Chapter History
Five Year Report for 2012 - 2017
Presidents: 2012 - 2013. Debbie Olien
2013 - October 2014. Nancy Foss
October 2014 - 2017. Jeanne Sanna (Nancy Foss had to resign because of health issues.)
Members & Attendance: Our membership fluctuated slightly. In 2013 our membership was 72; in 2017 it was 69.
Attendance at meetings ranged from 40 - 42. Because of our large attendance, we are having to find larger places
at which to meet. Many houses are not large enough.
Programs: Our program committees have done a wonderful job of getting and setting up informative and entertaining
programs. Some examples: visit to the Chazen Art Museum guided by Chapter H members/docents; plight of
Chinese children; talk about the Titanic by a relative of the bandmaster; local police woman with her K9 dog;
luncheon at the UW Chancellor's home; Christmas in Portugal; Ethics in UW athletics; chocolate-making
presentation; nutritionist - "Eating the Mediterranean Way"; a sister told about her trip to France; guest speakers talked about flower arranging, scarf tying, UW Odyssey Project, United Way, Irish Christmas; American Players
Theater; information about greenhouses and gardening projects at a mMadison middle school; Clean Lakes in
Dane County.
Fundraisers: Chapter H is noted for their generosity to Cottey College and our P.E.O. Projects. Our Ways and Means
committees have come up with wonderful ways of adding to our treasury.
2012 - 2013: Sisters shopped at a high-end women's store with a portion of the sales going to Chapter H; book
Sale; sisters' Art Show; celebration of 95th Anniversary of Chapter H at which there was our Quarter Box -
Exactly $95 was collected; yearly auction raised $3,000.
2013 - 2014: Events raised enough money to contribute a total of $6,000 to P.E.O. Projects;
2014 - 2015: Auction raised $3,062. Along with other Ways and Means events, Chapter H gave $4,800 to our P.E.O. Projects plus $300 to Cottey College.
2015 - 2016: Auction raised $4,944. Barbara Berven put together a calendar with pictures and birthdays of all of
our sisters which brought in $450. We awarded $5,000 to P.E.O. Projects.
2016 - 2017: Forty-seven attended our auction and raised $6,831. Our chapter contributed $8,000 to our Projects.
Projects: 2012 - 2013: We awarded a $1,300 gift to a local high school student, Meghan Ford, who was attending
Cottey College. This award was made possible through our Chapter H Scholarship Fund.
2013 - 2014: The hard work of our Ways and Means Committee allowed us to double our contributions to most
P.E.O. Projects, including $500 to H.E.L.P.
2014 - 2015: A Chapter H-sponsored candidate was awarded a $12,000 ELF loan; a PCE candidate received a
$1,000 grant
2015 - 2016: Chapter H helped sponsor a candidate who was awarded a $1,800 PCE Grant; Chapter H
Scholarship funds of $1,630 was awarded to Bailey Patterson from Holmen, WI.
2016 - 2017: Chapter H sponsored three young women who received PCE Grants. Bailey Patterson received
funds from our Chapter H Scholarship for the second year in a row.
Miscellaneous: (1) In year 2012 - 2013, past president, Barbara Berven and her husband, Norm, endowed $26,000 to the
Defining Moment Campaign at Cottey College to be awarded to a student studying psychology.
(2) For the use of Chapter H, BIL, Ted Kloehn, built a cherrywood collapsible podium with "P.E.O."
carved on the front. Kit Thomsen then sewed a yellow quilted carrying case. She added a big white
star on the front with the letters "P.E.O." on it.
(3) For some added ways of getting together, some sisters hosted a tea/lemonade party one summer
and some others hosted a halloween party in the fall.
(4) "Birthdays with the President" and "Lunch with the President" were other ways of getting together
in smaller groups.
(5) We have initiated interest groups: Movie Mavens, Mah Jongg, The Needlers, Coffee Camaraderie.
(6) Buddy Groups continue to provide ways for our large chapter to meet in smaller groups to get to
know one another better.
We are very proud of our Chapter. In 2016, when the State Treasurer made her official visit, the officers were told that we were a healthy, vibrant and well-run chapter - she said "top notch"!!
Respectfully submitted,
Joyce Bell, Chapter H Historian
​
Five-Year Report for 2017 - 2022
Presidents:: Jeanne Ferreira - served three 1-yr. terms
Amy Nickles
Members & Attendance:
2017 - 2018: 63 members. Average attendance at meetings was 44
2018 - 2019: 72 members
2019 - 2020: 66 members. Our attendance jumped from 35 to 45+ because of Zoom meetings. This
made it possible for snowbirds and those who were working to attend.
