Shout out: Four local delegates attend state PEO convention

Submitted by Miriam Deen

Four delegates from Portales attended the 81st state Philanthropic Educational Organiza-tion convention May 6-8 at the Hilton Hotel in Albuquerque.

They were Ginger Creighton and Janine Elder from Chapter BE and Miriam Deen and Iris Johnson from Chapter R.

All 71 chapters in the state were represented, with two delegates from each chapter present. In addition to the delegates, there were seven state officers, 19 past presidents, and a chairman of Cottey College from Nevada, Miss., present.

Theme of this year’s convention was “Catch the Dream.”

Celia Jenkins of Chapter R, Portales, along with 12 other women, was honored at the Friday luncheon as a “Golden Girl” for having been a member of PEO for 50 years. She received a certificate and a gift.

New initiates were also recognized at the luncheon. Four of those initiates were from Chapter R of Portales: Mary Daughrity, Faye Dunn, Vaunceil Turnbough and Lola Hutchins.

Ruth Warui-Kabuitu, International Peace Scholar from Kenya, was featured at the Friday night banquet, to which PEO husbands were invited.

Kabuitu, who has just graduated from Highlands University with a master’s degree, told the large group present that receiving her education in America has been a dream come true, and has been accomplished only because of the PEO scholarships she received.

Kabuitu will be going back to her country and sharing her knowledge with her fellow countrymen.

At the “Time of Remembrance” service held Saturday morning, Marcia Brooks, Chapter BE of Portales and Claudia Prince, Chapter R of Portales, were among those memorialized in “Chapter Eternal” for PEO members who have passed away during the past year.

Jane Hilliard, longtime PEO member and past state president from Portales, was recognized from the podium with regret that she was unable to attend this year’s convention.