PLAN AHEAD Soroptimist International of Palm Desert newsletter for April 2019 -Doris Churry, Editor
“The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves.� -Helen Keller
What a marvelous March we’ve had, with events that match the Soroptimist vision of improving the lives of women and girls! We started off with our “Saturday of Service” at Soroptimist House of Hope in Desert Hot Springs, treating the residents with a morning of “Healing through the Arts”. The day started with us providing scones and Starbucks coffee, which was a real treat for them, and us all. Rose Mary supplied jewelry makings and led the ladies through the process of making beaded earrings and a beaded
bracelet. Then Becky did a mini Paint Night, having the ladies create an art piece where they wrote in positive words that had meaning for them. Of course we provided lunch for them and also presented residents with a cookbook containing recipes our members contributed. A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to Becky and Rose Mary and our total of eight members (Beth Irish, Denise Jacobs, Marie Newton, Christine Duranceau, Doris Churry and myself) for cooking and attending and for making this “Saturday of Service” day truly a day of healing. The very next day, Mary Kay’s Mardi Gras fundraiser earned $720. What a treat that was! She made a wonderful dinner with foods from New Orleans recipes, and dessert was the famous King’s Cake. Thank goodness I didn’t get the baby charm baked into my piece of cake. WHEW – but lucky Rose Mary did! Party’s at her place next time! On Thursday, March 7, SI Palm Desert and SI Palm Springs held our joint “Live Your Dream” awards dinner. This year each club gave out two monetary awards. Nicola Warren and Dulce Herrera were our
winners. They both brought their dads, who were beaming when these young ladies were presented with their checks. Thank you Becky and Cathy for cohosting and Cathy, for arranging this event at the Bermuda Dunes Country Club. Everyone loved the facility. Eight of our individual members sponsored the SHOH resident’s attendance. They all seemed impressed and maybe down the road, a resident will apply for this LYDA when she is back in school. Now we start the SPRING season, with nice weather and an exciting guest speaker for our April 3 meeting. Darleen Karpowicz has worked in the Middle East with mostly Muslim women, showing them how to adapt their traditional textile making skills into modernized products to sell. This should be a “WOW” speaker. Also at this meeting, we will induct Jacquie Gunning into our club. So definitely plan on attending, and even bring guests. We have lots of business to conduct this month. The nominating committee is developing a slate of club officers for the 2019-2020 club year. Also, we will be voting on the SIA president elect at our business meeting on April 17. The voting packet was emailed to you last month, but I will resend. There will be copies available at the April 3rd meeting in case you couldn’t download the packet. Also at the business meeting there will be discussion on changes to the standing rules. They were emailed but I will resend this also so every member has a chance to read the proposed standing rule updates and changes before the business meeting. Thanks to the committee members Ella, Margaret and Christine for their due diligence. At our March 20 club meeting, we sadly said goodbye to our long-time member, Marilyn Alt. How wonderful so many members attended and members of the SI Carson City, PD Sunrise, La Quinta and Palm Springs clubs. We had a great turnout. We wish Marilyn and Jack a great new beginning up north, near their family. -President Betsy
“LIVE YOUR DREAM” CREATED A NEW MILESTONE IN AWARDS! -Doris Churry
With forty seven in attendance: Soroptimists from our club; Soroptimists from the Palm Springs club; four awardees and their family member (whom we also comp); eight residents and staff from the Soroptimist House of Hope, who were each sponsored by individual members of SI Palm Desert); supportive faculty and staff from College of the Desert; guests and friends all gathered to support the excitement. Each club had increased both the numbers and the size of the monetary awards to our Live Your Dream winners! Each Soroptimist club gave the runner up a $1,000 stipend and the principal honoree a $2,000 check.
discussed to perhaps make an even greater increase in the awards program next spring!
