Representatives of all 81 chapters of the Pennsylvania State Chapter of P.E.O., led by outgoing president Ellen Endslow, convened in Harrisburg for the 82nd annual Pennsylvania convention and the 150th anniversary of the founding of the organization. The five Lancaster P.E.O. chapters hosted the convention held at the Harrisburg Hershey Sheraton from June 7 to 9. Delegates met to conduct business and celebrate achievements of the past year.
On June 8, the newly elected officers were installed. The P.E.O. state board for 2019-20 consists of president Alicia Redfern, Bloomsburg; vice president Ann Huddleston, Spring House; organizer Jennifer Pioch, Malvern; treasurer Starr Hull, Sewickley; and secretary Pat Coulter, Williamsport.
The P.E.O. Sisterhood is a philanthropic and educational organization interested in bringing increased opportunities for higher education to women. Through P.E.O., women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grant awards, and loans; support Cottey College in Nevada, Mo.; and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations.
One of the early pioneer societies for women, P.E.O. was founded on Jan. 21, 1869, by seven female students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Today, P.E.O. has grown from that membership of seven to almost a quarter of a million members in chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
From 1907, when the first loan fund was created, P.E.O. has given more than $304 million in financial assistance to more than 102,000 recipients. Information about the organization and all five scholarships is available at http://www.peointernational.org.
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