May 27, 2026
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The South Bruce Retired Women Teachers of Ontario/Organization des enseignantes retraitées de l’Ontario (RWTO/OERO) gathered May 13 to celebrate the milestone 70th anniversary of the provincial organization and to honour the history and members of the local branch.
The ladies were asked to dress in the provincial colour palette of blue and gold including their best hat. South Bruce members answered the challenge with their usual flair.
The anniversary tea was provided by the Ripley-Huron Legion Ladies Auxiliary, consisting of finger sandwiches, dessert squares and refreshments served in china cups, on china plates. The blue and gold table décor and musical accompaniment by harpist Beth MacKenzie completed the garden party ambience.
Throughout the event, friends and former colleagues shared memories as they browsed photo albums documenting past meetings and activities.
South Bruce RWTO/OERO president JoAnn Ruetz welcomed the well-dressed group and thanked past-president Frances Nixon for the new branch banner proudly displayed in the hall. She tested everyone’s knowledge of the provincial organization’s roots and recalled the early beginnings of the South Bruce Branch.
The provincial group was formed in 1956 to address inequities in pension payments between male and female retired teachers. Today, it continues to represent the interests and well-being of retired women educational professionals through programs, support and friendship.
The local branch, originally formed in 1967, was based in Walkerton/Hanover and covered a very large geographical area. It nearly folded in 2001 until Eva Wilken agreed to assume the presidency and the chapter was renamed South Bruce to reflect the area where most members resided. Twelve current South Bruce members are charter members of this group.
Ruetz welcomed new member Lynn Shepherd-Adamson and introduced guest Nancy Strutt, RWTO/OERO Area 1 Director who belongs to the Dundalk-Flesherton and District Branch.
Strutt congratulated the branch on attracting new members and addressed provincial issues and concerns. She encouraged everyone to attend the provincial convention in June being held in London.
As the meeting neared its end, Ruetz presented secretary and communications director Rosie Neilson with the Cora Bailey Award for outstanding service to her branch. Neilson also received a gift alongside insurance co-ordinator Betty Johnson, in appreciation of their work on the executive as they step down from their roles.
The next and final gathering of the season takes place June 19 to mark the end of the school year in solidarity with colleagues still working in area schools. Details will be posted on the rwto.org website on the branch’s page: rwto.org/branch-new/south-bruce/ under Coming Events.
The South Bruce Branch of the RWTO/OERO welcomes any retired women teachers, audiologists, child and youth workers/counsellors, early childhood educators, educational assistants, office support staff, psychologists, social workers and speech and language pathologists living in southern Bruce County. Contact information can be found by visiting the previously mentioned web page.
Written ByChristine Roberts is a retired elementary school teacher, president of Huron Bruce Nature, member of the Ripley and District Horticultural Society, volunteer for the David Suzuki Foundation, VON volunteer fitness leader and a passionate lover of nature.
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