Schaumburg Chapter celebrates P.E.O.’s Founding

Members of Schaumburg Chapter P-LK of P.E.O. recently celebrated the founding of the organization on Jan. 21, 1869, at their regular business meeting. As a way to learn more about P.E.O.’s history, storyteller and member Lynn Rymarz portrayed founding member Alice Coffin.

Dressed in vintage clothing, “Alice” reminded chapter members why P.E.O. was started and how much good it has done over the years. The organization, she said, was begun as a bond of sisterhood and as an alternative to a secret society, I.C. Sorosis (the first college sorority) at Iowa Wesleyan College. Throughout the years, P.E.O. (Philanthropic and Educational Organization) has far surpassed its original purpose and has grown to become an international women’s organization that has provided more than $35 million in financial assistance to more than 125,000 women.

Lynn Rymarz (lynnrymarz.com) has been sharing little-known stories of inspiring women since 2004, when she first did a reenactment of Nellie Bly. In 2009 she performed her first performance of Franc Roads Elliott, another of the founding members of P.E.O., at an international convention in San Diego with 4,000 in attendance. She has since developed programs on several of the seven P.E.O. founders.

P.E.O. is an organization in which women motivate, educate and celebrate women. For more information on the organization and how to join, go to peointernational.org.