18°c Clear
25°c Chance of thundershowers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
If you're Lois, then welcome to the club
To join, the name is all you need
Something in common: from left, Brenda Lois, Reese Lois, Lois Howard, Olivia Lois and Lois Pelletier. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Lois Howard likes her favorite organization because there are no dues, fees and, well, they don't do anything.
"We just really have a good time," says Howard. "We don't want this to be a whole big effort for anyone."
Howard is a founding member of the Lois group, a collection of Manitoba women named, well, Lois. They range in age from two to 75. They freely admit they don't perform good deeds or try to save the world. Once a year, the Loises get together and let their hair down.
Next Saturday is the local chapter's 15th anniversary.
It started in 1988 when Howard, a Pan-Am Games volunteer, got chatting with another volunteer named Lois. They'd heard Loises gathered in other cities and thought they'd give it a whirl.
"I grew up not knowing anyone else named Lois. She didn't either. We decided to have a Lois Luncheon. We figured if only the two of us showed up, it would still be fun."
Forty-five Loises came to the first meal.
"At the luncheons, we usually refer to each other by last name," says Howard, 71. "The first year, all the waiters and waitresses wore name tags that said 'I Am Lois.' "
Howard's mother died when she was 12. She has no idea why she was given her first name.
Lois Pelletier first heard about her namesake organization 40 years ago. She had a girlfriend in Minneapolis who told her about the club. According to Lois Link International, there are clubs in the Twin Cities, Illinois, Wisconsin, New York state, Arizona and California.
Pelletier has attended meetings in Texas, where she winters.
"There's something about these Loises," laughs Pelletier, 71. "We like to get together and have fun."
They admit it's odd there weren't many famous women named Lois, although the name endures. There was girl reporter Lois Lane, of course.
"Who wouldn't want a Superman like that?" quips Howard.
Other than that, there are only a scattering of former beauty queens, some writers and Lois Hole, Alberta's late lieutenant-governor.
But the Manitoba club still boasts some very young members. Pelletier's granddaughter, 10-year-old Olivia Lois, is fussed over when she comes to the luncheons. Yes, they'll let you in even if your middle name is Lois.
The Loises share a universal gripe. Their names have only four letters and should be easy to pronounce and remember.
"I grew up hearing Louise and Louis. I had to tell people I'm not a boy," says Pelletier. "It's not that hard."
The Manitoba Loises sometimes have speakers at their luncheons, but it's not essential. The Red Hat Ladies came one year and a bra-fitter another. They had a fashion show where all the models were named Lois. It's all in good fun.
On their 10th anniversary, the president of Lois International flew in from California to address the group.
They do ask members for a $5 donation to help with mailing costs. Howard says they try to email now to keep costs even lower.
This year's luncheon is Saturday, April 28 at the Charterhouse Hotel. If you're a Lois, call 942-0101 and get your name on the reservation list.
That's your last name, of course.
Guests order their own meals and settle their tabs.
There may be other first names with their own clubs (and I'm sure I'll be told if that's so). Still, the Loises seem like a fun group.
While I have sympathy for having one's name mispronounced, at least they can take comfort in numbers.
Some of us could have our namesake luncheon at a table for one. You Toms, Dicks and Loises will never understand what some of us go through.
lindor.reynolds@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 14, 2012 A10
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
Run to be named after crash victim
06/19/2013 8:04 PM 0Winnipeg’s annual Empower Run is changing its name in memory of a race organizer killed in a car crash.
The run, ...
About Lindor Reynolds
National Newspaper Award winner Lindor Reynolds began work at the Free Press as a 17-year-old proofreader. It was a rough introduction to the news business.
Many years later, armed with a university education and a portfolio of published work, she was hired as a Free Press columnist. During her 20-plus years on the job she has written for every section in the paper, with the exception of Business. She’ll get around to them some day.
Lindor has received considerable recognition for her writing. Her awards include the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists’ general interest award and the North American Travel Journalists Association top prize.
Her work on Internet luring led to an amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada and her coverage of the child welfare system prompted a change to Manitoba Child and Family Services Act to make the safety of children paramount.
She has earned three citations of merit for the Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service in Journalism and has been awarded a Distinguished Alumni commendation from the University of Winnipeg. Lindor was also named a YMCA/YWCA Woman of Distinction.
She is married with four daughters. If her house was on fire and the kids and dog were safe, she’d grab her passport.
lindor.reynolds@freepress.mb.ca
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Community's children apprehended by province
- Glover quits quarrel over election costs
- Bar closing at Royal Albert
- Motorists complained about unsafe practices at site of crash that killed worker
- Blogger found in contempt of court
- Métis ready to ring bell again
- Kids of St. Ignatius make Sweet gesture to beloved crossing guard
- New crowd plan for Taylor Swift get-together
- Fatal crash 'could have happened to anyone'; defence seeks weekend sentence
- Ex's Mach 3 an adrenaline accelerator
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Poolside feeding prompts eviction
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- Community's children apprehended by province
- Glover quits quarrel over election costs
- Stoppage of play off the field
- Child in critical condition after West End crash
- Kenyan wins Manitoba Marathon
- Father blasts 'horrific' movie
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Car in deadly crash stolen?
- UPDATE: Now with FAQ: Keeping the e-party going without the party-crashers
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Daycare provider charged with abandonment
- Poolside feeding prompts eviction
- Two people killed in crash north of Winnipeg
- Community's children apprehended by province
- Métis ready to ring bell again
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Kids of St. Ignatius make Sweet gesture to beloved crossing guard
- Province blows off wind megawatt goal
- New crowd plan for Taylor Swift get-together
- Ex's Mach 3 an adrenaline accelerator
- Blogger found in contempt of court
- Toilet contents need help escaping
- Known as kind, outgoing men
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Province blows off wind megawatt goal
- Community's children apprehended by province
- $110-K worth of nickel plates stolen from Thompson mine
- Known as kind, outgoing men
- A day in the life of 13,380 Manitoba Marathon participants
- Métis ready to ring bell again
- Stoppage of play off the field
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Father blasts 'horrific' movie
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Teachers support adding sexual-orientation themes to all curricula
- The crime fighter's revolution
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Car in deadly crash stolen?
- City's first urban reserve born
- On board with the Snowbirds
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.