PEO hosts first virtual convention

WARRENSBURG — The Missouri State Chapter of the PEO Sisterhood hosted the 127th annual convention June 4-5, the state’s first virtual convention. 

The PEO Sisterhood is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women, educating women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri and motivate each other. 

More than 326 representatives of PEO  chapters across Missouri attended including Luci Smith, president of Missouri Chapter KD, in Warrensburg. 

The convention theme was Be the GLOW of PEO. Convention attendees met and discussed several educational and philanthropic topics and projects. 

Lynn Anne Switzer of Chapter DN in Brunswick led the meeting and Cheri Carpenter of Chapter AJ in Breckenridge served as general chair of the convention. 

Heidi Harris of Chapter DQ in St. Louis was installed as the new president of Missouri State Chapter during the convention. 

There are approximately 6,000 chapters in the United States and Canada with nearly 250,000 members. 

The purposes of PEO  are educational and philanthropic, accomplished through projects on the local, state and international levels. 

The six PEO international projects include:

• Educational Loan Fund, a revolving loan fund at low interest
• International Peace Scholarship that funds graduate study for foreign women
• Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri, a four-year liberal arts college for women
• Program for Continuing Education, grant assistance for women to resume educational studies
• Scholar Awards, grants for women of the U.S. and Canada pursuing advanced degrees or are engaged in advanced study and research
• STAR Scholarship, scholarships for high school seniors to attend college.

Missouri chapters provide scholarships for women to attend Cottey College and fund the Missouri PEO Outreach Fund, a state project to assist those either aged and infirm or needy and infirm.

To reach chapter KD regarding the scholarships, loan fund or Cottey College, contact Luci Smith at (660) 238-0328.