Soroptimist Seeks Outstanding Women and Girls--Deadlines Approach for Financial Awards and Recognition

Fort Collins Soroptimist is seeking applicants for our annual women's awards. We look forward to reaching eligible applicants. Deadlines for application are between December 15 and January 1 with recognition in February. 

Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards help women (with primary financial responsibility for their families) obtain the skills-training and education necessary to improve their employment status and standard of living for themselves and their family. Women's Opportunity Awards are for women who are attending, or have been accepted to, a vocational training program, or an undergraduate degree program for a first degree. These cash awards may be used for any expenses related to educational pursuits and are not tied to scholarship. Fort Collins Soroptimist will present one $1000 award and one $500 award to deserving northern Colorado women. Local recipients advance to region competition for cash awards and ultimately a chance at one of three $10,000 federation awards. Applications must be received on or before December 15, 2011. 

Soroptimist Violet Richardson Awards is a recognition program for young women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools. The award is given to outstanding young women whose activities make the community and world a better place. Fort Collins Soroptimist recognizes outstanding volunteers and their organizations with matching cash awards. One local recipient will advance to regional competition and a chance for additional recognition and ultimately a $2500 contribution to the girl’s volunteer organization. Applications must be received on or before December 31, 2011.

Fort Collins Soroptimist’ Living Her Dream Awards help local women live her dreams. Any woman may apply when she: has earned a high school diploma or GED, has a passion and plan to live her dream (such as education, job training, internship, starting a business, or working for a nonprofit), has identified a dream and is taking steps to achieve it, and works for the betterment of women and/or girls. This year’s Living Her Dream Award recipient will receive $1000 to help her live her dream. Applications must be received on or before January 1, 2012.

Email sifortcollins@hotmail.com to request applications.

Purchase Nuts and Butter Braids and Help Fund Soroptimist Service

It’s that time again. Yes, the annual nut, candy and butter braid sale of Soroptimist International of Fort Collins is in full swing. Our fall fundraiser is very important to our Club’s donations to worthy local organizations.  The money we raised in past years helped women and girls through domestic violence prevention and recovery initiatives including Crossroads, SAVA (Sexual Assault Victim’s Advocacy) and Homeless Gear; education and career advancement initiatives including Project Self-Sufficiency; and quality of life projects including Hearts and Horses, Journey Conference for Young Girls, PVH Navigator Program, and Women’s Resource Center (health care assistance for low-income women).  We also support many very impressive global service projects through our international affiliation, such as Children of Peace (Vietnamese orphanages), Help Uganda (tuition), Project SIerra (helping women in Sierra Leone) and Soroptimist International of the Americas Disaster Relief Fund.

We offer local awards, including Women’s Opportunity Awards (offering funds to women heads of households), Ruby award (formerly Making a Difference for Women), Violet Richardson Award (for teen girls engaged in volunteer activities), and our new Living Her Dream Award.
 
We hope you will purchase from us what you might have bought from grocery or specialty stores.  Our prices are competitive and the products very fresh.  We use them for client appreciation gifts, for holiday parties and baking.
We also sell butter braids, which is a festive loaf-style pastry that comes frozen. A real bargain at just $12 each, they can be prepared easily and come in six flavors: Sticky Pecan (new), Cherry, Apple, Blueberry Cream Cheese, Cinnamon, Cream Cheese, and Almond Cream.
 
Thanks for helping us support women and girls in our community. Contact any member, or email sifortcollins@hotmail.com to order.

Butter Braids will be delivered before Thanksgiving!

You are invited . . .

Are you a women who cares about helping other women? Soroptimist is an organization for and by women who use their collective power to help other women transform their lives and the lives of their families--locally and throughout the world.

Join us at our informal upcoming event.

SIFC Welcomes New Members

SIFC's Membership Chair, Shelley Chaput, welcomed two local women into membership in Soroptimist during SIFC's September Program Meeting. (Photo also shows current members who have volunteered to be mentors.)

