Schaumburg P.E.O. chapter celebrates Founders’ Day

Alice Bird Babb, the “Mother of P.E.O.,”visited the Schaumburg Chapter P-LK on Jan. 12, through the imagination and inspiration of Lynn Rymarz, one of the chapter’s members.

Dressed from head to toe in vintage clothing, Rymarz brought to life the story of how P.E.O., now an international nonprofit, philanthropic and educational organization of 225,000 women, was formed by seven friends at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Rymarz’s portrayal of Alice Bird Babb was done in honor of P.E.O.’s birthday, Jan. 21, 1869.

Rymarz’s character, Alice Bird Babb, was the first of the seven to take the sisterhood’s oath. She also penned the organization’s first constitution.

In a letter to Minnesota Chapter A, dated Sept. 11, 1906, Alice Bird Babb said, “P.E.O. has become such a vital part of my life that in future years, I wish to be recognized as Mrs. Babb, the ‘Mother of P.E.O.’ I ask no higher praise, nor richer reward.”

Last year Rymarz helped her chapter recognize Founders’ Day by portraying another of the original seven, Franc Roads. Her portrayals are not limited to P.E.O. She entertains and educates audiences with a number of characterizations, ranging from historic individuals such as Mary Todd Lincoln, the Unsinkable Molly Brown and Nellie Bly, to more contemporary women, such as Hedy Lamarr and to Julia Child. To prepare for each one, she conducts in depth research to be able to enlighten the audience with little-known facts about the character.

P.E.O. awards educational loans, scholarships and grants to women, who do not need to be members. With the exception of the International Peace Scholarships, one of the organization’s programs, recipients are sponsored by a P.E.O. chapter.

Locally, the Schaumburg chapter not only supports P.E.O. International projects, but it also sponsors a recipient of the Lulu Corkhill Williams Friendship Fund, which offers temporary financial assistance to individuals having emergency needs. The Lulu Fund is a project of the Illinois P.E.O.

P.E.O. membership is open to all women over the age 18. More information on P.E.O. is available at peointernational.org.