Fonds MCA-0164 - Mission City Women's Institute fonds

The Mission Women's Institute was established in 1910. Its first activity was sending blankets and parcels to soldiers serving overseas in World War I. As the chief organizer of the civilian war effort in Mission, MWI also made thousands of jars of jam, knitted garments and packed tobacco for men overseas. The MWI sold patriotic buttons and organized concerts and a play to raise money for the overseas aircraft fund and hospitals. It formed the first public lending library in Mission and brought the first public health nurse to Mission to start the first baby clinic. It organized the first tag day to start the building of Pleasant View Home. It participated in numerous fundraising efforts and community movements to establish and maintain the Mission Memorial Hospital. In 1925, it donated a new bandstand to the Mission City Community Brass Band. In 1945, it made five quilts for Russian relief. It regularly made donations to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. It held baby contests and an annual flower show for at least fifteen years, the fifteenth show being in June 1931. In 1918, it donated fruit and vegetables to the Rescue Home in Vancouver. In 1921, it offered night classes in sewing, dressmaking, millinery and bookkeeping. In 1949, it made donations to the Queen Alexandra Solarium Junior League, Conquer Cancer, and the Mission Film Council. Affiliated with the Agricultural Board, it often used the Agricultural Hall for meetings and other gatherings. It was funded by a small annual government group. The purpose of members was to serve "home and country". After 85 years of existence, members voted on October 23, 1995 to go into abeyance. MWI funds were donated to Mission Transition House children's program