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On Saturday, November 22, we had an amazing CFUW KW team of 20 women and 1 man who participated in a 6 km walk, in support of women and children experiencing domestic violence.

It was chilly, but we had SUNSHINE for our walk from Waterloo Town Square to Victoria Street in Kitchener and back.  And yes – the hot chocolate and BAGELS from Poppy’s Bagel & Bakery were delicious! (See the smiling faces in the photo attached for proof!)

This event was a fundraiser for Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region with monies raised going to the Anselma House & Haven House.  Our team raised $6,260 by the day of the walk, and there are still a few donations on the way.

Thank you to our walkers for coming out for the event, and to all those who supported us with a donation.  By walking, donating, and raising awareness through Voices Empower, we can help reduce risk, support survivors and honour the memory of women whose lives were lost to violence.

Thank you!

At last Tuesday’s general meeting on Nov 18^th,  our members were treated to a surprisingly delightful, upbeat and entertaining account of the history in Europe which led to World War 11. In his book “Shadows of Tyranny”, acclaimed author Ken McGoogan shows how the current resurgence of authoritarianism in the United States recalls Europe in the 1930s. I only wish my history teachers in high school had presented this topic using Ken’s entertaining approach.

Using black and white slogans, cartoons and photos, Ken described the rise of dictators in Europe, and their devastating impact on the lives of millions.  He draws a parallel on how “the current resurgence of authoritarianism in the United States, recalls Europe in the 1930s,” and how Donald Trump gained yet another term of office by applying strategies used by Hilter.

Shadows of Tyranny, is described as an audacious work of nonfiction.  Acclaimed author Ken McGoogan melds conventional history, political analysis, and literary observation into a genre-busting work of “cautionary nonfiction.”

A thank you to Wordsworth Books for displaying other publications by Ken McGoogan.  As a result, I purchased  a second book: “Lady Franklin’s Revenge”.   Only two chapters in, the book is shaping up to be thoroughly readable.   The book describes how Lady Franklin, the well-educated and resourceful wife of Sir John Franklin, orchestrated a 12-year search of his lost expedition. To quote: “Ken McGoogan tells the riveting story of a complex ambitious Victorian woman. who battling a society that denied her an active role, transformed a failed expedition into a triumphant legend.

Well worth reading…

Kathleen White, a pelvic floor physiotherapist, gave an enthusiastic and dynamic presentation on what we should know about the pelvic floor and how it affects many parts of our bodies.  Her presentation showed just how enthusiastic and passionate Kathleen is about her work.  She presented the topic in an engaging, informative manner, with moments of humour. She used the “blow up tube man”, (that flips around in the wind and used for outdoor advertising) to explain how the vagina moves depending on the organs around it. 

We heard back from those who attended that they enjoyed her talk and learned something new. Even members who were up to date on pelvic floor physiotherapy said they enjoyed the talk and learned from it.

The “pelvic floor” is a group of muscles that control urination and bowel movements, but also supports and affects all the muscles, ligaments and organs in the pelvic area. 

The pelvic floor is affected at puberty, pre and postpartum, peri menopause, and menopause. The hormonal changes, especially at those times, can affect pelvic tissue, muscle strength, leakage, vaginal and pelvic tissue changes, pelvic area pain and positive stability.  Many conditions in the pelvic area, from tail bone pain, deep hip pain, and prolapses may be helped by pelvic floor strengthening or relaxation.

We have all heard of Kegel exercises as the answer to incontinence, but do we know the correct way to do them or that they are not the answer for every condition?  Relaxation techniques may be required for some conditions.

A couple of the big take aways were:

            Don’t Stop moving

            Connect your breath and the core

            Do exercises and strength training

            Early intervention increases the chances of success without surgery

            Get to know your body in the pelvic area.

For pelvic floor issues, the right approach needs to the determined.  A balance of strength, coordination and relaxation.  A pelvic floor specialist can help you determine the right approach to help you.

Get informed and spread the word.  It is no longer a dirty secret we cannot talk about.