2021 - 2022: 63 members. Average attendance was 45+
Programs: Again, the Program Committee entertained and informed us with many great programs.
2017 - 2020: Victorian jewelry, Witches of Salem, Eating Smart in Denmark; Mary Ann Grinde, her two
daughters, and Kit Thomsen's 2 daughters performed Christmas music; and a trip through an English
Garden. A program on Domestic Abuse inspired sisters to fill a car with personal products and
bedding to help a shelter; Human Trafficking, Russian Politics, Patient Advocacy, The Bombing of the
UW Science Building in the 1960's; the 15-Year Celebration of the Overture Center.
2020 - 2022: COVID HIT! The Chapter was informed in March, 2020, that there could not be any in-
person meetings. That was the beginning of Amy Nickles' term as President. She was a true leader
and figured out how to hold Zoom meetings. We all wanted to stay connected, and this was a way to
do that. After a few meetings, we became pretty comfortable with it. The Program Committee got
creative and secured outside speakers to cover topics such as Beautiful Garden Sites, The ABC's of
LGBTQ+ and Gut Health. Talented sisters presented programs on Glorious Gourmet Gifts, Setting a
Beautiful Table, and Antique Roadshow. In the summer of 2021, we had an outdoor picnic at which
we added puzzle pieces to complete a puzzle that Barbara Berven had ordered. (Earlier in the year,
Barbara had a puzzle made of the picture that was taken at our 100th anniversary celebration. In a
very cute card, she sent all of us one piece of the puzzle, which we brought to the picnic to complete
as much of the puzzle as possible.)
Fundraisers:
2017 - 2018: Our yearly auction and a jewelry & scarf sale netted $7,500. Connie Mills conducted a pop-
up boutique and donated a percentage of sales to Chapter H.
2018 - 2019: Total fundraising was $9,475.
2019 - 2020: A scarf and jewelry sale, chances sold for a chance to win travel gifts and our auction allowed
us to donate $9,000 to our P.E.O. Projects.
2020 - 2021: Because of Covid, Ways and Means became very creative. Online auctions were held for a
Wisconsin rug, a comforter and for some necklaces and yummy caramels made by talented
sisters. We enjoyed a Stay-at-Home Tea where we were encouraged to donate the same
amount that we would spend at our usual fundraiser. Barbara Berven produced a calendar
with pictures and birthdays noted on the dates of their special occasion. Total funds raised
was over $9,000.
2021 - 2022: Total funds raised was over $11,000.
Projects:
2017 - 2018: Chapter H nominated four candidates for PCE grants. All of them received grants!
2018 - 2019: Our PCE candidate received a grant. The Chapter H Scholarship supported a Wisconsin
student at Cottey College.
2019 - 2020: Two of our PCE candidates received grants totaling $3,600. We voted to contribute $5 per
sister to maintain the Wisconsin suite at Cottey College.
2020 - 2021: We contributed a total of $9,000 to P.E.O Projects
2021 - 2022: We recommended three candidates for PCE Grants. All of them received grants.
Miscellaneous:
(1) On September 25, 2017, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Chapter H. The room at Blackhawk
Country Club was transformed into a feast for the eyes. Daisies hung from the ceiling, on the backs of
the white chairs were cone-shaped baskets containing daisies, daisies decorated the dessert table and
the wall behind it. Three decorated cakes spelled out "100". Each table had printed historical facts in
frames as well as photos of years past. Our president gave a glowing report of our great chapter. It
was a very festive day and truly enjoyed by all who attended.
(2) We have continued with our Interest Groups. We started with two in about 2009 - 2010: Coffee
Camaraderie and Movie Mavens. In 2010 - 2011, we added the Bookies and The Needlers. In 2012 -
2013, we added Mah Jongg. In 2021 - '22, The Crafters replaced The Needlers and the Bookies
returned after a hiatus. These groups give the sisters in our large chapter a chance to meet in small
groups and gives us a chance to become better acquainted.
(3) We have continued with our buddy groups made up of 6 or 7 sisters who meet as they choose. The
groups are changed every two years to get to know different sisters. During Covid, some groups met
by Zoom and in outdoor areas or parks. One group met in a parking lot until they were told that they
had to leave because it was private property. :-)
(4) Some presidents have had a quarterly "Lunch with the President" or "Birthday Party with the
President".
(5) We have a mentoring program for new sisters who are given the opportunity to get to know our sisters
and our chapter life with the support of a mentor (another sister).
(6) We've initiated pre-meeting emails giving details of upcoming meetings.
(7) We now have our own website.
Respectfully submitted,
Joyce Bell, Chapter H Historian