“Inspire Friendships” was the theme of P.E.O. Founders’ Day 2026. One hundred and fifteen P.E.O. sisters in the Glendale-Burbank area attended the event held at the Glendale Elks Lodge. Virginia De Martinis from Chapter HG, president of the Verdugo Hills Reciprocity Bureau, newly formed by the merger of Glendale Reciprocity and Burbank Reciprocity Bureaus, welcomed the 115 members to the first annual Founders’ Day for the new Reciprocity Bureau.

The keynote address was presented by Kathleen Gill, president of California State P.E.O. She presented the history of the organization that was formed by seven college students at Iowa Weslyan College in 1869. Their friendship group decided to create chapters after they graduated to continue cultivating the purpose and the organization has grown into 5,342 active chapters throughout the United States and Canada with 192,000 members. Gill emphasized the commitment of the sisterhood to provide friendship, promote education growth and bestow philanthropic awards to women.

The Verdugo Hills Women Chorus provided a musical interlude of a medley of love songs. Two barbershop quartets from the chorus also sang several songs.

The event, chaired by Karil Drake Starleaf, Chapter KD-KO, recognized the Golden Girls, women who had been members for over 50 years. Those introduced at the event included Kathy Prosser, Chapter DJ; Deanna Jennings, Chapter EO; Jane Adrian and Marge Mc Naught, Chapter FF-KU; Margaret Morrison, Elizabeth Nardoni and Ann Quinn, Chapter GD;  Lola Archer and Anne Peplow, Chapter KD-KO; and Becky Gelhaar, Chapter OM.

P.E.O. is an organization open to all women ages 17 and over. One of the main purposes of the organization is to provide scholarships to young women attending accredited colleges and women returning to school after being a non-student for several years. Women interested in learning more about the organization and the scholarships that are available should contact vhreciprocity@gmail.com.

Submitted by P.E.O.