The installation of CFUW KW’s Micro Gallery for The Canadian Library took place on October 3, 2025 at the Kitchener Public Library’s Southwest Community Library.

This visual art project fosters awareness and respect for Indigenous Peoples in Canada, and serves as a platform to share the stories of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S) and children across the country.

Our Micro Gallery has 120 books covered in Indigenous-inspired fabrics.100 books have, in gold lettering on the spine, the names of those who have been found or known to be missing, and the remaining 20 books are without names to honour those who have never been reported as missing.

The Canadian Library project hopes to bring all the Micro Galleries together in a permanent location.

Thanks are extended to those who helped the Indigenous Issues Study Circle bring the project to life:

• Peggy Rose, for bringing this project to our attention
• CFUW KW for providing financial assistance to purchase the fabric
• CFUW KW members for volunteering their time and skills to cover the books
• Strong Start for generously providing its warehouse and training rooms to prepare the books
• Jean Becker and Melissa Ireland from the University of Waterloo’s Indigenous Relations Office for their advice and support
• Kelly Welch for leading the smudging ceremony and drumming circle
• Amanda Wiley, Senior Manager of the Southwest Community Library, for enthusiastically embracing the project, providing a custom glass-doored cabinet for our Micro Gallery, and hosting the installation ceremony and refreshments.

On October 29th, CFUW KW members rolled up their sleeves and volunteered their time at the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Together, our team sorted over 3,000 pounds of food, helping ensure that donations from across the community get to those who need them most. We learned that 1 in 8 households in the region are currently using the Food Banks services. 

Through our collective efforts—volunteering, food donations, and financial contributions—CFUW KW members helped provide over 3,000 meals to individuals and families facing food insecurity in our region. Around 1,800 meals per day are distributed everyday.  

The experience was both eye-opening and rewarding, reminding us of the impact that community action and teamwork can have. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported this initiative. Every can, every dollar, and every hour truly makes a difference.

If you’re interested in joining our next volunteer activity or learning more about how CFUW KW supports local organizations, stay tuned for future opportunities in our upcoming newsletters! 

To support the Food Bank please use our CFUW KW Link to donate so we can track the impact we are making within the community, you will receive the tax receipt directly. 

The Advocacy Committee met on October 16 and decided to proceed with these initiatives:

1. The Aging and Long-Term Care working group will focus on the 2025 Ontario Council resolution to urge the province to establish a Seniors’ Advocate.
2. A new working group will investigate the current local status of housing.
3. The Winter Clothing Drive and the Tiny Acts of Kindness drives will support the Tiny Home Takeout and its Bell Tower Resource Room.
4. The “Walk to Break the Silence”, Nov. 22 at 1pm, will raise funds for Anselma House and Haven House of the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.
5. A December 6^th Vigil will be held to commemorate the 14 women who were killed on December 6, 1989 at École Polytechnique in Montreal.

Upcoming Ontario Council Speaker Series:

• Sat., Nov. 29 – “The Role of Patriarchy: Historical Perspectives & Current Issues”

To register, go to cfuwontcouncil àEventsàSpeaker Series.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

November 15 – December 10

The "16 Days of Activism", an annual international campaign, starts on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and ends on Human Rights Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness, call for action, and renew commitments to end violence against women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals.  

Gender-based violence takes on many forms:

•       Domestic violence or intimate partner violence
•       Sexual harassment or assault
•       Child marriage
•       Psychological or emotional abuse
•       Human trafficking
•       Financial/economic abuse
•       Stalking
•       Femicide
•       Female genital cutting/mutilation
•       Online/digital violence

Ways to Take Action

• Donate to or volunteer at a women’s shelter, sexual assault or crisis centre, or an Indigenous women’s support centre.
• Read the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice and consider how you can act on them.
• Wear purple on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to raise awareness.
• Wear a white ribbon and attend a vigil on December 6.
• Write a letter to your representatives urging them to stand against violence against women, harassment, and toxicity in politics.
• Write an op-ed or letter to the editor to raise awareness about gender-based violence and ways to combat it.

by Janice Reiner

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign, and one of the largest organizing strategies in the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence around the world. It begins on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends on December 10, Human Rights Day.