President Betsy and Dulce Herrera, our 2nd LYD winner
The program was hosted by event chair, Cathy Brown and District 2 Director Becky Goebel as they each in turn spoke with and gave us all some insight into the lives of these and the other two honorees and the challenges they have faced and overcome. What a wonderful event to recognize and honor all four of our two Soroptimist club LYD winners, who have worked so hard to “Live their dreams”. Principal honoree Nicola Warren with President Betsy
As SIA has requested that our clubs all work toward greater focus on the Dream Programs and follow through with the honorees, both of our Coachella Valley clubs have stepped up to increase our contribution this year, with plans being
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 – Soroptimist Speaker’s Series Noon at Desert Falls Country Club
“Bringing Middle Eastern Muslim Women into Today’s Textile Marketing” Presentation by Darleen Karpowicz Inducting new member: Jacquie Gunning
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 – SIPD Board of Directors Meeting 4:30pm at Desert Falls Country Club, Women’s Locker Room
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 – SIPD Business Meeting Noon at Desert Falls Country Club
Soroptimist International of Palm Desert
GOLDEN WEST REGION -Becky Goebel, District Two Director
Golden West Region Governor Lori, has accomplished great things in her first 9 months in office, along with the support of her board and GWR directors and members. Check this out: Created a Partnership with Ophelia to amplify our “Dream It Be It” workshops. Regionwide, stay tuned for details as this is pretty groundbreaking for our club possibly being able to participate in the DIBI Dream Program via Ophelia! This topic is on the agenda at spring conference – not to be missed.
Developed a relationship with PayPal to accept payments deposited directly into our Club bank accounts, with no processing fee. Wow. Money in our budget rather paying for this service from a bank with monthly and other fees!
Secured a new Insurance provider for the Golden West Region. Soroptimist staying ahead of inflation and rising pricing in the insurance industry and giving a benefit to members and clubs.
Worked diligently to charter a “new” Temecula Club. Efforts over the years to reignite a heart and soul for the Temecula Valley area to sustain a club and now brought our region to a new club Charter, to be conducted at spring conference. Congratulations on this outstanding successful “Diamond Campaign Membership” accomplishment!
Achieved 100% GWR Healthy Club Survey Completion. All clubs responded to region to give them valuable input to help us all grow and move effectively into the future. -Thank you Governor Lori for your leadership!
Golden West Region Spring Conference is right around the corner and yes, I mean virtually “right around the corner!” Spring conference will be in in Pala, CA, the same location we gathered in for conference last year, and is only 96 miles from Palm Desert. Make your own reservations directly with Pala Resort and Casino: Let Doris know you’re attending, as she submits the registration for our club, and give her your meal selection also. Then, pack your Soroptimist Spirit and arrange your “Road Trip” with other SIPD Members. Right now we have one car going down on Thursday afternoon and a second car leaving early Friday morning. Check with President Betsy and Doris about carpooling.
The Diamond Campaign is a multi-year campaign to strengthen our organization’s membership base as we approach Soroptimist’s 100th anniversary. “Shining our way” to our second century, the Diamond Campaign will ensure the future of Soroptimist, and our legacy will shine on as we carry our mission forward. By growing our membership, it becomes possible for us to deliver our brand-unifying Dream Programs. That brings us closer to our Big Goal to reach even more women and girls who face obstacles. In this campaign, every club and region will work toward a unified membership goal. By doing this, we will be focused, dedicated, and stronger than ever! Do you know someone who fits our Mission? Bring them to our Soroptimist Speaker Series meeting to let them see what we are all about!
