2014 Award Winners!

SI Fidalgo Island is proud to announce our Award Winners for 2014.

Meet Carol Olsen, Karen Gallardo and Ashley Wade - three amazing women who make our club and community proud!

Ashley Wade (being hugged by member Trish Rodriguez) is the recipient of the Womens Opportunity Award - an award designed to give heads of households the resources they need to improved their education, skills, and employment prospects.  Ashley manages a Cruizin Coffee, as well as attending Skagit Valley College and aiding her disabled mother and hopes to move into a career in health care.

Karen Gallardo received the Violet Richardson Award; named after the president of the first Soroptimist Club, this award honors girls for volunteer service in their community. Karen is a sophomore at Anacortes High School and hopes to be a teacher.  Among her many community services, she is a dedicated volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club who share her award.  (Pictured here with mom Alex and SIFI President, Diane Goetz.)

The Soroptimist Ruby Award honors women who improve and lives of women and girls through their professional and volunteer work.  We are proud to honor Carol Olsen, the Anacortes Chapter Director of Days for Girls International.  This grassroots organization has the ambitious goal of providing sustainable sanitary products; their tagline - Every Girl. Everywhere. Period. Her chapter is responsible for 110,000 hygiene kits that have been sent to 69 countries!

Our hearty congratulations, Ladies!  You ROCK!

The Women of SI Fidalgo Island - We Cook

"What would I do when I retired?  That was the question I mulled over a few years before actually retiring from the Anacortes School District.  After 40 years as an educator, I knew that I wanted to be able to utilize my leadership skills and help both youth and adults in our community and globally.  I've also travelled extensively as a teacher and later with friends and family. These experiences were invaluable and broadened both my knowledge and understanding of different cultures.

Living in Anacortes and enjoying my home, husband, children and grandchildren fills a major portion of my life.  I am involved in a genealogy society and am working on my family tree.  Finding treasures in antique shops and garage sales is always exciting.  I have season tickets to several theaters and am always amazed at our local talent.  Cooking is another one of my passions; something I enjoy especially now that I have more time to prepare and try interesting recipes.  I don't know how to cook for two, so I often have guests at my dinner table.  I need an environment that fills my many interests.

Joining SI Fidalgo Island has given me the opportunity to explore all my many interests and passions.  I have held leadership roles and get to work with women who are committed to meaningful goals in our community and world.  The variety of projects and events that we have chosen gives me the chance to work with young people as well as seniors.  There is nothing more rewarding than making a difference by helping others.  And last but not least, I get to use my cooking skills all the time.  What else could one ask for?"

Marge Thomas
Soroptimist