IODE Ottawa Invited to IODE Coat of Arms Presentation

Tuesday, November 24, 2015, IODE Ottawa members were invited to participate in the official presentation of IODE's Coat of Arms.  Following the presentation, members were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Canadian Heraldic Authority offices and were shown the process of creating Coats of Arms from the initial concept idea to finished product.   
Left - Right: Ann Dyer, Chris Bateman, Valerie Blais, Deputy Chief Herald Bruce Patterson, Chief Herald Claire Boudreau, Marnie Van Steen, Gwyneth Harkin, Charlotte Parry, Jose Hamilton and Anne Mason.
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IODE's coat of arms shows two lionesses, the first to be used in a coat of arms, holding the IODE crest centre shield. They are standing on three steps, each representing one of our three areas of focus: Education, Community Service and Citizenship.  The roses represent IODE's glorious history, and the bowl represents how IODE keeps its members together.  Red and Blue represent IODE's official colours.  Pro Regina et Patria translates to For Queen and Country.

National will be setting guidelines for which the Coat of Arms may be used.
 
Reproduction of the Coat of Arms on items for public distribution or for sale without consent from IODE Canada is strictly prohibited.

Remembrance Day, 2015

Thanks to IODE Laurentian Chapter member and veteran Joan Drummond for laying the wreath on behalf of IODE Ottawa Municipal Chapter on November 11th, 2015 at the National War memorial in Ottawa.

Lest We Forget.

IODE Ontario 2014 Annual General Meeting

95 Years & Still Making a Difference

Our Provincial Annual meeting was held in Ottawa on April 17-18, 2015.  Friday night IODE Ottawa hosted an evening of fun - Days Gone Bytown.   Members were asked to dress as lumberjacks as a nod to Ottawa's history as a lumber town.  Lock Up Your Daughters entertained us all after dinner with their toe-tapping, Celtic jigs and reels.

Saturday, St. Paul's School, Norwood Ontario was announced as the winner of the "We Go To the Best School" contest by retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield.

Constable Dave Sparrock (Hwy 407 Detachment) was the recipient of the OPP Community Relations
 Award for his dedication to the city of Hamilton's food and toy drives every December.  And members were thrilled to have very special guest Mrs. Loreen Harper, attend Saturday lunch and then give a talk on the importance of volunteering.
IODE Ottawa Municipal Chapter
2015 Community Relations Award Recipient
Louise Hine-Schmidt (Ottawa Fire Services)
We were very pleased to present Louise Hine-Schmidt with the IODE Ottawa Municipal Chapter Community Relations Award for 2015.  Louise received a glowing recommendation for this award from Acting Deputy Chief Phil Muggleton who praised Louise for her key role in organizing Camp FFiT (Female Firefighters in Training) - a week long summer camp for young women between the ages of 15-19 that includes a physically and academically demanding program with an appropriate amount of team-building activities and fun;  with the goal being to encourage more women to apply to become firefighters. 

Louise is also the President of Fire Service Women Ontario, whose mission is to encourage, promote and advance women in the fire services.  Louise is one of the 3% of female firefighters in Ottawa, and was the first female firefighters at her station.  It's her goal, through programs like Camp FFiT, to increase that percentage and for female firefighters to eventually be recognized simply as "firefighters". 

Plans are in the works to expand the Camp FFiT program to Toronto, Hamilton and London Ontario in the near future.

Congratulations Louise on being a most deserved recipient for this year's award and we wish you continued success with Camp FFiT.

For more information about Camp FFiT or to donate a "Campership" for a girl in need of financial assistance Click Here
or send an email to [email protected]