THE TRAVELING SOROPTIMIST! The official BLOG of Soroptimist International of Palm Desert
PIGTAIL ADDICTION EDITION -Lori Oliver
I started wearing my hair in pigtails. Initially, the reason was purely pragmatic. I’ve been driving around the USA, in my van, since December 10, 2018. Initially it was a Christmas with family trip. Then it turned into the not getting along with my sister trip. Then it turned into not driving to Minnesota now, what with the blizzards and all, trip. From North Carolina to South. Through Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas – not necessarily in that order – and into the great state of Texas. And by great I mean huge. What up Texas, why so big? For whatever reason, I kept driving. So. Full circle, a ponytail hits the headrest. Pigtails don’t. I need to back up a bit, though. Because when I say I was driving my van that’s not entirely true. I started out in my Prius. I didn’t buy the van until I got to Austin. And I must say it’s made all the difference. I love sleeping in my van and really only exercise the hotel option when I need a shower, or start jonesing for television. On YouTube, not regular TV, I watch hours of ‘vanlife’ videos. The men and women who record these video logs, aka VLOGS, are like myself, those who are questioning convention. Convention states that you live in a home and travel when you want to or when you are able to. Vanlife means more time behind the wheel and less time knowing where you’ll lay your head tonight. I was at the Hotel Julien, in Dubuque, Iowa when I had my epiphany. Sell the house. Get rid of all of your belongings. Store the things you can’t get rid of … like Lola’s ashes, irreplaceable mementos, etc. Then head to South Dakota to establish a legal domicile. Tax free at the state level is but one of the reasons nomadic folks elect to become S Dakotans, or Floridians, or Nevadans, or Texans. For me, it is a different reason – I look so darn cute in pigtails. I mean, literally, people stop me on the street to tell me how darling I am, it’s so weird-but also true. What started as a pragmatism has morphed into an addiction. I need to travel so I can gather all the admiration a person can tolerate before overdosing.
SIPD TREASURER DAY OF HOPE 2019 Join with the engaging and supportive PATRICK EVANS for a return visit to The Classic Club for the 6th annual luncheon activities. Saturday, May 4, 2019 11:30 am
Delicious lunch
Live auction and raffle
Inspiring speakers
Entertainment
Free valet parking
$50 per person
RSVP: 951-849-9491
The Classic Club Palm Desert
All proceeds will benefit Soroptimist House of Hope’s substance use disorders recovery programs for women of the Coachella Valley and surrounding area. #ID 95-3652725 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization FOR ONLINE RSVP: http://www.recoveryhouseofhope.org /a-day-of-hope/
-Doris Churry
The secret to the SIPD treasurer’s job is: shhhhhh. It’s Brenda Langford! As long as I have her authoritative backing I can do this job. All of the peripheral tasks, which include accepting monies and not only depositing and reconciling them, but recreating the function on our QuickBooks program, are rote jobs – which simply have to be done in an acceptable manner to the QB program; then our records are in order. When this is done, our books are in balance and all is well. The fact that you were all willing and cooperative to go to direct payment for our meetings and activities has probably lessened the job of treasurer by: 50%! This is no small fact and adds to the desirability of taking on this club position. Speaking of which: Mary Kay Berlier is doing a great job as nominating committee for our board of directors for next club year. I have agreed to put my name in there for treasurer again, with the proviso that Brenda remains willing to mentor me. Exciting. I can’t wait to find out who will be in the leadership roles for our club for 2019-2020! Right now, we are signing up to attend the 2019 GWR Spring Conference—to be staged at Pala Resort and Casino again. Everyone attending should be doing two things: (1) call up the resort and make your own hotel reservations and (2) let me know you are going and which meal reservations you want, as I will pay and send in our club’s GROUP RESERVATION, so you can pay me direct. Need a roomie? Need a ride? Contact either President Betsy or me. It is fun so don’t miss it!
Nominee: MARGARET HENDERSON Nominating Organization: SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF PALM DESERT Margaret Henderson has been instrumental in establishing many nonprofit organizations, and has served Coachella Valley during the past thirty plus years: Shelter from the Storm, a domestic violence shelter in the Coachella Valley. She was a founding member of the shelter, 1988-1993. She was awarded the Shelter from the Storm, Volunteer of the Year Award in 1989. Boys & Girls Club of the Coachella Valley Board of Directors, 1988-1990. JFK Hospital, Indio California Board of Directors, 1992-1994. Soroptimist International of the Americas, Golden West Region: District Director for four years and was elected Governor elect for two years and Governor, 1996-1998. Soroptimist International of Palm Desert. She served as director, treasurer, secretary, president elect and president during her 38 years of membership, from 1981 to present. Soroptimist House of Hope, providing volunteer payroll services for the past five years. Shepherd of the Valley Methodist Church, Indio serving ten years in various positions. -The 2018 “Periscope” A publication of the Coachella Valley Historical Society
Margaret was nominated as our SIPD organization’s 2018 honoree:
“WOMEN BEHAVING BADLY … FOR GOOD” Boundary-Busters, Innovators, Symbols and Icons