Saturday, March 8th, 2025

Welcome!

CFUW Stratford is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of women working to promote lifelong education, to improve the status of women and girls, and to enable women to effect positive change for a peaceful, sustainable future.

We welcome all women in and around Stratford, those with a university or college degree as well as women who have followed less traditional career paths, who share the CFUW goals.

Our roughly 70 members embody more than 70 years of remarkable dedication to both the club and the community.

 

Remembering December 6th

Today, we remembered the 14 young women who were murdered at École Polytechnique in Montreal 35 years ago by a man who claimed he was fighting feminism. In the first classroom he entered, he shot 9 young women, killing six. The gunman then went on a rampage killing only women students as he moved through corridors, into a crowded cafeteria, and into another classroom. He targeted women students, pursuing those who attempted to hide or to escape. A wounded student asked for help; the gunman stabbed her three times with his hunting knife, killing her.

The women who were killed would be in their fifties and sixties now. We mourn for the lives they were not given a chance to live and for their families and friends who have been mourning their deaths all these long years.

We also remember the 10 other women the gunman targeted and the four men who were wounded. The survivors watched the deaths of these young women who were friends and fellow students. In the case of the nursing student, her spouse was with her and saw her killed. For all present, the killings were a horror that would be impossible to forget.

Unfortunately, this tragedy did not mark a beginning to the end of violence against women. We are still struggling to end gender-based violence and women are still dying. To remember is to work for change.

Bad weather? No worries - Mike Masse via Zoom

Mindfulness Coach, Mike Masse, joined us via Zoom January 28th, and started his presentation with a short guided meditation. He then proceeded to teach us in an engaging way about the theory of mindfulness and the benefits it can bring to our well-being. Starting the year with wellness in mind. Mike has great resources on his website, so whether you missed his presentation or you would like more information check out Mindful Mike.

Focus on Advocacy

Tuesday February 25th

7:00pm 

Stratford District Secondary School

Drama Room

Women’s Issues

Lisa Wilde, the executive director of the Emily Murphy Centre will be our speaker for the Feb. general meeting.  We have asked her to talk about the reasons why women need second stage housing and a bit about the Emily Murphy Centre.  As we have been actively supporting the Emily Murphy Centre this year, it will be very interesting to have her talk to us.

Climate Action

Stay Tuned for the Sustainable Shopping Cart!  We will be introducing the Cart (Literally! 🙂

Turns out Sustainable also largely means Local, Ontarian, and Canadian. 🍁 

Coldest Night of the Year

Coldest Night of the Year

 

  • The Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) walk is an annual fundraiser for the United Way Stratford Connections Centre and Shelterlink Youth Services
  • Saturday, February 22nd
  • If you would like to join the team, speak to Kate Welsh
  • If you would like to donate, go to https://cnoy.org and search Location for Stratford and CFUW Stratford

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REALIZING POTENTIAL.

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We acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Neutral (Attiwondeonk), Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. the territory is governed by two Treaties. The first is the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant of 1701, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. The second is the Huron Tract Treaty of 1827, an agreement made between eighteen Anishinabek Chiefs and the Canada Company. The responsibility to share and care for this territory extends to all of us for generations to come.