P.E.O. Sisterhood promotes education in women

The Missouri State Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood held their 116th annual convention recently.
More than 330 representatives of P.E.O. chapters across Missouri attended convention, held May 29 to 31, in Columbia. Serving as delegates from this region were: Jacqueline Walsh, Chapter BR; Julie Rolsen, Chapter JH; Kay Obermann, Chapter KV; Lori Terrell, Chapter LZ all from Hannibal. Joyce McGruder, Chapter IE, Palmyra and Megan Gottman, Chapter H, Monroe City also were present. Brooks Ragar, IE, Palmyra attended as a visitor and presented the by-laws changes at the convention.
Using the theme “Hitch Your Wagon to a Star”, convention attendees met and discussed several educational and philanthropic topics.
Sally Armstrong of Chapter HH, Carthage, Missouri, presided over the meeting, and Chris Ankeney of Chapter AQ in Marceline, Mo., served as general chairman of the convention.
Jeanne Lehr of Chapter CK in St. Louis, Mo., was installed as the new president of the Missouri State Chapter during the convention.
Anne Cary, BR, was recognized as a Golden Girl with 82 other P.E.O. sisters. A Golden Girl is a member of P.E.O. serving fifty years.
On Sunday, May 31, the service to honor sisters going on to Chapter Eternal was dedicated as a “Time of Remembrance”. Those from our region that were honored were: Frances Clayton, Anita Hancock, Anne Maupin from Chapter BR; Peg Behrens, Chapter GH; Pauline Erwin, Chapter IE; Barbara Woodard, Chapter JH.
The P.E.O. Sisterhood is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College; and motivate each other to achieve their highest aspirations. There are approximately 6,000 chapters in the United States and Canada with nearly 250,000 members.
The purposes of P.E.O. are educational and philanthropic and are accomplished through projects on the local, state, and International levels. The five International projects include the P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund, a revolving loan fund at low interest; the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund, Graduate Study grants for foreign women; Cottey College, (Nevada, Mo.), a two-year liberal arts college for women; the P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education, grant assistance for women to resume educational studies; and the P.E.O. Scholar Awards, grants for women of the United States and Canada who are pursuing advanced degrees or are engaged in advanced study and research. In addition, Missouri chapters provide scholarships for women to attend Cottey College and fund the Missouri P.E.O. Outreach Fund, a state project to assist those in need.