20 The Chronicle November 28, 2006 CAMPUS NEWS University grads help community By Jocelyn Nespiak Chronicle Staff Confident women fill the room. A few are dressed in blouses, suit jackets and high-heeled shoes. Others are wearing warm sweaters and runners. Everyone is greeting each other. Everyone is smiling. And everyone is early. On the second Wednesday of each month, the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW), Oshawa and District, meet. For many members, being a part of this club brings new friendships through social gatherings and interest groups. But it also opens intellectual doors and gives power to individual voices. “The mandate when the club was formed was to provide scholarships to women and promote education,†said Joan Maggs, scholarship chair. The national organization was established in 1919, according to their website, and the Oshawa organization was founded in 1945. “It was established because of women’s rights,†said Connie Sweet, archive chair. “We have a strong advocacy for women’s issues.†The national club constantly lobbies the government to make changes. In the past CFUW has influenced them to give women the right to vote. They’ve tackled many issues over the years. According to the 2006 policy book, the CFUW is currently lobbying the government to create an early childhood education and care program. They want it to be universally accessible and emphasize the development of the whole child. Enforcing the Fisheries Act is another issue the CFUW is urging the government to change. They want to eliminate the pollution of fish and their habitat in Canada’s coastal waters. Homeless youth is another problem the CFUW wants the government to fix. They would like to see more housing options available, more support services with emphasis on education and self-sufficiency, and on-going financial resources for homeless centres. “You have to have organizations like ours to discuss issues and fight,†said Lorraine Veroba, advocacy chair. “As a single person you cannot do a lot, but as a group we can,†said Canadian Federation of University Women •CFUW is a non-governmental organization with special consultative status with the United Nations. •CFUW is one of 71 afï¬liates of the International Federation of University Women and its 180,000 members. •CFUW is a voluntary, non-proï¬t, self-funded bilingual organization of over 10,000 women university graduates •CFUW Oshawa & District is an organization of university graduates who live in the Bowmanville, Oshawa, Whitby, and Port Perry area of Durham Region. Source: The Canadian Federation of University Women website Janet Nisbet, current liaison and former president. Each March the resolutions process begins. All 10,000 national members discuss and vote on recommendations they want to submit to the Canadian government. “It’s a lengthy process, but it’s worth it,†said Nisbet. Seeing changes after a national issue has been tackled could take up to two years, she said. The organization has few volunteers to write reports and conduct research. Changing large-scale issues isn’t their only direction. The Oshawa chapter just celebrated 60 years. They have helped with the community for quite some time. Providing scholarships and bursaries to females is part of the club’s spirit. Maggs said every year they give a $500 bursary to a Durham College student. They also have provided bursaries to high school students in the community. “There was a tribute fund set up years ago. We’ve been fundraising money and now it’s large enough to make a difference,†Maggs said. Only recently did UOIT become part of the community, so CFUW is just getting involved with them now. “We want to donate the money from the tribute fund to the UOIT Endowment Fund,†she said. The motion was approved by executive members of CFUW and is pending approval from general members. A meeting to discuss whether the $33,000 should be given to UOIT is scheduled for January 2007. “I think this motion will pass because we’ve done a lot of work. We’re just refining the details,†said Nesbit. She said an unofficial vote showed most members were in agreement, with a few who had legitimate reasons to disagree. Members of the executive committee hope the government matches the money to double their donation. They’ve discussed plans for how to distribute the money. “Each year about $2,400 will be given to a female student in second year of a four-year program,†said Maggs. By second year the student has shown commitment to the pro- gram. CFUW’s involvement in the community expands to other venues as well. “We hope to support the Butterfly Project and the Refuge House,†said Janis Newell, membership chair. “We want to help create a network for youth to be safe in.†Veroba read about the Butterfly project in the paper a few months ago. “The project is just getting underway,†she said. “But we want to help them.†Prostitution, trafficking and crime are big issues in Oshawa, and the Butterfly project will try to solve the problems. Elizabeth Morgan, leader of the Butterfly organization, said, “We provide a safe place for the girls (prostitutes) to go and give them clean clothes, a hot meal and counselling.†“Half the girls we bring in don’t return to the streets.†The Refuge House is a place where kids, youth and adults can stay, especially if they live on the street. Veroba has a family member employed by one of the shelters in Oshawa, who suggested the club get involved. “It feels good to make a difference in our community. Members will see and feel the results,†she said. Regardless of the serious issues these women try to tackle, they still try to have fun. “We do fashion shows, silent auctions, revolving dinner parties, and bake sales,†said Sybil Stirling, ways and means, and friendship chair. All of those activities have helped them fundraise money, so they’re in a positive, carefree atmosphere, but still reaching their goal. As well at every general meeting a guest speaker is invited. “We mainly have guest speakers who are women holding positions of power in society, such as local politicians, writers and editors,†said Hedy Gadd, program co-ordinator. “All of our guests have a real passion for their work. It’s nice to know that kind of passion exists,†said Nisbet. “It’s really great to know you belong to a country that has people like that.†Although the club has lost members over the years, it still has kept its passion, vibrancy and enthusiasm to make living in Oshawa, Ontario and Canada better. “We have to keep this going,†said Veroba.