August Open House--A True Success

SIFC hosted a great "After Hours" August Open House. Members provided delicious refreshments, great conversation, information on Soroptimist, games and prizes. We even had a hoola hoop contest, won by Jennifer Jones, SIFC's 2011 Living Her Dream Award recipient. Member's daughters (Sara, Jesimae, Jacqueline, and Kayla) had the opportunity to feel like Soroptimists-in-Training, experiencing the joy and importance of working together for the good of others.

Approximately a dozen local members had the pleasure of welcoming nine guests and community partners. (Three of our guests have decided to join Soroptimist of Fort Collins!) It was a great event, and thanks to Mary for opening her home to us. Another Open House is planned in October.

"Salad Garden" is Closer to Completion at Crossroads

SIFC volunteers donated 30 minutes in hands-on service! Now it's time for our "salad garden" to bloom where they were planted.

SI FC OFFERS FAUZIA A FUTURE

In the Fall of 2010, SIFC had Pam McDonald from H.E.L.P. Uganda present a program about the school they are building in Masese, Uganda. Pam, in turn, learned about Soroptimist International and our mission to help women and girls throughout the world.

Fauzia was one of the 202 pupils in the school and was a "normal" 11 year old girl who loved coming to school and learning. During their winter trip, H.E.L.P.'s Jean Kaye and Pam noticed that Fauzia's behavior had changed and she displayed physical bruises. Upon investigation, they found that Fauzia's step-mother had been abusing her; they feared for Fauzia's life. H.E.L.P. Uganda found a boarding school in another town for Fauzia where she would be safe and able to continue her schooling.

Fauzia needed a sponsor to pay for her boarding school and Pam thought of SIFC. Our members knew how important it is for Fauzia to continue her edcuation and voted to sponsor Fauzia.

SIFC strives to distribute 20% of our annual service income to global efforts.

Pam will be returning to Uganda in August and will bring encouragement from our members. We will then get an update on Fauzia's progress.

Children's Garden Progresses

We finally got to plant our flowers in the children's garden tanks at Crossroads Safehouse in Fort Collins. Now we're anticipating beautiful color in time for Crossroads' anticipated August grand opening. Members planted colorful (and presumably safe) petunias, marigolds, and nasturtiums.

Next step?
Preparation of tanks for the "salad garden" area.

SIFC Plants Hope at Crossroads

Crossroads Safehouse is anxiously awaiting completion of their new home in northern Colorado. Many more survivors of domestic violence will be afforded a safe environment in which to heal and grow as a result of this state-of-the-art renovation. Copy/paste to view a video at http://www.crossroads-safehouse-campaign.org/Media_2.php

SIFC is committing resources to help plant gardens for children and adults to tend and enjoy. Members established 3 stock troughs in the children's garden and will plant "safe" plants there to inspire healthy recovery. Additional troughs are planned for an adult garden with hopes of planting "salad" gardens. Raised troughs allow those with disabilities to share in the joy of tilling.

SIFC members are enjoying this hands-on service opportunity and know that survivors of domestic violence will benefit as well.

2010-2011 SIFC President Carolyn Wade shares, "I am really excited about this project and how much it will be enjoyed by those women and children who pass through these gardens on their way to a better life."

International Women and Girls Benefit from SIFC Service

In celebration of International Women’s Day, and to help women and girls around the world, Soroptimist of Fort Collins designated the evening of March 29 as a Soroptimist Service evening. Local members joined with community partners in crafting attractive and serviceable items for those in need of warmth and safety. Fleece, yarn, and pillowcases became 53 scarves, 53 pair of fingerless mitts, 10 hats, and 25 pillowcase dresses. Mitts, hats and scarves will be delivered to Vietnam. Pillowcase dresses will be delivered to little girls in Haiti.

Soroptimist members around the world strive to come together in Soroptimist’ Service on or around International Women’s Day, March 8. International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women--past, present and future. International Women's Day allows an opportunity to celebrate women's success, and reminds of inequities still to be redressed.

Binh Rybacki, Executive Director of Children of Peace International requested the mitts, hats and scarves for women and girls working in cold sections of Vietnam. Binh will deliver the warmth during an upcoming medical trip.

