Soroptimist Hamilton / Burlington

Soroptimist International is a worldwide organization for women in management and professions, working through service projects to advance human rights and the status of women. Through its General Consultative Status as a non-governmental organization at the UN, it seeks international goodwill and aims to improve professional skills and support human rights. It comprises ~95,000 members in more than 120 countries. Members support community-based and international projects.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Summer / Fall Activities 2011

Our members attended the Fall Area Meeting in Markham on Oct. 15th at the lovely new Monte Carlo Inn.

We attended the Good Shepherd fall dinner. The tables were really decorated well for the season. It was quite the celebration of their new buildings.

Marion is receiving a certificate from MacKids for our 9 years of involvement. Yeah!

Millie is receiving our award for being a true "Renaissance" club.

Sr. Sheila receiving the Hall of Fame Award. Corinne Hyatt in the picture with her.

Member Sylvia with Grace Diffey and Sheree Meredith from the Community Foundation who presented at our October meeting.

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The Soroptimist Foundation Of Canada offers up to seven $1,000.00 grants to Canadian Soroptimist clubs holding educational programs for women and / or girls that will help them to be the best they can be by developing their abilities and their awareness so that they can reach their full potential. The exact number of grants and the amounts for the grants will be determined each fiscal year at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, by the funds available in that year’s budget and the program needs of the clubs applying.

Awards Presentation 2011

The 2011 VRA winner is Megan Richardson and the 2011 WOA winner is Kristina Krawiec.
The award presentation was held March 9, 2011 at 6:30 pm at the Hamilton Central library. The public was invited.
Presentation of the following awards: The RUBY AWARD: FOR WOMEN HELPING WOMEN This program honours women who use their personal or professional influence to improve the lives of other women. The VIOLET RICHARDSON Award is a recognition program for young women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools. THE WOMEN'S OPPORTUNITY AWARD: because of their interest in "upward mobility for women", members voted overwhelmingly for the creation of an award for training or retraining that would enable women to obtain higher level jobs. The public is invited.

Jazz in June 2011

“JAZZ IN JUNE”

June 16, 2011
Tickets available now. Call 905-526-7401 or email to reserve a ticket alinchan@cogeco.ca

“JAZZ IN JUNE”

On Thursday, June 16^th, 2011, from 7 p.m to 11 p.m., we will host JAZZ in JUNE at the Waterfront Centre in Hamilton to benefit the Women’s Centre at the new Good Shepherd Square in Hamilton. Please join us in the effort to help alleviate the pain of domestic violence by becoming a Benefactor.

Jazz in June, started in 2009 as a way for us to generate needed funds for the various organizations that we support each year with donations to Out of the Cold, McMaster Children’s Hospital, YWCA Hamilton, CityKidz. This event featured Vickie van Dyke, a DJ with Wave 94.7 FM, and her band, who, with her sultry tones and smooth delivery, we are thrilled to have perform again this year. Hors d’oeuvres will be served and a cash bar will be available.

The proceeds from our event this year will go to support our part in providing welcome baskets to the women who will use the Women’s Centre and to assist women and children who are fleeing abuse. These baskets will include the many household items needed by the women and children - such things as sheets, pots, pans, kettles, etc. They will take them with them when they leave the Women’s Centre to start their new life away from domestic violence.

We are asking for financial support from community-minded corporations, local businesses and individuals to ensure the evening is a success.

How can YOU help?

Provide a gift which will be raffled at the event.

Donate a financial contribution. (tax receipt provided)

Purchase tickets for the event at $30 each

Any other idea you may have to generate funds will be most welcome

With your support and contribution we anticipate a huge success.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Soroptimist International of Hamilton-Burlington

Visit www.soroptimist.org to learn more about

how Soroptimist improves the lives of women and girls

in local communities and throughout the world.

