Off to the Area Meeting!

On March 8, International Womens Day, about 140 members of the Island/Skagit area met in beautiful Friday Harbor.  Well, beautiful if damp, Friday Harbor. Clubs represented were from Anacortes, Burlington, Coupeville, Everett, Fidalgo Island, Friday Harbor, LaConner, Marysville, Mt. Vernon, Oak Harbor and Sedro Woolley.  These women didn't let a little rain slow them down as they hopped on an early ferry for San Juan Island.

With the theme "Inspiring Change," the tone was set for a good day reporting successes and brainstorming ways to improve our communication and move forward with the Soroptimist Mission to improve the lives of women and girls through programs fostering social and economic empowerment.  The SI Fidalgo Island delegates were Michelle Hawkins, Mary Kiel, Trish Rodriguez and Lynette Setmire. Michelle won a beautiful basket of wine and chocolate in a raffle that raised more than $1500; $1000 of which will go to the Laurel Society with the remainder going to the Island County Sexual Assault Services safe house program.

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

The Women of SI Fidalgo Island - We're Crafty

"After spending forty years in Alaska experiencing it's beauty and challenges, I retired from being an elementary school librarian and moved to the lower 48.  During my years in Alaska I had many opportunities - built a home on a handshake, visited remote villages, fished and hiked the lakes, rivers and coastline and enjoyed meeting some very independent people - but Old Mother Nature finally got the best of me.  Go South!  I must say that I have a little laugh when a local says this area is cold; try twenty below for four months out of the year!

I love Anacortes.  As a newcomer to the area I chose to join organizations that called to my creative side as well as a love of community.  I enjoy making connections with SI Fidalgo Island projects and the needs of other Anacortes groups.  The Cultured Purls, my knittting guild, contribute to our annual Community Baby Shower with handmade blankets, sweaters and hats and the Fidalgo Island Quilters make quilts for the Books and Blankets project.  Our own talented members knit and crochet warm hats for people undergoing chemotherapy at the Island Hospital Cancer Center.  SI Fidalgo Island has a project to fit everyone - from scholarships, to crafting, to just plain fun."

Michelle Hawkins
Soroptimist

National Stop Human Trafficking Day - January 11, 2014

In the wake of last month's sting operation that resulted in two arrests of men soliciting underage girls online and at the request of the Skagit County Coalition Against Trafficking, Mayor Gere signed a proclamation declaring January 11, 2014, National Stop Human Trafficking Day. View the entire proclamation here and join Washington Engage, SKCaT and SI Fidalgo Island at the corner of 12th and Commercial at noon on January 11th to show your support.

Calling all Quilters, Knitters and Crocheters....

Blankets & Books, an Anacortes Early Learning Partners sponsored program, provides the parents of every baby born at Island Hospital with a hand-made receiving blanket, a board book and information about the importance of parents reading to their young children.

Please help us welcome the newest members of our community with a warm embrace!  Hand-made baby size blankets of all styles and colors are always needed and can be dropped off at the office of Whitney Early Learning Center at the corner of M Ave. and 12th St. in Anacortes or you may call 360-840-4108 for a pick up.

Stop Human Trafficking Rally

Soroptimist International of Fidalgo Island is proud to be one of the founders of Washington Engage Coalition Against Trafficking in Skagit County; for the purpose of organizing and empowering our communities to take action to prevent sex and labor trafficking. Human trafficking is ranked the second most lucrative crime in the world and 100-300 thousand children are currently estimated to be sexually trafficked in the United States alone. In this form of modern day slavery, victims are subjected to force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. Their average age is thirteen.

Join SI Fidalgo Island and Washington Engage Coalition Against Trafficking in Skagit County at a Stop Human Trafficking Rally to be held January 11^th at noon simultaneously at the corner of 12th & Commercial (Safeway) in Anacortes and at the Courthouse in Mount Vernon.