According to Carolyn Wade, President of Soroptimist International of Fort Collins, “Young girls in Haiti are less apt to be raped when wearing dresses; Dresses indicate a level of status and thus security.” Soroptimist of Fort Collins hopes to continue making these dresses to improve the lives of girls in Haiti.

International Women's Day

International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. When women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.
International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men. In ancient Greece, Lysistrata initiated a sexual strike against men in order to end war; during the French Revolution, Parisian women calling for "liberty, equality, fraternity" marched on Versailles to demand women's suffrage.

The idea of an International Women's Day first arose at the turn of the century, which in the industrialized world was a period of expansion and turbulence, booming population growth and radical ideologies.

Soroptimist members around the world strive to participate in some type of service activity on the Saturday nearest March 8 to commemorate International Women's Day and give generously of their time and resources.

Whittle S'mittens and Soropti-scarves to Warm Women and Girls in Vietnam

Knitted fingerless mittens:
Using size 9 needles, Leave a tail of yarn for 14 inches - Cast on 24 stitches
Make your ribbing: Row 1 - 15: K2 - P2 - you should end with purl stitches
Body of the mittens: Row 16 - 27 (12 rows of body - Stockinette stitch (Knit 1 row and Purl the next)
Top of mittens: Row 28 -31 of ribbing just as the first 15 rows (K2 -P2)
Bind off all, and leave a tail for 12 inches before you cut off yarn.

Fold the mitten right side in and mark with pin 3 inches from the bottom and
2 inches from top of mitten. Use the tail yarn to sew up 3 inches from the
bottom and 2 inches top down. The opening is for thumb.
(Blanket stitch works well for this.)

Crocheted fingerless mittens:
Using size G hook, Chain 25.
Single crochet 4 (working in back of stitches), chain 3 (The opening is for the thumb.), single crochet as before to end of the row.
Single crochet next row (working in back of stitches) including single crochet in each of the 3 chains. Yields 24 stitches across.
Continue in single crochet until you have 18 “ribbed” rows.
Finish off, leaving a length of yarn to stitch long ends together (Blanket stitch works well for this.)

Soropti-scarves
Using sport weight yarn and hook size "L" or smaller, chain 71 (or # required to make approximately a 27" long scarf). Single crochet in second chain from hook and each of the following chains. You will have one fewer single crochet stitches than the number of chains you started with. Single crochet 6 rows. On the 7th row, crochet 16 stitches (approximately 7" in from the end of the scarf). Chain 3, skip 3 single crochet, then single crochet in remaining crochet stitches. (Buttonhole formed). On the next row, crochet in all stitches including 3 chain stitches. Single crochet 6 rows; tie off. (Total = 13 crocheted rows plus the first chain row--making the scarf 3 to 4' wide.) To wear: wrap around neck; slip one end of scarf through the buttonhole and pull to snug.

Thanks to You, Our 2011 Used Booksale was a Huge Success

The American Association of University Women and Soroptimist International of Fort Collins extend sincere thanks for another fantastic fundraiser! Our 2011 Used Book Sale recycled 40,000 books and brought in nearly $20,000 to help support programs for women and families in northern Colorado. Thanks especially to
♦ Area readers for donating books to make the sale a reality
♦ Foothills Mall for the location
♦ Old Firehouse Books for ongoing donations
♦ Local fraternity gentlemen and sorority ladies for processing truck-loads of books, and most importantly
♦ Shoppers for supporting us!
Our nonprofits, and the individuals we serve, sincerely thank you!

Mary Robinson, SIFC Co-Chair
Margaret Grant, AAUW Co-Chair

With a little help from out friends...

Soroptimist Awards Near $20,000

Northern Colorado’s Soroptimist club culminates this year’s service efforts with distribution of awards, grants, and contributions nearing $20,000. The local Soroptimist club commits 80% of their service funds to projects in northern Colorado. The additional 20% goes to global projects.

“We’re delighted to see our service funds help women and girls throughout the lifespan” says Carolyn Wade, club president. “We’re paying it forward by donating to community partners with proven programs.”

