Come partake in all the delicious fun on Saturday October 24th 4 to 8pm. The Soroptimist Club of Corona is hosting this fundraising event to help support the work that they do in your local community. Learn more about whom the Soroptimists are and what their organization does to benefit local residents.
Heard of Soroptimists but not sure who they are? Never heard of them? Well they’re not ‘painfully positive’ (sore-optimists) as some have conjectured! Although they are not at all pessimistic-that really has nothing to do with the name. The name Soroptimist comes from the Latin words soror and optima, translated as ‘best for women’.
Who they are quite simply is a service organization comprised of professional and business women dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in our community and beyond. There are over 90,000 Soroptimists worldwide.
The Corona Chapter, known locally as SI Corona, has been active since 1947 and is currently under the leadership of Tracy Mauser, Director of Development at Peppermint Ridge, whose goal for SI Corona this year is,’…to continue to be true to the mission of serving the needs of women and girls in our community.’ She adds, ‘ As well, I want to maintain a place where professional women with similar ideals, goals, and challenges can support each other and become re-energized. ‘
International projects supported by SI Corona include STOP (human) Trafficking, End Domestic Violence and Project Sierra. Project Sierra is a four year project aimed at aiding young mothers and homeless children in Sierra Leone. However, SI Corona’s main focus is right here at home, specifically in our community.
Most of the club’s mission will be accomplished through Tracy’s leadership of the activities already in place including weekly meetings, and two award winning programs, Chocolate. Wine and Jazz and Dreams and Decisions.
Recognized by Soroptimist International as a premier fundraising event, Chocolate, Wine and Jazz, is not only a signature event of SI Corona, but it is definitely one of the most fun events to attend. It is unique to fundraising in that there is no program, no speaker, no awards and no sit-down dinner.
Rather wineries, restaurants and businesses come together to make this the ‘must attend’ event of the year. No pretense nor pressure to do anything at the event but just enjoy it-there are three gift baskets to be raffled and lots of booths to visit with scrumptious edibles and beverages-all included with entrance.
Oh and yes, there is melt in your mouth chocolate (and other cuisine), delicious local as well as international wines and you guessed it, non-stop music! Mauser explains, ‘This event allows us to have an impact on the lives of women and girls in our community. At the same time, we can connect with people in the community in a casual, relaxing and fun atmosphere, knowing we are doing something worthwhile.’
Chocolate, Wine and Jazz is not just about fun and frivolity. It is the main fundraiser for SI Corona, funding numerous need-based scholarships to CNUSD high school students and young women who are making a difference in their own lives as well as the lives of others.
SI Corona has one signature service program, Dreams & Decisions, which has also been recognized at the Soroptimist International level for its uniqueness and impact on the lives of girls. It is supported wholly by the efforts of the SI Corona membership with the help of local businesses and funded solely through Chocolate, Wine and Jazz.
Dreams and Decisions is a free event which benefits approximately 150 12-15 year old young ladies. It focuses on knowing one’s dreams and realizing that decisions can either lead to the fulfillment of the dream or all but destroy it. Over the years a variety of compelling and celebrity speakers have joined the program to share their life experiences and encourage the young ladies. This year included Amanda Johnson from Motivating the Teen Spirit, Andrea Overstreet, contestant on the Biggest Loser and Shirley Zink, founder of Simple Acts of Care and Kindness (SACK). There is always a panel of teens who have made a variety of decisions (some good, some not so good) in their short lives that have had a huge impact which they share with the attendees.
It is an all day safe place for girls to really open up and learn about making better choices for their future. 2009 co-chair, Lou Sanderson says, ‘It is so rewarding to know that we are helping these girls think about and make decisions that will positively impact them for the rest of their lives.’ Dreams and Decisions is a powerful, educational and inspiring event. Nobody leaves untouched, not even the adults.
Between the annual events and weekly meetings, the organization’s membership stays quite active. Business meetings are held once monthly with a variety of speakers attending the other weekly meetings to keep the club informed on timely and important subjects. Guests are always welcome to join a meeting. For more information on SI Corona, visit www.sicorona.org. Follow the Chocolate, Wine and Jazz fan page on Facebook to see what’s in store and who is coming!
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