Wetaskiwin District Heritage Museum Centre & City of Wetaskiwin Archives

The Heritage Museum is sharing this banner from the Falun Women’s Institute Chapter in honor of Women’s History Month. Mrs. Albert Rodell of Wetaskiwin was instrumental in setting up the Falun institution. The first meeting for this branch was on February 8, 1930, with the required eight-member minimum of over 16 present as laid out by the 1929 “Women’s Institutions Act.” The charter members were Mrs.Forsell, Mrs. Kadlec, Mrs. Rattray, Mrs. Jones, Miss. Sjorlund, Mrs. Cronin, Mrs. Isaacson, Mrs. Monaghan, Miss. Nelson, Mrs. Mattson, Miss. Edin, and Mrs. Sjolin. Jean Stewart was a member from 1943 until her passing in 2004. Membership dues when it first opened in 1930 were 50 cents and were reduced to 25 cents during the great depression. By the end of 1951, the branch had reached 32 members!
During the war years of 1940-1945, the organization packed ditty bags, sent parcels, and knit clothing for soldiers overseas. During the 1950’s they sponsored and supported blood donor clinics and national and regional conventions. They continued to donate to the Canadian Red Cross, Canadian Institute for the Blind, and The Salvation Army, amongst other things.
Should you visit the museum, you can find many other artifacts in our collection that celebrate women’s history.