Those accepting local donations this year include: Homeless Gear, Project Self-Sufficiency, the Women’s Center of Larimer County, and Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Canter (SAVA). Donations were previously distributed to the PVH Soroptimist Navigator Fund, Hearts and Horses, Journey Conference for Young Girls, Crossroads Safehouse for Transitional Housing, and Rocky Mountain High School’s Adopt a Family program.

Those accepting global donations include: 1) Help Uganda, 2) Children of Peace International for Remaking a Life--Capacity Building Workshops, 3) Project SIerra—a Family and a Future—helping women in Sierra Leon, 3) Soroptimist of the Americas for Disaster Relief and 4) Soroptimist Rocky Mountain Region for rehabilitation in Vietnam. Donations were previously distributed to the Soroptimist International (2010)President’s Appeal--Funding the Future: Soroptimists for Education and Leadership, and Soroptimist of the Americas in honor of this year’s local Ruby Award Recipient, Sister Mary Alice Murphy.

Soroptimist scholarships and grants totally $4500 were previously distributed to help local women live their dreams. Those donations can be used for any expenses related to a woman’s pursuit of schooling.

SIFC Recognizes The Human Bean

President Carolyn honored Frank Sherman, and Jenae Nequette of The Human Bean during our 2011 Living Her Dream awards. During October 2010, The Human Bean collected and donated $5000 to the PVH Soroptimist Navigator Fund to help northern Colorado women and girls.

Thank you for helping improve the lives of women and girls!

Left to Right Above: SIFC's Carolyn Wade greets Human Bean's Frank Sherman and Jenae Nequette

Women's Opportunity Awards Improve Lives of Women and Families

Soroptimist's Women's Opportunity Awards offer women heads of household, who provide the primary source of financial support for their families, the opportunity to achieve their career goals. Women's Opportunity Awards are for women who are attending, or have been accepted to, a vocational/skills training program, or an undergraduate degree program for a first degree. These awards are not tied to scholarship and may be used for any expenses related to educational pursuits. SIFC presented one $1000 award to Karissa and one $500 award to Lisa. Local winners advance to region competition for two $3000 and one $5000 award. Region awardees compete for three $10,000 federation awards.

Also shown above are recipients of Soroptimist's Ruby, and SIFC's Living Her Dream Awards.

Local Girls Recognized by SIFC for Volunteer Efforts

The Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award recognizes young women for volunteer efforts. The 2011 Violet Richardson Award is awarded to Kali Glenn. Matching cash awards were presented to Glenn and her volunteer agency, Rocky Mountain High School Activity Fund. The money will be used towards the creation of a cancer center in Fort Collins.  According to Tyler Thomas, the faculty head of this program, the money will also be matched by the Houska family (of Houska Garage fame) and PVH, so SIFC’s $500 donation will become $1500!

An honorable mention is awarded to Hannah Ekblad. Hannah shares SIFC's donation witho the Food Bank of Larimer County where she volunteers each summer.

Jennifer Jones Receives SIFC's 2011 Living Her Dream Award

The LIVING HER DREAM AWARD was established in 2006 by SIFC to honor and support a local women who is actively pursuing a dream. Living Her Dream Award applicants hold a high school diploma or GED, identify a dream, take steps to achieve that dream, demonstrate a passion and plan to live that dream, and work for the betterment of women and/or girls.

Jennifer Jone’s dream is to serve as the executive director for a nonprofit agency offering violence prevention and intervention services to women and girls. As with many of today’s young women, Jennifer’s dream has been side-lined from time to time; She has encountered barriers, yet has never given up hope. Jennifer has purpose, commitment, experience, empathy and passion.

One of her references sums it up quite nicely. “There is something about Jennifer that makes you want to be a better person. Maybe it is her passion for human rights, or maybe it is her rare combination of beauty, intellect and eloquence that brings out a person’s best, but I know that just sharing an office with her, I found myself striving to push my potential, take pride in what I do, and ultimately find the courage to finally quit making excuses and pursue my dreams,” writes Kimi Marin.

