Fonds - Maple Leaf Lennox Women’s Institute fonds

The Maple Leaf Lennox Women’s Institute was founded on August 21, 1914 with Mrs. B. (Edith) Brisco as the first President. This branch was a part of the Lennox District Women’s Institute. Twelve members attended the first meeting. The Maple Leaf branch officially disbanded on August 21, 2002 due to age, illness, and declining abilities to carry on the work-load involved. The early years of Maple Leaf branch were eventful. In 1915, they funded the Domestic Science Course held in the Napanee Town Hall, which was well attended. During World War I, the branch supported the Red Cross by passing a resolution that each member was to save five cents per week to contribute and by raising funds for parcels which were sent overseas; they also made a contribution towards a Motor Ambulance. Maple Leaf was responsible for making 499 pairs of socks, 230 sets of pajamas, 25 quilts, 18 pillows, 391 towels, 369 hankies, 86 washcloths, and 12 sheets for the Red Cross. In the 1920s, the branch furnished and maintained a room in the Kingston General Hospital, which they continued to support for many years. One of the significant accomplishments by the Maple Leaf branch was the North Fredericksburgh Hall restoration project. They were also involved in the community by raising funds and contributing time. An annual donation created by the branch went to the “Mrs. Madeleine Fretts Maple Leaf Women’s Institute Award” for diligence given to a H.H. Langford Public School grade eight student. Other donations were given to the Lennox and Addington Interval House, “Pitch-In Week” with the school, Seniors’ Outreach Services, Lennox and Addington Hospital Foundation, and Lennox and Addington Mental Health. Also, the branch had an annual presence at the Napanee Fair. Larger organizations benefited from the efforts of Maple Leaf branch as well. Some of the charities were Children’s Aid Society, Manitoba Flood Relief, Navy League, Armenian Relief, Queen’s Endowment Fund, Aid to China, Sick Children’s Hospital, Jam for Britain, Salvation Army Food Bank, donations to missions to Haiti and Guatemala, and the Canadian Diabetes Association. The Tweedsmuirs of Maple Leaf are organized well and sorted by category. The categories within the three Tweedsmuirs are: World War I, North Fredericksburgh Hall, sports, Churches, history, cemetery history, schools, past and present industries, farm histories, 4-H Clubs, programmes, Women’s Institute 100th Anniversary, branch activities, home histories, township history, biographies of prominent people in the community, wedding anniversaries, quilts, and histories of organizations. A large portion of one of the Tweedsmuirs includes newspaper articles on the annual Lennox and Addington Dairy Princess. The last Tweedsmuir Conveners were Mrs. Jessie Wannamaker and Mrs. Marion Craig. The past Women’s Institute Presidents of Maple Leaf were: Mrs. B. (Edith)Brisco (1914-1918; 1923-1925), Mrs. J.B. Miller (1918-1923), Mrs. Fraser Lampkin (1925-1928), Mrs. Wes Cummings (1928-1932), Mrs. Carmen (Pearl) Day (1932-1935; 1942-1944), Mrs. Arthur Galt (1935-1937), Mrs. J.R. Ackerman (1937-1939; 1944-1946), Mrs. Fred (Grace) Perry (1947-1950), Mrs. Ed (Mary) O’Connor (1950-1952; 1953-1955), Mrs. Marshall (Clarice) Vanalstine (1952-1953), Mrs. Charles Gray (1955-1957), Mrs. Ruby McCulloch (1957-1961), Mrs. Walter (Lynn) Perry (1961-1963), Mrs. Earl (Lillian) Harnden (1963-1965), Mrs. Jim (Vera) Cuthill (1965-1967), Mrs. Everton (Ruby) Browne (1967-1970), Mrs. Francis (Marg) McDonald (1970-1972), Mrs. Don (Diane) Clement (1972-1975), Mrs. Larry (Marion) Wannamaker (1975-1977; 1987-1990), Mrs. Doug (Hilda) Magee (1977-1981), Mrs. Claude (Marion) Craig (1981-1983), Mrs. Doris Bornemissza (1983-1985), Mrs. Bruce(Barbara) Schnarr (1985-1987), and Mrs. Marjorie Lloyd (1990-1994), Mrs. Marilyn Herntier (1994-1995), and Mrs. Sylvia Miller (1995-2007).