An Outstanding Year of Helping Women and Girls

As women and girls around the world struggled with a worsening economic situation, Soroptimists answered their call for support and services. While other organizations cut back, Soroptimists increased (by more than 5,000) the number of women reached through Soroptimist programs. The 2008-2009 Program Impact Report describes the outcome Soroptimist programs have had throughout the federation. The impact at the local Soroptimist club level is outstanding. When combined with the impact around the world, it's amazing! Consider the following: 1,173 women were helped through the Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards 11,901 women and girls were reached through Soroptimist Club Grants for Women and Girls 2,610 women and their families benefited from Soroptimist Disaster Recovery Grants

Women's Opportunity Awards

Founded in 1921, Soroptimist International of the Americas is an international volunteer organization for business and professional women. Almost 100,000 Soroptimists in more than 120 countries and territories contribute time and financial support to community-based project benefiting women and girls. Organizational Mission: Soroptimist’s mission is to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. Women’s Opportunity Awards The Women’s Opportunity Awards program, Soroptimist’s major service project, aids women seeking to improve their economic status by gaining additional skills, training and education. The program helps women who, as the primary wage earners for their families, must improve their employment status by entering or returning to the work force. Women’s Opportunity Awards applicants have faced severe hardships that have prevented them from pursuing and achieving their educational and professional goals. Most are single mothers and/or reliant on public assistance as their source of income. Many are domestic abuse survivors. The Women’s Opportunity Awards helps these women rebuild their lives through improved employment opportunities. This unique program supplies women with the resources they need to get ahead. Recipients may use the cash awards to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, including tuition, books, supplies, childcare and car are. Each year, more than $1 million is awarded through the Women’s Opportunity Awards program. In 2001, The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) named Soroptimist to its honor roll for this program. In 2003, the Women’s Opportunity Awards received the Award of Excellence from ASAE’s Associations Advance America award program. History The Women’s Opportunity Awards program was created in 1972 by popular vote of the Soroptimist membership. Because of their interest in “upward mobility for women,” members voted overwhelmingly for the creation of an award for training or retraining that would enable women to obtain higher level jobs. In December 1997, the Soroptimist Board of Directors adopted the Women’s Opportunity Awards as Soroptimist’s major service project because the program best exemplifies the aims of the organization. Program Structure The program begins on the club level, where award amounts vary. Club-level recipients become eligible for additional awards at other levels of the organization. In addition, Soroptimist grants three $10,000 finalist awards each year. Since the program’s inception, Soroptimist has funded almost $5.5 million in Women’s Opportunity Awards and assisted about 1,640 women. In total (including local club activity), approximately $15 million in Women’s Opportunity Awards has been disbursed to about 25,000 women since the program began in 1972. Public Awareness Women’s Opportunity Awards finalists were the focus of two First for Women magazine articles in 1999 and 2000. The first article told the story of Kathy Medley, a single mother of five who left an abusive marriage to make a better life for her family. With the help of the Women’s Opportunity Awards and support from local Soroptimists, Medley turned her life around. She eventually earned a degree in dental hygiene and provided a financially and emotionally secure life for her children. Medley has since remarried and is a dental hygienist and the proud co-owner of a hardware store. In 2002, Soroptimist created a public service announcement (PSA) based on Medley’s inspirational journey. The PSA earned an Award of Distinction in The Communicator Awards 2002 Video Competition, which recognizes excellence in the field of communications. The second First for Women article introduced readers to Guadalupe Vidales, who emigrated from Mexico to the United States only to end up in a violent marriage. Vidales fled with her two children to a domestic violence shelter supported by a local Soroptimist club. Eventually she enrolled in college and with the help of the Women’s Opportunity Awards earned a degree in psychology. Vidales, who organized domestic violence awareness programs at her university, went on to earn a Ph.D. In 2002, Soroptimist and the Women’s Opportunity Awards program were showcased on Voices of Vision, a televised documentary series on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Voices of Vision featured individual stories of people who have been helped or affected by non-profit organizations. Women Helping Women: A Tradition of Service, the episode featuring Soroptimist, was beamed by satellite to PBS stations in the United States and Canada. Deadline for submissions is December 15.

