Tickets to Drawn To Niagara™ 2, our signature fundraiser, are now available for purchase. This spectacular event on Thursday, June 4th, at the Hare Wine Company, has only 150 Tickets for sale. Don’t miss this opportunity to watch local artists paint portraits of our Mystery Models **Live** while you enjoy live music, dancing, wine, auction and wandering entertainers.

Do you have clothes, small appliances or tools that need repairs? CFUW St Catharines is hosting a Clothing Repair Café in partnership with Repair Café Niagara on Saturday, May 30th, 10 am – 1 pm, at the Glenridge Lawn Bowling Club, 84 Glen Morris Dr. Don’t throw out items that can be repaired! Save Money, learn a new skill, while keeping “stuff” out of landfill.

For more info visit Click Here.

**** Exclusive OFFER ****

Get ready to wear your pride!

Ontario Council is thrilled to announce the launch of the Official CFUW Ontario Council Scarf—a stylish, year-round keepsake designed specifically for our members.

This isn’t just a scarf: it’s a celebration of our sisterhood, featuring the vibrant approved CFUW Ontario Council logo and colors and our unique Ontario trillium design. Please note, all images of the scarf represent the same design.

The Details You Need to Know:
• Affordable Elegance: We’ve worked hard to keep this fashionable piece at a budget friendly price, including tax: $25!
• Exclusive Design: Silky and light-weight! 70″ L x 16″ W – This scarf was designed especially for us by Alanna Scanlon, a member of CFUW Perth and District.
• Strictly Limited Edition: This is a onetime-only opportunity for 2026. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

How to Secure Your Exclusive Ontario Council Scarf
Because this is a bespoke run, we are operating on a Pre-Order & Pre-Payment basis only. To keep logistics smooth, we are implementing the following “Club-First” system:

1. Each Club will submit one single bulk order

2. Send an etransfer to Pat Paulin for $25 with comments: “for OC Scarf”

3. Orders/payments must be received by April 11th, 2026

The Story behind the Design…
Bold Circles
• Represent unity, global thinking, and influence.
• Reflect the expanding impact of educated women.

Brush Strokes
• Symbolize creativity, innovation, and forward movement.
• Express the energy of advocacy and social change.

Trillium Outline
• A subtle nod to Ontario identity while keeping a modern look.

Colours
• Deep blue: intellectual depth
• Orange: activism and leadership
• Yellow/Gold: achievement and opportunity
• White: clarity and inclusiveness

Overall message: creativity, energy, and evolving leadership.
• The design represents both tradition and innovation within the CFUW Ontario Council.
• It celebrates our shared commitment to education, advocacy, and empowering women.
• We hope members will enjoy wearing these scarves not only at meetings but also in their daily lives as a visible symbol of CFUW.

CFUW St. Catharines will host its second annual Gala Fundraiser, Drawn To Niagara™ 2, on Thursday, June 4th, 2026.

This Portrait Painting **Live** competition is open to all emerging and established artists, 18+ who are permanent residents of the Niagara Region, as determined by the Niagara Regional Government.  There is no fee to enter.

The Winning Artist will take home $3,000.00; 2^nd Place $500.00; 3^rd place $250.00

If you, or someone you know, would like to be a contestant artist, please CLICK HERE for information regarding competition and application. Deadline for submissions is March 31st, 2026.

COBS Bread Cards are still available for sale. Preferred payment is by e-transfer to  [email protected] with a note in the comments that the money is for Cobs Bread Cards. Cash or cheques will be accepted. For information on where to pick-up cards, refer to your February Newsletter or email of January 26th or contact [email protected]. DON’T FORGET TO ASK YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO BUY A CARD.

Information:
• Cards are $25 each
• Cards are valid only at Ridley Square
• One product per day — if you have multiple cards, you cannot claim both on the same day. You’ll have to return another day
• All stamps will be honoured – if you miss a month, don’t worry, you can redeem that stamp at any time in the future, just not 2 stamps on the same day
• No redemptions in December 2026

CFUW keeps half of the proceeds which will go to our Charitable Fund for our Awards Program and Local Agencies that benefit women and children. Help make this fundraiser a success while enjoying delicious baked bread and supporting a great cause.

If you have any questions, you can contact [email protected]. Thank you.

The Environmental Action Group invites 30 members to join us for two tours at Brock on Thursday, February 19th.

• 10:30 am, we will learn how the District Energy System (DES) powers the campus, during a tour of the tunnels, and uncover energy-saving strategies that can be applied in labs and study spaces.
• 1 p.m., we will explore the Cairns Health and Bioscience Research Complex and discover how this critical building integrates sustainability, energy efficiency, and cutting-edge research.

Members can sign up for one or both tours, and lunch at Brock. Contact info is in the January and February newsletters.

Free CARP Membership Now Available for All CFUW Members

We are thrilled to share an exciting new partnership between the CFUW (formerly the Canadian Federation of University Women) and CARP (Canadian  Association of Retired Persons). This collaboration brings together two influential national organizations committed to equity, education, advocacy, and improving the lives of women and older adults.

