Submitted photo

Current and past members of the local EY P.E.O. Sisterhood, along with P.E.O. scholarship recipients, celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Chapter with a potluck on July 12.

On July 12, the local Chapter EY P.E.O. Sisterhood celebrated its 40th year in Harney County. Current and past P.E.O. members, as well as P.E.O. scholarship recipients, were invited to attend a potluck gathering at the home of Wendy Bull to celebrate the milestone.

P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans, and stewardship of Cottey College; and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations.

Laurie Draper (one of the original members) shared the history of the local chapter, which was written by Sylvia Martin approximately one year after it was formed.

Martin wrote that she met with Susan Thompson and Suzanne Marshall on February 13, 1982, at Corks (a deli/ice cream parlor that existed in Burns in the 1970s and 80s) for a “short” lunch that ended up lasting more than two hours. By the end of the lunch, the three ladies decided to pursue obtaining charter permission to organize a local P.E.O. Chapter.

Before moving to Harney County, all three ladies were members of other P.E.O. Chapters. They decided that Marshall should formally request permission to start a chapter in Burns, as the chapter she belonged to (Chapter DE in Bend) was closest.

The history included remarks about each of the 17 original EY P.E.O. Chapter members.

Four of the 17 original members — Draper, Geri Oster, Norma Pritchard, and Carolyn Bauer — attended the 40th anniversary celebration.

The following are excerpts from the story written by Martin in 1983 regarding the history of the local Chapter EY P.E.O. Sisterhood in Burns:

“Two of our sisters attended Colorado State University. One who did not is Geri Oster who attended Eastern Oregon College. She has been involved in AAU swim team, scouting, and many community organizations in the 20 years she’s lived in Harney County. Geri enjoys gardening, tennis, and trips to Eugene to visit her granddaughter, Kristen.

“Three members look up when someone says ‘Sue.’ One who does not is Norma Pritchard. Norma was born and raised in Denver and has four grown children. She spends many hours in her lovely yard and finds time to read, sew, and paint.

“Four of our number graduated from high school in 1963. One who graduated a few years later is Laurie Draper. Laurie works at a local bank, is a 4-H leader, and is landscaping the yard at her new home. She majored in home economics and enjoys the out-of-doors, fishing, and backpacking.

“Three of our group are 4-H leaders. One who is not is Carolyn Bauer, who may be in the future. She helps run a farm raising rabbits for meat and pelts. She works part-time in her husband’s dental office and is a retired medical technologist. Carolyn loves skiing and the out-of-doors. Both her mother and mother-in-law are members of P.E.O.”

The other original chapter members are Suzanne Marshall, Robin Cramer, Judith Witte, Sara Fisher, Judith Mrowka, Susan Metke, Susan Thompson, Dorothy Voegtly, Joann Wilson, Florence Scharff, Edna Timms, Mary Ann Hawley, and Sylvia Martin.

In the 40 years that the Chapter EY P.E.O. has been in existence, more than $269,268 in scholarship funds have been awarded to deserving women in Harney County pursuing higher education.