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JULY 12, 1972 TERRACE BAY NEWS PAGE 13 MRS. SLATER, ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT The banquet and reception honouring Mrs. Mavis Slater, president of the Rebekah Assembly of Ontario was a gala occasion in Schreiber, with the weather contributing to make their first visit to Northwestern Ontario a memorable one for the many representatives from Southern Ontario. A special tribute was paid in the presence of eleven past presidents. Other high officials attending included G. Wana- maker, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ontario; Mrs. Margaret Duckworth, vice president of the Rebekah Assembly of Ontario; Benson Sutter, Jr. P. Grand Patriarch, of the Grand Encampment of Ontarioj Elmer Teft, Commander of the Patriarchs Militant, the highest degree in Oddfellowship and Mrs. Betty Anderson, Past president of the Rebekah Assembly of Ontario, guest speaker. All these presented formal greetings from their various associations. George Birch was M,C. for the occasion, Mrs. Agnes Bryson, pianist, and the Grace was offered by the Rev. A.L. Chabot. A welcome in song was given by Mrs. Connie Martin. Mrs. Gladys Hamilton, noble grand of Ruby Rebekah Lodge, gave the formal welcome to the many attending the occasion. Reeve Fred Harness tendered the civic welcome, mentioning that this was a double honour and personal pleasure, since Mrs. Slater is his sister-in-law, Jack Stokes, M.P. offered the congratulations of Premier William Davis, and the Province of Ontario, saying this was 'another arrow in his quiver' as mem- ber for Northwestern Ontario, and he was confident, the delegates from Southern Ontario were appreciat- ing the fresh air and wonderful country, which had produced such a confident, charming and ambitious person as the new president, 'Mavis' = to all her lifelong friends in Schreiber. Mr. Stokes also said, he had been surprised, after being given the honour of speaking, to find that the Association of the 1 .O.O.F. had placed no record or history with the Provincial library, and he felt, from his own inquiries, and the discovery of their aims and accomplishments, they were doing them= selves an injustice, which should be remedied. Mr. Birch presented Mrs. Winnie Clemens and Mrs. Anna Laine, of Ruby Rebekah Lodge, officers of the Rebekah Assembly - chaplain and conductor, respect- ively. He also introduced charter members of Ruby Rebek- ah Lodge present = Mrs. Lily Wilson, Mrs. Florence Higgens and Mrs. Agnes Bryson, who this year re- ceived the Degree of Chivalry at a ceremony in * Southern Ontario. In her address Mrs. Anderson said belonging to such a great organization offers companionship and the opportunity for service. The wealth and pros- perity of a nation, she continued, is not in its mines its forests, its agriculture, nor its industry, but, in those who work in these = and so, in any organiza- tion, its success is dependent on the individual mem- ber. Never had the principles of Oddfellowship been more sorely needed than in the world of today. An increase in membership is required, but in pro- posing these one should choose wisely = never mistaking quantity for quality. Mrs. Slater, acknowledging the many good wishes thanked her own lodge, Ruby Rebekah, most affect- ionately, for the obviously careful planning they had done for this occasion in her honour, and also the Catholic Women's League, who had so successfully catered for the dinner, despite the inconvenience of no kitchen facilities, adding this was but another display of her hometown's ingenuity. Interjecting a bit of humour, Mrs. Slater said, that when she had taken on a year, particularly of travel, in preparation for her new position, her husband, left to cook for himself, decided to join the Rebekahs - hoping to find a replacement cook. But, this scheme, apparently had not worked out. So, she added, after this splendid dinner = I'm wondering if he won't be trying to get into the C.W.L. Mrs. Slater said she was proposed for membership in Ruby Rebekah Lodge, by Mrs. Agnes Bryson, when Mrs. Violet Nesbitt was the Noble Grand, and her first office was given to her by Mrs. Myrtle Gordon. Her motto, during her year as president, Mrs. Slater said will be to create harmony by truth and co-operation, Among the many gifts presented to Mrs. Slater were from Ruby Rebekah Lodge, presented by Mrs. Violet Nesbitt, for the six Rebekah Lodges in District 41 by Mrs, Iris Miller; from Chapleau Lodge, by Mrs. Vera Pellow, from the Municipality of Schreiber by Reeve Harness; personal gifts from Commander Teft and Benson Sutter, along with varied individual presentations. The lengthy program was pleasantly spaced with continued page 14 ...... 11]