The Ruby Award

RUBY AWARD: FOR WOMEN HELPING WOMEN - Soroptimist International of Hamilton-Burlington is currently seeking nominations for the Soroptimist Ruby Award: Women Helping Women. This award honours the first Federation president Ruby Leed Minor. Ruby is also a gemstone associated with wisdom, importance, vitality, strength, power and love. This program honours women who use their personal or professional influence to improve the lives of other women. An organization is chosen because of the nature of its work and profile in the community. This recognition program is international in scope. It begins at the club level with a $500.00 award to be donated to the charitable organization of the winner’s choosing. There are further awards at the Regional and Federation levels. The Hamilton-Burlington club is one of 1,500 clubs that make up Soroptimist International of the Americas, a volunteer service organization for women in business management and professions committed “to making a difference for women”. In addition to the Ruby Award, our club participates in a number of projects to advance the status of women and girls in the community. Please consider nominating someone within your organization, or someone else you feel deserves the recognition. Deadline is : December 1. We look forward to hearing from you and welcome any questions you might have. Please contact Sue Gilbert, Chair Awards Committee, by emailing the Club.

Live Your Dream campaign

Second annual 'Live Your Dream Art Contest'. This year, Soroptimist invites boy and girl students, from ages 4 to 18, to draw a present-day woman who inspires them. She can be someone the student knows personally, or a prominent woman he or she admires. SIA encourages all clubs to promote this contest. It provides a unique opportunity for clubs to engage with the schools in their communities; the contest is open to both boys and girls; and because it involves a visual medium, children from every SIA country can participate.

Book Sale

Hamilton Public Library Spring & Fall Book Sale; NEW LOCATION: Hamilton City Centre (former Eaton's Centre), 77 James St. N., Lower Level (bottom of the escalator from Jackson Square Mall) More books than ever before in double the space! Tables re-stocked continuously. Please bring your own bags. A fundraising project of the Hamilton Public Library and Soroptimist International of Hamilton-Burlington. THE BOOK SALE STORY… Where do the books come from for the Book Sale? Book Sale books are recent discards from the collections of all libraries in the Hamilton Public Library System. What does discarding mean? Discarding is a very serious process that requires training and experience. The aim is to keep the library's collection as useful and current as possible by removing damaged, outdated and unused materials. All books are carefully examined to ensure they are not needed by another branch library. Why doesn’t the library keep more old books and buy fewer new ones to cut costs? Patrons want current, popular and talked-about materials. The library has an obligation to the community to provide those desired materials and offer the service Hamilton area residents deserve. The library is committed to a usable, up-to-date collection. Who gets the money collected from the sale? The book sale is the major fundraising event of the year for Soroptimist International who handles the actual sale. Because of their work, they receive a portion of the proceeds. The remaining money, raised on behalf of the library, helps to defray the cost of library operations. SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL is a volunteer service organization for women in business, management and the professions working through service projects to improve all aspects of the community. All proceeds from the Library Book Sale are used to support a variety of local and international projects as outlined below. • The most recent International projects include Project Sierra for children and families in Sierra Leone and Omoyo School for Girls in Zambia through the Stephen Lewis Foundation. • Economic and Social Development - Support of local Food Banks, Women’s Shelters, Good Shephers, Friends for Success throught the YWCA, Out of the Cold Program, Kids Help Phone Program and CityKidz. • Education – Violet Richardson Award, Women's Opportunity Award, Making a Difference for Women Award, Soroptimist Foundation of Canada and Hamilton Public Library Summer Reading Club. • Environment – Advocacy in regard to world issues addressed by the United Nations. • Health – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, McMaster Children’s Hospital. • Human Rights - Status of Women support. • International Goodwill and Understanding - Member of United Nations Friendship Link with club in Japan. If you are interested in becoming a member of Soroptimist International of Hamilton-Burlington, information is available by writing to: P.O. Box 43504 180 James Street, South Hamilton, ON L8P 4X5 BY PHONE: Marion Cavasin, 905-526-7401 BY EMAIL: nancybelle10@hotmail.com.

Soroptimist Hamilton / Burlington

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Summer / Fall Activities 2011

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SIA 42nd Biennial Convention, 18 - 21 June 2012

Fall ECR conference, October 2012

Si International Convention, 2015

Board of Directors 2011 - 2012

Soroptimist Foundation of Canada AGM

SFC

Fall Book Sale 2011

Awards Presentation 2011

Jazz in June 2011

Fundraising 2011

Service

An Outstanding Year of Helping Women and Girls

Women's Opportunity Awards

The Ruby Award

The Violet Richardson Award

Live Your Dream campaign

Book Sale

Followers

Contact Soroptimist International, Hamilton Burlington