Club History
The charter for the University Women’s Club of Scarborough (now known as CFUW Scarborough) was granted in 1960. The idea for the formation of a Scarborough affiliation originated with Scarborough resident Ruth Parry. The 10 founding members were guided and mentored by Laura Sabia, Provincial Director of CFUW, and CFUW North York. Laura presided over the first elections at which Ruth Parry was elected President. The 10 founding members were guided and mentored by Laura Sabia, Provincial Director of CFUW, and CFUW North York. Laura presided over the first elections at which Ruth Parry was elected President.
A commitment of the Club has been the annual provision of scholarships to students. These funds were raised through a variety of means. Initially, a theatre group was formed to raise money; after 1966 and continuing today, a portion of the annual membership fee is allocated to awards. Over the years money has been raised through a variety of activities including a raffle of a handmade quilt, gourmet dinners, bridge parties, book fairs, magazine sales, fashion shows.
There were a number of Study Groups in the early years. For 2 years beginning in 1970 the Education Study Group working with the Scarborough Board of Education researching the Hall-Dennis Report which centred on the aims of education in Ontario. In conjunction with this they sent briefs to both the Board and the Ministry of Education. Among the early groups, members examined the exhaustion of natural resources, garbage, recycling before it was instituted, women in science, media violence, equal pay for equal work, and nursery school in Scarborough and voting reform.
The aims established by the founding members of CFUW Scarborough remain firmly fixed in our operations. Today the Club members continue to raise awareness of issues important to all Canadians, especially women and children, and to raise money for awards for presentation to women enrolled in programmes at UTSC, Centennial College and Scarborough Women’s Centre. Members also support Julliette’s Place, a local women’s shelter.
The Quilting Project
Back in 1976 CFUW Scarborough’s craft group considered making a quilt to be raffled, with most of the proceeds going to the Scholarship Fund. A quilting group was formed, and decided on a pieced quilt in autumn colours. After discovering that a permit was required they obtained a licence the following year, and set a ticket price of just $1 each and three tickets for $2. The first $500 raised would be donated to the Scholarship Fund, and any extra would go to the General Operating Fund of the club.
Members pitched in by selling raffle tickets to family and friends, and the draw was held at the club’s April 1977 meeting. President Muriel Cluett drew the winning ticket and presented the quilt to Treasurer Mollie Elliot. The club had sold 1,046 tickets and raised $749 (the equivalent of about $3,530 in 2023); after expenses were paid, a donation of $600 was made to the Scholarship Fund and $85.33 went to the club.
The craft group so enjoyed the experience of working on the project that the members decided to spend another year at the craft, learning the finer points of quilting and investigating new patterns, designs and techniques.
UTSC scholarships launched
CFUW Scarborough also made the news in 1976 when an article in University of Toronto Magazine noted that “University of Toronto Scarborough has teamed up with a local branch of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) to offer scholarships to students interested in women’s issues. The first of the three awards will be given out this fall.”
Kathie Krashinsky, then CFUW Scarborough’s awards convenor, told the magazine: “This gift celebrates the importance of grassroots community partnerships, which are at the heart of our chapter’s mission.”
Read the full article here.