Pegasus Post: May 14, 2019

14
Tuesday May 14 2019
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PEGASUS POST
The history behind Mother’s Day
Founder
of the
Christchurch
Women’s Club
Toastmasters
Sheila
Hailstone
writes about
how Mother’s
Day began
History tells us celebrations
related to mothers have existed
throughout the world for
thousands of years, though
the Christian celebration of
Mothering Sunday was more
about the mother church than a
celebration of women.
What is probably unknown is
the woman who campaigned for
our modern version of Mother’s
Day would later denounce the
commercialisation of this event.
It took Anna Jarvis six years
of campaigning in the United
States to have a day set aside to
honour mothers or as she put it,
“the person who has done more
for you than anyone else in the
world.”
Her own mother, Ann Reeves
Jarvis, had been a peace activist
caring for the wounded in the
Civil War no matter their politics
or which side they fought for.
Then after the war, she began
clubs to address public health
HONOUR: It took Anna Jarvis six years of campaigning in the United States to have a day set aside
to honour mothers.
issues and helping women to
knowledgeably care for their
children.
When her mother passed
away Anna realised, in spite of
the positive impact women have
on society, their work for their
children and the community was
often overlooked.
Anna’s Mother’s Day was not a
commercial event, but was about
celebrating the achievements of
women and further reminding
them of their power and what can
be accomplished when women
and mothers come together for a
good cause.
Time has not diminished the
value of Anna’s message.
Mother’s Day has become
a date for launching political
causes. The wife of Martin Luther
King, Coretta used Mother’s
Day in 1968 to host a march
in support of underprivileged
women and children.
Then in the 1970s women’s
groups gathered on this day to
highlight the need for equal
rights for women and access to
child care.
On Friday at 12.30pm,
Christchurch Women’s Club
Toastmasters is holding an open
day at the Village Church on the
corner of Frank St and Papanui
Rd to celebrate the influence
of mothers and women in our
lives.
CWC Toastmasters supports
women to succeed in any
venture giving them the skills to
communicate their vision clearly
and with confidence.
Everyone is welcome to come
to this meeting.
•More information
can be found at www.
cwctoastmasters.org.nz
Exhibitors
Book now
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lisa.lynch@starmedia.kiwi or 021 800 809