Women's Institute honours life member  Congratulations go out to Isabell McTaggart of Severn Bridge who was recently honoured by the Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario with a life membership in the Severn Bridge Women’s Institute. The honours were granted in recognition of much appreciated service with the W.I.

Isabell has held many positions as a W.I. member. She has been the secretary, treasurer, luncheon co-ordinator and Tweedsmuir history co-ordinator, often with overlapping duties. In the early years she would continue in these positions as long as six years at a time.

The Severn Bridge Women’s Institute was founded in 1919 with 18 ladies as the first members. Six of these women were directly related to Isabell. During the 1940s young Isabell and some of her siblings would accompany her grandma Millie Rennie and her mom Katy MacTaggart, both longtime active members of the W.I., to many of the meetings. At the time, these meetings took place in the members’ homes, as still happens at many Institutes today.

According to stories told by Isabell, it was a treat to tag along because all of the ladies took great pride in their abilities to entertain and offered up some fairly elaborate lunches.

At the age of 15, Isabell officially became a member of the Severn Bridge Women’s Institute following the family tradition.

Isabell is well deserving of the honour of a life membership through her tireless work with the Women’s Institute.

The Gravenhurst Hort­icultural Society will be holding their monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gravenhurst Seniors Centre.

This month’s guest speaker will be Hans Van Klink from Muskoka Gardens & More who will be speaking on what’s new for gardeners in 2008. Hans has information on the new varieties available this year and some slides of them. He will also being giving advice on how to care for and improve your old favourites.

The South Muskoka Memorial Hospital Auxiliary used book sale will be taking place on Thursday, March 27 from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m. in the hospital lobby.

There will be hundreds of books including paperbacks and hard covers, fiction and non-fiction. Videos, jigsaw puzzles and games will also be on sale at reasonable prices. Free parking will be available for shoppers, so stock up for your summer reading.

Until next week, remember: Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they do when they all stick together.