Soroptimist Day in Sedro-Woolley!

At our October 25th meeting, Sedro-Woolley's Mayor Mike Anderson arrived to read a mayoral proclamation declaring October 25, 2011 "Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley Day"!  The city recognized SI Sedro-Woolley's many accomplishments and contributions to community life in our town, as well as our dedication to the organization's mission to improve the lives of women and girls.

Thanks, Mayor Mike, for the nod!  We plan to keep doing great things!

Mayor Mike Anderson presents SI S-W President Kacy Johnson

with a copy of the mayoral proclamation!

Soroptimist International of the Langleys, British Columbia, Canada

Our warmest congratulations and best wishes go to our friendship link club, SI of the Langleys, on their club's 25-year anniversary, being celebrated tonight!  We wish you continued success, happy times, and a long-lived club experience!  Thanks for being our friends and Soroptimists.  We hope to see you soon!

www.soroptimistsoflangley.ca

Fame Becomes Us!

We are featured on a lovely poster published and distributed by the Washington Department of Transportation for their Adopt-A-Highway program!  We have been a part of this program for 15 years and we have picked up tons of litter!  Hey, everyone, dispose of your garbage properly!

Member Val Craig honored for 50 years of Soroptimist membership



Val Craig was honored recently for 50 years of continuous membership in Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley, WA.  Members feted her with a cake and refreshments during her June 2011 membership anniversary.  Craig is a dedicated volunteer and serves on Club committees, offering advice about the organization and its history to current members.

Craig became a member when she was working for Bingham Bank in Sedro-Woolley in 1961.  During her long tenure she has witnessed many changes in the organization, as well as in the local club; she helped develop the thrift shop in 1975 to be a more reliable and consistent method of fund raising. 

Craig received a congratulatory letter from Northwestern Region Governor Sue Riney who cited Craig’s ongoing dedication to the mission of Soroptimist and her great inspiration to all members.

Continuing Education Scholarships Available

Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley is offering Continuing Education Scholarships to graduates of Sedro-Woolley and Concrete High Schools who are currently enrolled in their sophomore, junior, or senior year of college. 

This is not for current high school seniors.

Please send a one- to two-page letter describing: 1) Education plans, 2) Career goals, and 3) Involvement in community service. Include contact information, including phone number and e-mail address where you may be reached.

Attach a copy of your most recent transcript and mail application packet to: Soroptimist Int’l of Sedro-Woolley, P. O. Box 249, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284, ATTN: Scholarship Committee.

For further information, e-mail Becky Taft at jrtaft@frontier.com.

Due date: July 31, 2011. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

High School Senior Scholarhip Winners for 2011

Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley is pleased to announce the 2011 recipients of $1000 college scholarships for local high school seniors:

Sedro-Woolley High School
Jennifer Burke
Sierralee Crutchfield
Arielle Dillon
Alfa Hordges-Johnson
Kathryn Hull
Evan Mann
Hank Smith

Concrete High School
Kyler Howell
Cambridge “Shae” Van Wagoner
Miranda Wallen

SI Sedro-Woolley contributes to NWCAT

Service Committee chair Judy Hingston presents a check from Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley to Stephanie Smith at the recent Soroptimist Northwestern Region Conference. These funds are earmarked for the Northwest Coalition Against Trafficking (NWCAT), a signature program of Soroptimist and a facility to aid women and girls who have been freed from human trafficking situations. Located in Portland, Oregon, the NWCAT center has received high visibility and high praise for its work in aiding victims of human trafficking.

Look for the link to the NWCAT site below and become informed about the tragedy of human trafficking and its prevalence in the Pacific Northwest. Each of us can contribute to ending this criminal practice by being informed, aware, and willing to speak out!

SI Sedro-Woolley provides mammogram funding

Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley Awards $25,000 to Program That Assists Low-Income East Skagit County Women in Gaining Access to Mammograms

Representatives from Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley (SI S-W) presented a check totaling $25,000 to leaders from Citrine Health of Everett for use in providing mammograms to low-income women residing in Sedro-Woolley and East Skagit County on Wednesday, March 30.

Citrine Health’s executive director Kerri Mallams and program manager Becky Jones accepted the donation from SI S-W’s Judy Hingston and Judy Johnson at Citrine’s headquarters in Everett, Washington. SI S-W’s Service Committee allocated the funds through the Club’s newly minted “Community Investment Project.” 

“Our Club is happy to partner with Citrine in providing preventive screening measures that help to ensure long-term health for women in our community,” said Judy Hingston, Service Committee chair. The Breast Care Suite at United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley will serve as the designated provider for the exams, as specified by SI Sedro-Woolley.

Citrine Health, in partnership with the Washington State Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program, connects low-income women to free or low-cost preventive healthcare services. Underinsured and uninsured women may qualify for yearly health exams and mammograms throughout Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties. www.citrinehealth.com

Soroptimist International is a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of women and girls locally, and throughout the world.

Spring Litter Collection - it's a tradition!

SI Sedro-Woolley members celebrated spring by holding our 1Q2011 litter collection on Highway 9 this morning - Saturday, March 26th. We filled bags and bags of trash discarded by littering passers by and by those with unsecured loads. What a mess! Luckily, Christine is our inspiration for this project and this is our 16th year!

The group photo above was taken before we started out - when we were fresh and lovely!

Christine keeps all our Adopt-A-Highway records and supplies, and still finds time to bring donuts on collection morning. Our assigned stretch of Highway 9 is cleaner and friendlier due to our quick work. Thanks to those who attended!

Note to EVERYONE in the world - please dispose of your trash responsibly.

Thanks to Thompson's Nursery for letting us park our cars in your lot!

Congratulations to new club!

The newest Soroptimist Club in our area is Soroptimist International of Stanwood-Camano Island! At a chartering event March 10, Northwestern Regional Governor Sue Riney welcomed 25 members of this exciting new group into the fold of Soroptimist International.

President Mary Ann Weeks expressed her appreciation for the support of other Area clubs and her enthusiasm to get the new club started on its Soroptimist path.

We are so pleased to have you be part of our mission - to improve the lives of women and girls locally and throughout the world.

The adventure begins!

SI Sedro-Woolley awards money to local recipients

Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley presented checks to area food banks, the Sedro-Woolley Museum, and a Skagit County student who will use the monies to fund her education during its semi-monthly meeting at the town’s Community Center on February 22, 2011. SI-SW’s club President, Carolyn Freeman, gave checks, each totaling $1,000, to representatives from Skagit County food banks, including those in the towns of Clear Lake, Concrete, Hamilton, Lyman, and Marblemount. 

Accepting checks on behalf of the local food banks were: Marblemount - Bread of Life - Faye Nichols Clear Lake - Community Covenant - Darrel Gadbois Concrete - Food Bank - Marty Smith Hamilton - Food Bank - Ron Edwards Lyman - Shepherd's Heart - Arla Mae Freeman Freeman also awarded the Sedro-Woolley Museum a check totaling $1,000 for the club’s annual “President’s Award.” Museum board member Brian Backman called the award “an honor” and said how much he enjoys being a part of the organization in the community. The last award, the Women’s Opportunity Award, went to Kathie Peterson, a student at Skagit Valley College who will continue her education at Western Washington University. Toni Ruhl, the club’s Scholarship Committee Chair, told the meeting’s attendees that Peterson received the $1,600 college scholarship for her academic endeavors and her goals to work with homeless and abused women and children. The Women’s Opportunity Award lets women who serve as the primary source of income for their families receive financial support that allows them to improve their skills—and job prospects— through vocational or undergraduate college programs.