About Us

It was 1869. Seven women students at Iowa Wesleyan College, bound together by deep affection and mutual support, created a sisterhood.  Today - more than 155 years later - that warm embrace of sisterly love has expanded and grown into P.E.O. International (Philanthropic Educational Organization). With some 192,000 active members in approximately 5,400 chapters throughout the U.S. and Canada, P.E.O. supports an impressive program of scholarships, grants, awards and low-cost loans that assist women of all ages in reaching for the stars as they pursue higher education.

Chapter GT was established in 1988 by a group of women with a desire to extend P.E.O.’s legacy of sisterly bonds to Marco Island FL.  Now, with more than 40 active members and 10 “seasonal sisters” who make the Marco Island area their “winter home away from home,” Chapter GT raises funds not only for P.E.O.’s programs benefiting women around the world but also routinely supports scholarships and awards established specifically for Florida and Collier County residents.

The Chapter’s members also are deeply involved in the local community, serving various roles in groups such as Kiwanis, Daughters of the American Revolution, Marco Island Women’s Club, their churches and The Bargain Basket, a thrift shop run by a local church with proceeds supporting non-profit organizations on Marco Island and Collier County.

In 2020 the Chapter held its first “Dining by Design” event, featuring beautiful tablescapes created by local designers and a gala that generated $26,000 for P.E.O. International scholarships as well as for the Marco Island Scholarship Fund that was established through the P.E.O. Foundation in 2019.

Now, Chapter GT’s Scholarships are awarded annually to women residents of Collier County, helping them “reach for the stars,” whether the goal is to earn a degree, prepare themselves to re-enter the workplace, or move to the next level in their careers by acquiring specialized knowledge and skills.