GORE BAY—Six copies of the book ‘Quincy and His Quilt: A Northern Adventure,’ teddy bears, and several homemade blankets have been presented by members of the Gordon Women’s Institute (W.I.) to the Gore Bay Medical Centre to present to young children who have to visit the medical centre for a needle or other medical care.
Bev Pickard, of the Gordon W.I., told the Recorder ‘Quincy and His Quilt: A Northern Adventure’ is part of a special project to celebrate the 119th anniversary of Women’s Institutes in Canada. The Gordon W.I. is 106 years-old.
Each W.I. area has been given copies of the book as part of a special project to celebrate the 119th anniversary of Women’s Institute, a Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) release explains. “These books were to be shared with W.I.s within each area. We are asking that you purchase a little teddy bear, make a small quilt or blanket, wrap it in an individual package and deliver it to a children’s hospital/ward, police department or fire department on February 19-W.I. Day.”
“Formed on February 19, 1897, the Women’s Institute is a unique organization dedicated to personal growth and community action. It offers many opportunities for learning, leadership, friendship, travel and involvement in a variety of issues and interests,” the release notes.
“The W.I. has approximately 3,500 members across Ontario. Through its connections with the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada (FWIC) and the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), FWIO belongs to a global sisterhood of women working to improve the quality of life for all women, their families and communities.”
The book tells the story of Tekla, a young medical doctor in Canada’s far north and her inseparable partner Quincy, a brown teddy bear. Together they face a long journey across the tundra to save the life of an Inuit baby in a remote Arctic community.
The story was the winning entry in a competition sponsored by the FWIO as a special feature of their inaugural provincial quilt show, “Quilts, Quills and Bears.”
