IODE Canada 
Vignettes in Our History

Founded in 1900, IODE Canada is a national women's charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals through education support, community service, and citizenship programs.

IODE Vignettes will describe milestones in our history and reprint articles from the Echoes archives. It is a remarkable history of the IODE women's charitable movement in Canada over the past 113 years that continues today. 

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Looking back through IODE’s history is fascinating.  You would be amazed at the innovative projects the IODE women of the past supported!  In the early 1900’s, The Quinte Chapter provided a teacher to the Children’s Shelter in Belleville.

Belleville’s The Argyle Chapter supported the 15th Regiment by providing a semi-private ward in the hospital for their use and by giving money for prizes for drill competitions.

The St. Thomas Chapter had 200 members at one point and were instrumental in forming an isolation hospital in St. Thomas, and they provided the furnishings for it.

The Brant chapter provided prizes for local students and awarded a rifle to the high school Cadet making the best rifle score for the year.  They acted as a Women’s Auxiliary for the local Tuberculosis hospital.

The 57th Regiment Chapter in Peterborough was instrumental in raising money for a memorial to Dan Spence who was killed in the South African war.  They also placed flags on all veteran’s graves in local cemeteries on Empire Day.

Of major focus in the early days was the locating of graves of Canadian soldiers who died in the war in South Africa.  Money was collected here and sent to counterparts in South Africa , who arranged for people to locate the graves.  Headstones were purchased and placed.  Flowers, shrubs and trees were planted where the rainfall was sufficient and in others, the graves were covered with gravel.  Funds were invested and arrangements made to ensure the graves would be cared for in perpetuity.

Looking at Echoes (which has always been our publication), we used to advertise.  Again in the early 1900’s, there were ads for a quality baby crib, stone cutters and brick manufacturers,  land available from the Canadian Pacific railway,  furniture and electrical appliances to assist a bride make breakfast. 

Echoes 1902

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