Babbitt, Hille celebrated for 50 years of P.E.O. membership

Vel Babbitt and Yvonne Hille were honored for their 50 years of membership in Chapter AR, P.E.O. at an evening salad potluck on April 19 at the home of Amy Galbreath. Seventeen AR members were joined by special guests, Lisa Hille Thomsen and Heidi Hille Rudy.

Babbitt and Hille were each presented with bouquets of flowers from their family and a gift from the chapter: a unique marguerite glass plate, made for them by AR member Tawna Wilsey.

Debbie Knodel and Harriet Lynch led the program.

Included in the program were memories offered by Hille’s daughters, Lisa and Heidi, and written memories submitted by Vel’s daughters, Jill Lowe, Teresa Dunn and Mary Beth Tack.

Babbitt and Hille were initiated into P.E.O. in March 1968.

At that time both were seven-year residents of Ritzville, both having moved to Ritzville in 1961, with Yvonne’s husband, Bruce, practicing dentistry and Vel’s husband, Bob, teaching at the Ritzville School.

Babbitt and Hille have held office in Chapter AR many terms through the years. Babbitt also served the Washington State chapter and served as a delegate to International P.E.O. convention in 2002.

P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization supporting the advancement of women through scholarships, grants, loans, and stewardship of Cottey College.

The Ritzville chapter also supports a local scholarship to a high school senior. An upcoming fund-raiser for the group with information available soon is the Klicker strawberry sale.