Friday’s rain gave way to a beautiful, blustery Saturday morning when about two dozen members of Perry’s two PEO Chapters, DE and OK, gathered in Wiese Park for a “friend-raising” event called Walk Today for Women Tomorrow.
“PEO is an organization formed more than 150 years ago in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, at Iowa Wesleyan by seven very enterprising young ladies,” said Lori Gilroy of Perry, who welcomed the members and guests in attendance and noted PEO members from across the U.S. and Canada were also walking Saturday.
The official mission statement of PEO is “Where women motivate and educate and celebrate women,” Gilroy said. “We do this through educational loans, scholarships and grants.”
She said the “fun opportunity to connect with sisters, family and friends” will be held annually in order to “highlight the value of sisterhood and our mission of supporting women’s education.”
The organizing committee for Saturday’s walk included Gilroy, Barb Hansen, Pat McPherson, Lori Seeley, Kathy Hoskinson, Carol Cavanaugh, Laura Painter, Laura Stebbins, Kathy Miner and Kathy Powell.
