Introduction

(Please refrain from sharing on social media until I'm back from my trip, however, sharing privately with a trusted friend is fine.)

Hullo! Travel with me to the Land Down Under!

In March 2019, I will travel to Australia as the Illinois Association of Home and Community Education’s (IAHCE) outbound International Homemakers Exchange representative. 

The Country Women’s Association of Western Australia (CWA of WA) will be my host for the first few weeks. IAHCE and CWA of WA are affiliated with the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW). I will be learning about the Western Australian way of life and will be visiting local sites in these locations: Perth, Geraldton, Badgingarra, Koorunga, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Albany, Denmark, Nannup, and Dunsborough. I will then be meeting up with the IAHCE delegation to attend the Triennial Conference of the ACWW in Melbourne. My trip will end with a few days in Tasmania.

My hope with this blog is to take IAHCE members, friends, and family along on my trip (since I can’t get you all in my suitcase). Let’s learn together! If possible, I will write something at each location, but since I can’t predict how much free time I will have or if I will have internet access, this may not be possible. There may be gaps in communication.

What is the Illinois Association of Home and Community Education (IAHCE)?

IAHCE is a statewide organization with about 7000 members. You might remember Home Bureau or Home Extension Association (HEA) from your mother’s or grandmother’s day? Well, those are previous names for the same organization. The group was started about a 100 years ago as a home improvement organization for farm women but has evolved over the years to stay relevant to the times and changing demographics.

Our mission statement:

The Illinois Association for Home and Community Education enhances the lives of individuals and families through quality educational programs and experiences encouraging responsible leadership and service to the community.

Illinois is divided into 7 IAHCE districts. Each county that belongs to the organization has individual units. Lessons are given within each unit or at a countywide level. These might be on home security, elder care, or nutrition. There are always lessons on cooking. Because of HCE, I am a better cook!

In addition, IAHCE members are very altruistic. Around the state, members can be found supporting youth programs, veterans, or local schools. Sewing skills are put to use to sew fidget mats for Alzheimer’s patients, weighted blankets for autistic kids, or quilts. Cooking skills are put to good use serving community groups or to fundraise to help better others’ lives.

I belong to the Fulton County Home and Education Association (HEA) in West Central Illinois. I first joined my mother’s unit in the 80s, when I was raising my children. My mother belonged to the group for over 50 years! I rejoined after I retired from teaching and am now the county International chairman.

What do I get out of HCE/HEA? Continuing education, friendship, and an opportunity to better my community.

Want to learn more about HCE? Visit the state website at http://www.iahce.org/.

What is the International Homemakers Exchange program?

The IAHCE International Homemakers exchange program’s goal is “to promote a better understanding of cultural diversity among women’s organization worldwide,” “to compare and contrast family life,” and “to study women’s organizations worldwide.” The IAHCE is affiliated with women’s organizations around the world such as the Country Women’s Council USA, Country Women’s Association of Western Australia, and the Country Women’s Association of Australia. They are all affiliated with the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), an organization that tries to better the lives of women around the world.

The IAHCE’s exchange program has two parts: inbound and outbound exchanges. Every few years, units around the state host someone from an international affiliated group. (In March 2018, we welcomed Sara Kenny from the Country Women’s Association of Western Australia, who will now be the coordinator for this trip.) In exchange, IAHCE sends one or two outbound representatives. For example, in 2017 two of our members visited the Balkan states. What a wonderful way to learn about each other!

While in Australia, I will not only be learning about the country, I will be teaching my new friends all about HCE activities around the state, about Illinois (Happy 200^th!), and about my life in rural Illinois.

Who am I?

My name is Deon Lock Maas. I am a retired art teacher who was raised on a farm in Central Illinois. Since childhood, I have been interested in other countries.

When I was 17, I was a foreign exchange student with the Youth for Understanding program. I was very lucky to have been send to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for two months. It was a life changing experience for a shy teenager. In 2014, I was reunited with my Brazilian family; we have visited each other several times since.

In 2008, I visited Japan thanks to the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund program for teachers. I spent three weeks in Tokyo and in Saga Prefecture, learning about the Japanese culture and educational system. When I returned, I incorporated what I’d learned into my art curriculum. The blog I wrote during this trip is still online at deontojapan.blogspot.com.

I received my bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and my master’s from St. Ambrose University; I am a National Board Certified Teacher. I taught for a total of 22 years in the Hartsburg/Emden, Farmington, Yates City, Spoon River Valley, Avon, and Abingdon/Avon school systems.

I have written several articles for Sew News and Threads and sometimes give programs for my local sewing guild. Also, I have self-publish one book, The Beagle and the Brain Tumor, about the role of our dog when my husband was terminally ill. I have also edited and self-published my late husband’s childhood memories, Trouble Met Me Halfway.

My favorite hobby is sewing. I enjoy the creativity and problem-solving. No longer do I worry about whether I have a place to wear my creations; I make what my creative spirit wants to make!

I am a breast cancer survivor. In 2006, I had a mastectomy, and during my recovery I made a pillow for myself that suited my needs. It had a strap that held the pillow in place under my arm and it was very soft to gently nest the painful areas. Since then, the Anti-Ouch Pouch has been a nationwide community service project. It was featured on the PBS show Sewing with Nancy. Thousands of women (and men!) have used the pillow during their chest surgery recovery or shoulder surgery recovery. My local HCE group, as well as some HCE groups around the state make and donate these pillows to local mastectomy patients. Directions and an instructional video can be found online.