WINS visits WVCEOS

This past October, thirty-nine women from Nova Scotia, a WI member from New Brunswick and one very brave bus driver made the long journey to West Virginia and back. The purpose of our trip was to attend the WVCEOS conference in Jackson's Mill, West Virginia, and to meet and share with the WVCEOS members.

We boarded the bus early on the morning of October 10th and our first overnight stop was in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The next morning we were back on the road, bright and early, and headed toward Jackson's Mill. The colour of the fall leaves was breathtaking. It was absolutely the perfect time of year to travel by bus and to be able to enjoy the gorgeous scenery.

At close to midnight, our bus pulled into the Mill and we were warmly greeted by Deborah Stiles (NSAC) and members of the West Virginia Community Educational Outreach Service (WVCEOS).

For the next four nights, the Northern Panhandle Cabin at the Mill would be our home. Jackson's Mill is a conference facility that is operated by the West Virginia University and is the site of the 4-H state camp. It is an historical area and was the boyhood home of Stonewall Jackson. Many of the old buildings and the Mill are still on site. It is such a beautiful area.

The range of workshops offered at the WVCEOS conference was large and there was something for everyone. During the workshops and assembly sessions, we were able to interact with the WV ladies and learn much about their culture and their organization.

One afternoon, our bus driver took us to Charleston, the capital city. Our ladies toured the Capital building and then did a little shopping. The next morning, October 15th, it was time to leave our friends in West Virginia and start our long trip back to Nova Scotia.

We had an overnight stop in Chicopee, Massachusetts and before you know it, we were back at the border in Houlton, Maine. As the bus left the border and crossed into Canada, a spontaneous chorus of ‘O Canada' was sung by one and all. Later that night, midnight to be exact, our bus pulled into the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro. Friends and family members were waiting for the weary travelers. We truly missed the kind and generous people of West Virginia, but it was good to be home.

In July 2006, members of the WVCEOS are expected to travel by bus from West Virginia to attend our WINS Provincial Convention in Truro. We look forward to the next chapter of this international friendship.