Jennifer earned a GED and began working toward her goal by pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work degree, volunteering as a sexual assault victim advocate, and interning for a domestic violence shelter. Upon graduation, she became a women’s advocate for Crossroads Safehouse. After six months she was offered the role of shelter director for the agency and served in that capacity for three years before accepting her current position as Director of Development and Sustainability. Currently, Jennifer is a single mom, enrolled as a full-time MBA student at Colorado State University, and is working full-time for a domestic violence victim advocacy agency.

Jennifer has been active in issues involving women and girls since 2004. She volunteered as a sexual assault victim advocate and as a mentor for a seven-year-old girl who had been abused by her father and exposed to domestic violence against her mother. As an intern with Crossroads Safehouse, she responded to the scene of domestic violence crimes to offer support and information to victims and volunteered as a legal advocate to accompany victims during court hearings and explain the criminal justice process. Since graduation, she has engaged in activities ranging from providing teen dating violence prevention education in schools and engaging faith groups in the response to domestic violence to helping to complete a capital campaign to establish a new Safehouse in Larimer County.

In addition to her academic and professional activities, one of Jennifer’s most significant commitments is working toward the betterment of women and girls through parenting her son. Jennifer states, “I know that to be successful in our work to improve the quality of life for females, we cannot disenfranchise or exclude men and boys. By fostering empathy among boys and modeling respect for all genders, we create a united effort in ending violence against women.”

Jennifer Jones could easily be a poster child for SIFC’s Living Her Dream Award. “Jennifer’s passion has been and continues to be the improvement in quality of life for women and girls. Her ability to overcome obstacles to pursue her passion and to model independence and self-sufficiency allow her to relate to women who need encouragement and inspiration,” adds Vicki Lutz. Fort Collins Soroptimists look forward to her success. As the 2011 recipient, she receives a check in the amount of $1,000 to help her Live Her Dream.

Woman and Daughter Benefit from 2nd Place Living Her Dream Award

Michelle Pace, and daughter Mia, receive SIFC's 2nd Place Living Her Dream Award

"It was great meeting you and all the other Soroptimist ladies. What a wonderful organization. I am truly honored to have received such an award. I would be happy for you use my name for in the media. I want EVERYONE to know!!":

Sister Mary Alice Murphy Receives Local Soroptimist Ruby Award

Sister Mary Alice Murphy received the local Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women, during the annual Soroptimist International of Fort Collins Living Her Dream awards ceremony, February 15th at the Hilton Hotel. The Soroptimist Ruby Award honors women who, through their professional or personal efforts, are making extraordinary differences in the lives of women or girls. Their work has had a significant impact, and also inspires and encourages other women.

Sister Mary Alice personifies the Soroptimist Ruby Award. She is not satisfied to merely raise awareness about the needs of girls and women, she does something about it; she delivers. She truly is an inspiration. Highlights from her nomination, submitted by Anita J. Hildebrand, include the following.

1989--While Sister Mary Alice was the Executive Director of Catholic Charities Northern, The Mission, was opened. The Mission is a night shelter for homeless with separate facilities for the increasing number of women and families who seek shelter there.

1992--Sister Mary Alice founded CARE Housing, a non-profit organization, providing affordable rental housing and supporting services to working families. Approximately 85% of the residents are single women with children.

2002--Sister Mary Alice saw the need to help working families make it through the month and she, along collaborated to form the Homelessness Prevention Initiative (HPI), a non-profit which provides emergency rental assistance to renters who need help to stay in their homes. Many of HPI’s clients are single women with children.

2010--The Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope (Center for Hope) opened. “It is a place for people who are ready to make life changes to overcome their current situation, and who need some help doing so. The mission of the Center for Hope is to help these families and individuals achieve stability and long-term self-sufficiency.” Sister Mary Alice worked tirelessly for “this resource center for families and individuals who are homeless or on the brink of homelessness.”

2011--Sister Mary Alice is a consultant for the United Way for services to the homeless. Her focus is helping people obtain services and benefits to which they are legally entitled. The paperwork required to obtain benefits can be formidable to a woman who has no place to store documentation or a woman who has never had to seek help before. Sister Mary Alice is an eloquent and compassionate voice.

