depression when teachers in Grand Prairie, felt that the children were not
getting adequate milk, a fund was set to provide milk to the younger children. 82
As if all this was not enough to keep the women of the W. I. busy, there was always the
steady influx of new Canadians that had to be welcomed. They were met by members of the
immigration committee, and made to feel welcome. Canadianizalion was carried out by teaching
the Canadian ideas and principals, stressing national holidays, and studying British and Canadian
history. 3 3 On top of ail the work that was being carried out by the women of the Instimtes there
came along the depression and the Great War. Both of these, further taxed the imagination and
"" Instimtes Work for Home and Country." Die Calgarv Daiiv Herald, May 10 1930, 29
" History of the Grand Prairie W. I., 2
* Tbid. 3
S 0" Instimtes Work of Home and Country," The Calgarv Dailv Herald. May 10 1930, 29
8' History of the Grand Prairie W. I.. 25
3 : fr, id. 13
3 3" Canada Leads the World With Women's Instimtes," N. A.( title), May 28 1926. N. A.
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