CFUW (national) and clubs across the country are committed to ending gender-based violence and raising awareness for issues affecting women and girls worldwide.

On November 30, CFUW K-W had a 12-person team participate in the Voices Empower: Walk to Break the Silence. This 6 km walk is a time to reflect on and bring awareness to the increase of femicide, and to show support for those who have lost their lives and who are experiencing or recovering from domestic violence. Proceeds from the event will help provide safe shelter and outreach services to women and children moving beyond violence in Waterloo Region.

Thanks to walkers, members and friends who made a donation to support us, our team raised $7,413.09 for Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.

It was a chilly day, but we dressed for it. It was a fun walk from Waterloo Town Square to Victoria St. in Kitchener, and return. Delicious Poppy’s bagels and hot chocolate awaited us at the end.

On December 6th at 5:30 p.m. we held a Vigil for the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women at St. Columba Anglican Church, 250 Lincoln Rd., Waterloo. Stay tuned for photos and more about this event in the next issue.

By Susan Robinson

Educating girls and women is a core purpose of CFUW locally and nationally. The national CFUW Charitable Trust has an excellent scholarship program for women pursuing graduate studies. If you know someone who is looking at graduate studies, encourage her to apply for a nationally funded scholarship. A link to application details is in this article.

A few months ago, national office started a program called “Membership Moments”. It is a series of focused conversations regarding how to improve club activities. Every member is invited to attend and details on how to “Zoom in,” as well as summaries of the last few sessions, can be found in this article.

Finally, from national, there is an update about a CFUW brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women. On December 6, CFUW K-W club members attended the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women Vigil that was held at 5:30pm at the St. Columba Anglican Church at 250 Lincoln Rd, in Waterloo, Ontario.

On Friday, November 15, the applications opened for the 2025-2026 Charitable Trust Awards. The applications are managed by Universities Canada, but the selection of award winners will be made by the CFUW Fellowships Committee. The application portal will remain open until January 10.

Almost without exception, CFUW Clubs have their own scholarship funds, but the majority of these are supporting young women graduating from high school. The Charitable Trust (CT) awards are for women pursuing graduate studies. This year there will be fourteen awards and information can be found on the CT website at www.cfuwcharitabletrust.ca.

The Trust invites Clubs to share this information with their members and to ask them, in turn, to share within their network of friends and family. Clubs may also have contacts with their local university. CFUW has been funding further studies for women since 1919 and it is the support of CFUW Clubs and individual members that enables the CT to continue its work.

CFUW National has introduced a new feature called Monday Membership Moments. It is a Zoom meeting and takes place on the 4th Monday of every month at 4pm ET.

Topics have included attracting new members, raising our profile, and making CFUW known in our communities and retaining new recruits.

There have been three Membership Moments sessions so far. The PowerPoint and notes from the sessions are available on the Member’s Drive here (https://cfuw.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8efb82640cb8bc1fd889b4668&id=4147c07f8e&e=a6e15b7545) or go to Biennium 2024-2026 then CFUW Committees then Membership, Projects, MemMoments.

We’ll let you know when the January session topic is announced, so you can plan to join if it is of interest to you.

CFUW recently submitted a brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women for its study on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. Our brief focused on the importance of gun control measures as a critical way to prevent femicide.

CFUW has a long history of advocating for stricter gun control, following the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre. Access to firearms is one of the highest risk indicators for intimate partner violence resulting in death. The danger is particularly high in rural areas, where both the risk of gender-based violence and access to guns are higher. In fact, firearms are the most common method used to kill an intimate partner or child in rural areas. Guns are also used as tools to intimidate, control, and coerce, with their presence in the home often making it too dangerous for women to leave abusive situations.

Read CFUW’s full parliamentary brief.