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

 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 50^th 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 50^th 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 -60^th 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.