Philanthropic convention wraps up today at Cd'A Casino

The 99th convention of Idaho State Chapter, P.E.O., is taking place this weekend in Worley.

P.E.O., a Philanthropic Educational Organization, has 88 chapters and 3,726 members in Idaho. The women's organization has nearly 250,000 members in the United States and Canada.

Convention guest speaker is Leann Drullinger, past president of Nebraska State Chapter and Chairman of the Study and Research Committee of International Chapter.

State officers are President Rita Myers, Lewiston; Vice President Marta Arthurs, Osburn; Organizer Judith Weatherbie, Twin Falls, Treasurer Jane Ingram, Boise; and Secretary Helen Iverson-Metzger, Twin Falls. Convention co-chairs are Julie Porietis, Sandpoint, and Susie Puckett, Sagle. Hostess chapters are AV, BF, and CL, Coeur d'Alene; V and CA, Sandpoint; and AP, Bonners Ferry.

Founded in 1869 with a commitment to women's education, P.E.O. has six major projects which include the Educational Loan Fund, International Peace Scholarship, Program for Continuing Education, Scholar Awards, the Star Scholarship for high school seniors, and Cottey College for women in Nevada, Missouri which the sisterhood owns and operates. This past year Idaho chapters donated over $181,000 to those projects. Throughout its history, P.E.O. has awarded more than $235,000,000 in scholarships to 90,400 deserving women.

There is also a P.E.O. Foundation which manages scholarships given by local chapters, and recipients were invited to speak during a dinner at the convention, that began Friday and ends today at the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort.

The Coeur d'Alene Chorus of Sweet Adelines entertained at the dinner on Saturday.

Information about P.E.O. and its scholarship programs is available on the website peointernational.org.