About Us

Our History

Women at their best, working to help other women to be their best

Soroptimist International of Chico (SI Chico) is a large club with a long and distinguished history in our community. As Soroptimists, our focus has always been on service – Committed to improving the lives of women and girls in our community, our country, and around the world. Through service projects we strive to raise money in order to continue to donate money and time to the community and around the world.

We are part of a larger organization: Soroptimist International of the Americas and Soroptimist International (Global). Soroptimist International boasts 74,000 members in over 120 countries. At the United Nations, we are represented as a non-governmental organization – a “global voice for women” working through awareness, advocacy and action.

Through our participation in the programs of Soroptimist International, we offer our members an opportunity to contribute their service in an effective way that is also personally enriching.


Leadership

Soroptimist Orientation Leadership Training (SOLT)


Committees

We have 6 different committees in which members can choose to participate.  They are Giving,  Objectives, Communications, Events, Fundraising, and Administration.  At the committee level each member’s efforts are pooled into the club’s service activities to make a difference locally and in the world. Involvement at the committee level provides the framework for an individual to develop her talents and skills.  Click here to meet our Committee Chairs


Founders Region History

Founder Region is so named because the first Soroptimist club met  and was chartered in Oakland, California in 1921 when the first club, Soroptimist Association of Alameda County (now known as Soroptimist International of Oakland – The Founder Club) was formed.  The Constitution of that first club stated the purpose of Soroptimist was “To foster the spirit of service…”  That purpose and “spirit of service” drives every Soroptimist club, district, region, and federation to this day.  Click here to read more


 Ninety two Years of Service – Highlights from 1930 to 1990’s

1930’s

There were 27 members when Soroptimist International of Chico was founded on January 11, 1930. the Exchange Club hosted a dinner to recognize SI Chico as the first woman’s service organization in Chico.

Economic hard times were a good fit to the service goals of the club, including:

  • Christmas baskets for the needy
  • adopting families at Christmas
  • emergency assistance to provide dental care and eyeglasses
  • a loan fund for students at the Chico Normal School
  • sewing dresses for needy girls
  • milk fund subsidy for Rosedale School
  • founding sponsor of the Cedars playground,
  • Chartered SI Red Bluff

1940’s

Wartime! Many programs featured first aid, rationing, health, needs of troops overseas and preservation of garden produce.

Activities included:

  • participated in Air Watch
  • 7 war bond drives
  • helped establish Blood Bank
  • assisted USO social activities at the airfield that grew to a population of 10,000
  • expanded Christmas programs to host a party and dinner for needy children,.

One volunteer noted “sometimes even having to bathe the children before buying them clothes and taking them to the dinner”

  • helped to find homes for displaced European Children
  • raised money for relief of Russian children
  • overseas Christmas packages for troops
  • collapsible wheelchairs purchased
  • contributions to purchase an iron lung, improve the tuberculosis ward at the hospital and a military ambulance

First Normal School Scholarship awarded.

Chartered SI Willows and SI Paradise.

1950’s

The 1950’s continued service to community and abroad:

  • sponsored 2 Brownie and 2 Campfire girls troops
  • helped fund a scholarship at the Berkeley School for the Blind
  • purchased 2 amplifiers for hearing challenged children
  • contributed $1000 for Yuba City/Marysville flood relief
  • supplied uniforms for nursing students
  • continued to support troops in Korea
  • flood relief for Holland (1953)
  • earthquake victims in Peru and Guatemala
  • volunteered at the Blood Bank Canteen

1960’s

The club had grown to 50 members by 1965.

Selected projects:

  • supported the American Field Service program to welcome foreign students including sponsoring an annual dinner for the students and their Chico families
  • in 1996, to demonstrate interest in aiding disabled the Club began a long partnership with the Work Training Center for the Physically Handicapped.
  • furnished a room in the Enloe Hospital expansion
  • chartered an “S” Club for PV high school girls
  • continued support for the blood bank
  • began hosting weekly Bingo at Beverly Manor – this program continued well into the 1990’s
  • sponsored a “Teen Talk” local radio show on KHSL to give young people an opportunity to air their views

Fundraising efforts included:

  • rummage sales
  • fashion shows
  • selling 50-star American flags
  • bake sales to contribute to the S.S. Hope (international hospital ship)
  • December Gift Bazaar
  • club cookbook sales
  • a bazaar at the Fiesta Rancho Chico Square Dance Jamboree

1970’s

  • In early 1970, the Club provided 25% of the down payment to the Work Training Center to purchase the property it had been renting. The club donated $1000 for the $3900 down payment.
  • Also in 1970, the Club supported a bill in the California legislature, which advocated that the word “sex” (read gender) be added to existing state law to eliminate unfair practices in hiring and pay for women
  • SI Chico continued to have a tri-club dinner with the Pilot Club and the Quota clubs. An annual gathering of public officials, clergy and the public to hear each club offer ideas for civic improvement and development. Then, all parties would plan together on a high priority
  • Local history and preservation donation were made to projects at Bidwell Mansion, the Stansbury House and updating Laxson Auditorium
  • The 50th anniversary project was a feasibility study to create a Chico Museum in the Carnegie building when the library moved to its new location

Other activities included:

  • Contributions to Solway House for women with alcohol dependency
  • A donation to the Soroptimist float in the 1971 Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade
  • Assisted “City of Concern” that served women prisoners, no further information available
  • Established the TAP award (Training Award Program) to assist women get training to improve their family’s lives
  • Supported S clubs at both high schools
  • Partnered with other organizations to create the Emergency Loan Fund at Butte College

1980’s

  • Our 50th anniversary dinner was held at the Elks Club January 11, 1980, highlighting the Club’s role in establishing the Chico Museum
  • 1981 – Valene Smith endowed Chico State scholarship for a graduate student pursuing an MBA. The 1982 recipient was Billie Somerfeld.
  • 1984 – Sigma Club (Chico State student’s) founded. Valene Smith and Julie Clarke were advisors. Projects included: Weekly Bingo at Beverly Manor – called games, provided fruit and small prizes; volunteered for the Work Training Center Thanksgiving Dinner and Cancer Society Halloween Dance fundraisers. There were only 28 Sigma Clubs in the country, Chico’s club the only one in Northern California
  • 1984 – Lois Binns served at District President.

1985/86 Budget

  • General Fund income $5987, $5647 expenditures
  • Service Fund (income from H&G Show) $5065 income and expenditures. Included $500 for “Get Away Special” no explanation.
  • 1988– Retreat held at Greehorn Creek Guest Ranch. For two nights, the packing list included 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair shorts, horseback riding clothes and boots AND a costume for the Hoe Down on Saturday Night. Lotsa stuff!
  • chartered SI Colusa and SI Orland

1990’s

  • 1990 -60th birthday, contributed $5000 to Salvation Army to equip the Salvation Army Mobile Emergency Canteen to serve at public events and natural disasters
  • 1993 – Dottie Locke Bequest of $25,000
  • 1994/95 –Club did a major reorganization. Individual committees for the 5 areas of service [Economic and Social Development, Education, Environment, Health and International Goodwill and Understanding] were dissolved and a single Service Committee was formed. This allowed members to serve on only 1 committee.
  • 1996/97 – President Carol Braziel’s President’s Project was Steps without Fear to support the SIA President’s Project to eliminate land mines in Cambodia. The notebook developed to implement the program was adopted by SNR to help other clubs support the SIA president’s program.

Contributed by:  Carolyn Dusenbury 


We Love to Give

One of the greatest things about being a member of Soroptimist is the feeling of giving to your community and to those who need it most. We are lucky to be in a position of giving, and we enjoy hearing how our efforts and hard work have changed lives.


 

Club Activities

Participation in club activities (i.e. after hours parties, “Getting to Know Us” events, retreats and many of the volunteer opportunities throughout the year) helps to keep the club enlivened, and this is essentially where the friendships are formed.


Friendships

SI Chico provides a network of women – friends – they can depend upon to be there for them as they go through changes in their lives. Women in the club typically say they join for the service to their community but they stay for the friendships.  We are #soroptimiststrong


International Activities

Soroptimist International of Chico has been directly involved with several global causes. Two past areas of focus have been Free the Girls Bra Drive and Human Trafficking.  An ongoing focus is the Women’s Microfinance Project.


Women and girls have the resources and opportunities to reach their full potential and live their dreams.

Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment.

 

 

Soroptimist International of Chico