Women’s education remains PEO’s purpose

So many worthy causes. So many organizations volunteering to help. And they all want your dollars. But what do you know about those organizations and how the dollars they collect are used? What do you know about the people and organizations sponsoring those requests?

Allow me to clue you in on one group that works behind the scenes to do good things to help others – an old organization that for too long has had its light hidden beneath a basket, the Philanthropic Educational Organization, or PEO.

PEO is one of the pioneer societies for women, founded in 1869 at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Today its membership is approximately 250,000 in the United States and Canada. In Spokane alone, there are 17 chapters. The organization’s purpose is to support women’s education.

PEO sponsors five projects. An Educational Loan Fund offers low-interest loans to women seeking to complete their education. A fully accredited two-year women’s liberal arts school, Cottey College, in Nevada, Mo., serves women from all over the world. Last year 20 women from Washington state were enrolled there.

Another fund, the International Peace Scholarship, provides scholarships for international female students wanting to pursue study in the U.S. and Canada. A fourth project, the Program for Continuing Education, provides need-based grants for women whose education has been interrupted, who are returning to school to complete training to support themselves and their families.

Finally, PEO offers Scholar Awards, which provide substantial grants to a limited number of outstanding women who are pursuing advanced graduate degrees.

Last month Spokane Chapter AZ was delighted to present a grant through the Continuing Education fund to McKenna Adams to assist her in completing course work for a K-12 teaching certificate in physical education and health.

Adams had previously earned a Bachelor of Science degree in community health. While working in that field, she found her greatest interest was in working with children. Married now to Ryan Adams, a Ferris High School graduate and son of Bob and Nancy Adams of Spokane, the couple has already started their family. Ellie Rose was born inAugust. Determined to complete her education and become a teacher, Adams is enrolled this fall at Western Washington University in Bellingham.

“You can’t imagine what this grant means to us. It will almost pay for my tuition,” exclaimed Adams upon opening the envelope containing the check.

Chapter AZ hopes to continue its outreach to other women and is interested in locating more worthy individuals interested in knowing about PEO’s scholarship opportunities. Information may be found on the PEO International Web site, www.peointernational.org.

Meanwhile, the organization continues to work in a variety of ways to raise funds to support these projects. Raffle tickets are currently being sold by Chapter AZ to permit one lucky individual to become the owner of the beautiful, hand-made Christmas quilt and quilt rack made and donated by chapter members. Tickets may be acquired by calling Margie Phillips at (509) 744-9790 or Marguerite Thoen, (509) 443-1806. A drawing for the winning ticket will be held at the group’s Christmas luncheon on Dec. 11, just in time for the lucky winner to snuggle up in comfort during the holidays. Raffle tickets are priced at $2 each, three for $5 or seven for $10.