CFUW Cornwall and District Celebrates International Women’s Day

On March 8^th the Cornwall and District Club of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) hosted an International Women’s Day celebration at Cornwall’s Best Western Parkway Inn and Conference Centre. Co-hosts Jo Sheppard(President) and Louise LaRose welcomed club members, as well as representatives from various community organizations and service providers of the Tri-County area. The event was held to mark International Women’s Day and to officially launch the new CFUW  brand and logo.

Mayor Justin Towndale brought greetings to all attendees on behalf of the City of Cornwall. He thanked CFUW for their ongoing contributions to the local area.  In particular, he highlighted the CFUW Scholarship program that has awarded over $100,000 to 400 young women to help them continue their post secondary education. The Mayor also noted that the women in his life, especially his wife Sarah, were extremely important in helping him to become the person he is today.

Elaine MacDonald, CFUW member, Cornwall city councillor,  and keynote speaker for the event, spoke passionately about women in politics and about the progress that women  have made within the workplace and society over the past century. Despite these advances, Elaine reflected that a wage gap and inequity between men and women in the work force continues to this day. She encouraged us all to be feminists, and to continue the fight for equality.

The Cornwall and District club began in 1955 and is part of a national CFUW organization with over 6500 members across the country. Photos and memorabilia of the local club highlighting the achievements and history of the clubwere on display.

New club banners, featuring the new CFUW logo and taglines, were revealed. The new logo is a stylized open book with multicoloured unfolding pages and a centre flame.  It highlights the CFUW focus education and openness to life long learning. The unfolding pages symbolize the long history of the club with its many achievements, and the various page colours illustrate the diversity of members. Finally, the center flame recalls the “lamp of learning” of the previous logo, representing a legacy and lighting the way upward and forward. The new taglines “Realizing potential. For all women. Le pouvoir par le savoir.” reflect the mission and vision of CFUW focusing on economic equality, social justice, and the empowerment of women, through education and learning.