P.E.O. Chapter V, Meridian

Published 12:45 am Friday, September 29, 2017

Discussion of an upcoming bridge marathon tournament fundraiser highlighted the August meeting of the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.), Chapter V, Meridian.

The event will mark the third year P.E.O. Chapter V has hosted the fundraiser at the fellowship hall of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Philadelphia. According to P.E.O. spokesperson Joyce Dansby, many women attended last year’s event to play bridge, win prizes donated by local business, bid on silent auction items and enjoy a lovely lunch, wine and fellowship. The event has attracted participants from Newton, Meridian, Louisville and Philadelphia.

This year’s bridge marathon tournament is scheduled for Oct. 5 at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Participation is open to women of all bridge playing skill levels. For more information and tickets for the call Joyce Dansby at 601-650-6599 or e-mail at joycedms@bellsouth.net.

Sponsors for this year’s event are: The Added Touch, Byars Furniture, City Donuts, City Jewelry, City Limits, Clothesline, Crystal, Depot Bowling, Dixie G.B, Faulkenberry’s, Frame Factory, Junction, Fair City Liquor Store, Mixers, Little Caesars, Los Rodeos, Oasis, Old Mexico, PAC- flyer, Penn’s, Philadelphia Printing, PHOP, Ronnie’s Steak House, Stribling Drug, Subway, Tank’s Byrd Athletic, Edward Jones, Fashion and Fabrics, Flowers from the Heart, Frame by Frame, Hospital Drug, Kademi, M & S, Steve’s on the Square, Taste and See, Tractor Supply, Williams Brothers and Yates Building Supply.

P.E.O. is an international organization that began in 1869 by seven teenage ladies because of their friendship. Today the sisterhood has more than 235,000 active members, with more than 6,000 local chapters. Mississippi has 25 P.E.O. chapters with more than 750 members.

P.E.O. supports women’s education through scholarships, 2 percent simple interest loans, grants and awards, plus the ownership of an all women’s liberal arts college in Nevada, Mo. Cottey College has graduated 8,875 women from all 50 states, 4 provinces and more than 85 countries since 1887, the year of the first class.

As of April 2017, P.E.O. has given $282,452,497 to help women almost 99,000 recipients further their education. Mississippi sisters gave $38,000 to the projects in 2016-17, but received more than $104,000 dollars to assist Mississippi women.

P.E.O. is looking for more women to help in the area with support as well as with women interested in learning more about this sisterhood. For more information and questions, contact Joyce Dansby at 601-650-6599 or joycedms@bellsouth.net.