Feb. 13, 1900 was the inception of the IODE in Canada, formerly known as Imperial Order, Daughters of the Empire.
Margaret Murray saw the need for women to help when the men went off to war. Eventually the chapters began moving west.
In October 1927, the Diamond Jubilee Chapter received its charter. Since that time we have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring supplies to the north; provide packages to veterans overseas; helping up to 10 students from Penticton Secondary School to attend Encounters with Canada in Ottawa where they attended parliament and met other students from across Canada; scholarships and bursaries to both high schools and Okanagan University College in Penticton; attended citizenship courts to serve tea and cookies to the new Canadians; began and still fund the Rose Garden by the SS Sicamous; provided the art gallery with its sound system; installed the handicap washroom aboard the SS Sicamous; at the Village by the Station we gave the sensory enhancement system for Alzheimer patients; automatic doors at the former seniors’ apartments on Winnipeg; and the list goes on.
Art and music students also receive funds from our chapter, zone and provincial IODE, as do Army and Air Cadets. Recently we began funding Hope Air which fly patients to medical appointments at the coast.
We have had numerous thrift shops over the years where our funds allow us to keep up with monetary demands. Our present shop is located at 464 Main St. and is open Monday to Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. However, our volunteer members are now ageing and we would love to accept new members to our chapter.
We have one meeting on the second Tuesday of the month at 1:30 p.m., with luncheons in February (to celebrate IODE’s inception), June and Christmas.
Members are all volunteers and work in the shop only twice a month, or as they are available. Our oldest member will be turning 105 in May and still lives in her own home but no longer works.
If the IODE is to continue its good works, it is imperative that we add to the fold and I therefore invite ladies of Penticton and area to drop by the library/museum complex where you will be able to speak with our members and find out all that IODE stands for.
We will have a table set up from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13 and look forward to visiting with you.
Denise Kadatz
Communications Officer