IODE MANITOU CHAPTER
The IODE, originally named the Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire, is a Canadian women’s charitable organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children, youth and those in need, through educational, social service and citizenship programs.
Our IODE Manitou Chapter was founded in 1958, taking its name from one of the islands in Lake Nipissing. Our motto is ‘IN JOINING HANDS WE MAY ACCOMPLISH MUCH”. As women we have come together in friendship with a desire to contribute to our community. This Pergola Leaf is dedicated to the memory of all those women, now deceased, who worked so diligently on the many IODE projects over the years.
Since our inception we have raised many thousands of dollars for a wide variety of charitable projects, and at the same time forged bonds of friendship that have endured for over fifty years
In our early days the IODE Manitou Chapter successfully hosted many themed dances and the guests enjoyed attending in original costumes. Titles for these events included “Glitter Gulch”, “The Great Gatsby”, “Who’s Who in Hell”, “Mad Hatter’s Ball” and “See You in the Funny Papers”. These were wonderful opportunities for everyone to participate in decorations, food preparation, stage productions, and the multitude of activities to ensure that everyone had a memorable evening. Happy times!
Other fundraisers included stage shows such as Royal Air Farce, Spring Thaw and
Dinner Theatre presentations. Our Fashion Shows delighted everyone. At the time of the North Bay Winter Fur Carnivals, IODE Manitou organized the Carnival Queen events.
More recently, we sponsored a performance of our local Gateway Theatre Guild raising $3000 and another $5000 by taking two busloads to “War Horse” in Toronto, all for new MRI equipment.
Less spectacular, but very worthwhile, were garage sales, bake sales, and bridge afternoons. No less than three cookbooks were published. For a few years we carried on the tradition of the “Flag Ball”, an elegant affair for North Bay’s social scene. Our Medieval Feast re-creation was spectacular with its wonderful sets and magnificent costuming.
Monies raised from these events have been spent in multiple ways. Local hospitals have benefited particularly from receiving medical equipment of every variety. IODE Manitou has furnished rooms and sponsored clinics, given bursaries to students, provided care bags for the Women’s Crisis Centre, and breakfast muffins for school children. We also sent books and other supplies to Northern schools as well as overseas.
In preparing for our 50th Anniversary, we found that as with other organizations, some of our archived material had been lost, but in reconstructing our past, IODE Manitou Chapter realized the full measure of how much has been accomplished, and our Anniversary dinner was celebrated by current and former members against a backdrop of our photographic record. This slide show allowed us to remember those who have passed on, because we saw many photos of these deceased members who had contributed so happily to the work of IODE.
We founded our website www.manitouiode.ca where you can read about IODE Manitou in more detail. The IODE Manitou Chapter will continue their efforts to contribute to the North Bay community.
“IN JOINING HANDS WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MUCH”