Sister Mary Alice’s name has been submitted to Soroptimist International, Rocky Mountain Region. If selected at region, she will go on to the federation level. The winner of the federation-level Ruby Award will receive a $5,000 donation to the charitable organization of her choice.

AAUW/Soroptimist Used Book Sale Scheduled

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) and Soroptimist International of Fort Collins invite community members to donate good-quality, unwanted books for their annual Used Book Sale. The February 25-27 sale will be open to the general public at Foothills Mall, 8 am-9 pm Friday and Saturday and 11am-6 pm Sunday.

Proceeds of the annual fundraising event support educational projects benefiting women and families. Last year’s sale was a huge success, bringing in $20,000. Community donations will assure an abundant selection of books for this year’s shoppers and keep quality books out of the landfill. All books will be recycled through the sale, donations to needy, or environmentally friendly means.

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is a national organization fostering societal change while promoting equity for women, education and self-development over the life span. Soroptimist International is a worldwide service organization of business and professional women working to advance human rights & the status of women.

For information about the fundraiser, to volunteer, or to donate books—call Margaret at 482-8210, or Mary at 227-1398.

Human Trafficking Awareness

Did you know that slavery is alive and well? It is, and will be unless concerned citizens take a stand and speak out. Slavery is alive and well here in the United States. Slavery is alive and well here in Colorado. Slavery is alive and well, but it’s known by a different name, a softer and less objectionable name. This “modern” slavery is human trafficking and it is just as heinous as slavery of past days.

Every day, in small towns and big cities in countries throughout the world, women and girls are being trafficked into a horrible life of sexual slavery. Often tricked into traveling for work--education--and betterment, these women face unendurable pain and humiliation. They are stripped of their human rights. They are bought and sold like objects. They are trapped in a life of degradation and abuse. Sexual slavery perpetuates a culture of violence, destroys communities and families, funds organized crime, and ruins lives.

The United States Senate has designated January 11 as the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness, an opportunity to raise awareness about sexual trafficking and advocate for its victims. Soroptimist has joined the fight to end the widespread scourge of sexual slavery.

I’d like to share a bit about one of Soroptimist programs...Soroptimist STOP Trafficking and the situations leading to it’s adoption.

Human trafficking is “modern slavery.” It retains the same heinous characteristics of a slave/master (trafficking victim/trafficker) relationship. In the most common form of modern slavery, women and girls are kidnapped or bought cheaply throughout the world and sold to customers (throughout the world) at a high profit. Rather than serve one master or in one locale, victims are passed around among a variety of “owners.” And because of the seemingly endless “supply” of women and girls, slaves are nearly impossible to recover and are ultimately lost. 

The International Labor Organization estimates that approximately 12.3 million people are enslaved in forced or involuntary servitude at any given time, with approximately 75 percent of all victims trafficked for sexual exploitation. Approximately two million women and children are held in sexual servitude around the world, and 30,000 – 50,000 sex slaves are in the United States at any time.

Natural disasters such as tsunamis, tropical storms, and earthquakes serve as breeding grounds for pimps who swoop in and “rescue” women and children from their seeming plight. Recent stories from Haiti and Vietnam only hint at the incidents of women and children, forced into slavery in the midst of chaos. These same slaves are smuggled over borders, used until used up, and then punished for the crimes they are committing.

Occasionally, women and girls are rescued from traffickers and receive support, care and compassion. More often, though, trafficking victims are treated like criminals. Women and girls arrested in trafficking circles are often processed as illegal immigrants rather than trafficking victims, and are immediately deported to their home countries where, because few economic alternatives exist, they begin the cycle of trafficking and exploitation all over again. Prostitutes are assumed to have chosen this lifestyle and are punished for serving their masters.

Soroptimist STOP Trafficking is a program focused on raising awareness about sex trafficking. Soroptimist developed a card that provides information about the sex trafficking of women and girls. The information is provided in a simple and powerful way that will encourage readers to get involved by visiting the SIA website to learn more. The cards were designed to be handed out at any time of the year, but especially on December 2nd--the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery and/or January 11th the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness in the United States.

Soroptimist asks you to become aware, advocate for improvement, and act for the good of women and girls throughout the world