As part of this partnership, every CFUW member is now eligible for a free one-year CARP membership (regularly $19.95). There is no cost, no obligation, and a great deal to gain. And in return, CARP will be introducing CFUW to its 250,000 members across Canada, helping us expand our reach, grow our chapters, and bring more voices into our shared advocacy work.

Why CARP Membership Matters for CFUW Members
CARP is Canada’s leading non-partisan, not-for-profit advocacy organization focused on improving life as we age. Their work aligns closely with CFUW’s mission
and values, especially in areas of lifelong learning, public policy, and community engagement. CARP’s national advocacy has contributed to major policy wins, including:
 Ending mandatory retirement
 Advancing pension income splitting
 Restoring Old Age Security eligibility to age 65
 Establishing the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
 Fighting for stronger long-term care standards, home care, and healthcare access

By becoming a CARP member, you add your voice to a powerful movement working on many of the issues CFUW members care deeply about.
Your Free CARP Membership Includes
 Exclusive member benefits and discounts on travel, insurance, health products, and more
 Regular updates, research, and issue briefings on healthcare, financial security, aging, and public policy
 Participation in national advocacy campaigns shaping federal and provincial policy
 A stronger platform for your voice—as part of a 230,000-member organization working for change

Already a CARP member? You will automatically receive an additional free year by extending your membership with this link.

To Claim Your Free CARP Membership
1. Visit CLICK HERE
2. Follow the prompts to register or renew
3. Enjoy full access to CARP’s advocacy, benefits, and community for one year—free of charge

Working Together for Greater Impact
This partnership strengthens both of our organizations.
 CFUW members gain the power and reach of CARP’s national advocacy network.
 CARP will proudly promote CFUW—to help us grow, expand our voice, and welcome more women into our educational and advocacy mission.

Together, CFUW and CARP can champion a more equitable, age-friendly, and inclusive Canada. We encourage every CFUW member to take advantage of this
free CARP membership and add your voice to a movement creating meaningful change.

Thank you for your dedication to advancing equity, education, and advocacy.

Candlelight Vigil to Honour the Victims of the Montreal Massacre:

Club members and members of the public are invited to a Candlelight Vigil to honour those who lost their lives or were injured in an act of violent misogyny on December 6, 1989 at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal. The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women commemorates the 14 women who were killed that day, because they were women, and the lives of all of those who have died as a result of gender-based violence.

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025

Time: 7 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location: The ceremony will take place on the banks of the Welland Canal between Linwell and Scott Streets on the Welland Canal Trail on December 6th from 7-9 pm. See the map below.

Details:

• Large photos of the victims will be hung on the backs of seven park benches and illuminated by bright LED lights so they can be viewed while walking on the Trail.
• The names and a brief bio of each young woman will be read by attendees between 7:30 and 8:15.
• Please bring a flashlight or battery-operated candle.
• Limited parking spaces are available at various locations along the Welland Canal Parkway. See the map below. Consider carpooling.
• We’re grateful to the Brock Sexual Violence Prevention Committee which is supplying photos of the women who will be honoured.

They are acknowledged by name here:

1. Geneviève Bergeron (born 1968) (aged 21), civil engineering student
2. Hélène Colgan (born 1966) (aged 23), mechanical engineering student
3. Nathalie Croteau (born 1966) (aged 23), mechanical engineering student
4. Barbara Daigneault (born 1967) (aged 22), mechanical engineering student
5. Anne-Marie Edward (born 1968) (aged 21), chemical engineering student
6. Maud Haviernick (born 1960) (aged 29), materials engineering student
7. Maryse Laganière (born 1964) (aged 25), budget clerk in the École Polytechnique’s finance department
8. Maryse Leclair (born 1966) (aged 23), materials engineering student
9. Anne-Marie Lemay (born 1967) (aged 22), mechanical engineering student
10. Sonia Pelletier (born 1961) (aged 28), mechanical engineering student
11. Michèle Richard (born 1968) (aged 21), materials engineering student
12. Annie St-Arneault (born 1966) (aged 23), mechanical engineering student
13. Annie Turcotte (born 1969) (aged 20), materials engineering student
14. Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (born 1958) (aged 31), nursing student

MAP:
The round spot is where parking is available.  X marks where the vigil will be. 

An ancient activity, theatre is now proving itself as essential in addressing our modern world as a community and as the citizens who take care of it and one another. Engage with and be inspired by Kimberley Rampersad, Associate Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival as she discusses the Shaw Festival expansion plan .. a movement for real human connection that will transform The Shaw into a centre for communication, creativity, and curiosity for all ages across the Niagara Region.

Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Time: 6:00 pm, Doors Open: Browse and Join Interest Groups

7:00 pm, Speaker, Kimberley Rampersad
Associate Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Place: Club Roma, Gemini Ballroom

Cost: Members and guests free, Public $10

Door Prize Draw: Two VIP tickets, Shaw Festival

Connect to the Community – Browse resource tables
Start Me Up Niagara
Canadian Blood Services-Partners for Life
Dyslexia Learning Centre Niagara
Niagara Health Auxiliary/Volunteer Resources
CFUW Interest Groups