Pictured above (left to right) are local P.E.O. members who attended the 126th convention in Kansas City, Missouri: front row – Rachel Ottmann and Shauna Melvin; back row – Jodee Minter, Nannette Stepp, Vickie Smith, Debbie Beckman, Dallas Prather and Blu Dow. Rock Port Chapter DU and Tarkio Chapter FF sponsored and organized the Cottey Walk this year.

The Missouri State Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood held its 126th annual convention June 21-23, 2019, at the KCI Expo Center, Kansas City, Missouri. More than 320 representatives of P.E.O. chapters across Missouri attended, including local delegates Amy Moore of Rock Port Chapter DU and Nannette Stepp of Tarkio Chapter FF.

Using the theme ‘P.E.O., A Parade of Stars!’, convention attendees met and discussed several educational and philanthropic topics and projects. Danel Burch of Chapter BT in Neosho, Missouri, presided over the meeting and Chris Birdsell of Chapter P in Stanberry, Missouri, served as general chair of the convention.

Susan Matthews of Chapter GV in Caruthersville, Missouri, was installed as the new president of Missouri State Chapter during convention.

The P.E.O. Sisterhood is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri; and motivate each other to achieve their highest aspirations. There are approximately 6,000 chapters in the United States and Canada with nearly 250,000 members.

The purposes of P.E.O. are educational and philanthropic, accomplished through projects on the local, state, and international levels. The six international projects include:

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

In addition, Missouri chapters provide scholarships for women to attend Cottey College and fund the Missouri P.E.O. Outreach Fund, a state project to assist those either aged and infirmed or needy and infirmed.

Information on how to reach a local chapter regarding either the scholarships, loan fund, or Cottey College may be obtained by calling Amy Moore, 660-744-2445 or Jodee Minter, 660-744-4333.