Enhancing the lives of women and youth

in our community and the world.

While enjoying the SNOW!!!

President Paula welcomed everyone to this morning's Awards Breakfast.

Our Invocation from Lydia was read by Amy Simons. This quote from Martin Luther King: "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." Today we are honoring women and young women who embody the spirit of giving back to their community and practicing the love of our fellow humans. Some are gaining education that will enable them to serve their community, some are in high school, but spend countless hours in service to others, and one has spent a lifetime educating and volunteering. You don't have to have a lot to give a lot.

The Violet Richardson Award honors young women in grades 8-12 for volunteer action such as fighting drugs, crime and violence, cleaning up the environment and working to end discrimination and poverty.

The award is named after Violet Richardson, the president of the first Soroptimist club in Alameda County in 1921. Richardson believed in personal responsibility and the motto, “It's what you do that counts.” She lived her life accordingly, as an active member in her community who was committed to creating opportunities for girls and young women. Soroptimist established this award to honor the memory of this unique woman and her dedication to volunteer action.

SI Tahoe Sierra has renamed this award GIVE (Girls Into Volunteer Experiences) to better reflect its purpose. Each recipient received $250 personally and $250 for her organization.

Brenda Heldoorn presents a GIVE Award to Sydney Birkholm. In the past year, Sydney has volunteered for multiple organizations including Animal Outreach, Clean Tahoe, Barton

Foundation, Little Willow Ranch, and Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless. She has volunteered for Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless since its inception. "I love the idea of providing shelter,

dignity, food, a place to shower, and help finding a job. I have volunteered at every fundraiser for the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless at DDRC ranch. I clean, set up, clean horse stalls and tack, and

provide safe horseback rides for kids. Last summer, I raked the yard and cleaned the motel where residents stay.

I feel genuine joy in my heart when I help people. It fills my soul and I feel good about myself.

When altruism takes over the selfishness in myself and this world, I believe our world truly

changes." Sydney's award will go to Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless.

Brenda presents a GIVE Award to Sofia Marroquin. Sofia is currently the secretary of S Club at the High School. She is very active in helping with the Bread and Broth Backpack program and other S Club projects. She also is in her third year volunteering as a wrestling coach for the middle school girls. She uses her experience to give them an outlet for challenges they may be facing and is a pair of open arms to hug. And finally she is the STHS Student Representative to the LTUSD Board and is a voice for the different perspectives of all students. She says,

"Extra hands helped me not have an empty belly, a hug and discipline helped me look

forward to life, and someone's voice and time made me look forward to my education. All those

people helped me, I want to do the same for those children who are currently fighting their own

battles. They need to know they aren't alone and will always have a hand they can reach out to for help." Sofia's award will go to Bread and Broth 4 Kids.

Jeanne Prestella presents a GIVE Award to Allana Hernandez. Allana has volunteered for many organizations including working as a dance aide for tap, jazz and ballet at Miss Marcia Dance Studio, Bread and Broth, Key Club, Barton's Festival of Trees and Lights, and Barton Skilled nursing. "However, I believe that my summers volunteering at LTCC as a youth soccer

coach brings me the most joy. I believe it is essential to provide children with a positive role model and

assist in teaching them how to be good people." In her role as "Coach La" she passes on values that she herself has learned "such as how to treat others, being polite, giving, and contributing to our society, acquiring the skills to deal with issues and finding solutions, maintaining

a healthy work ethic, taking care of my body through exercise and healthy eating,

and balancing my commitments." Allana's award will go to the LTCC Youth Soccer Program.

This award honors non-Soroptimist women who are making extraordinary efforts on behalf of other women. This award gives the club and the entire organization the opportunity to say “thank you” and encourage others to explore ways to assist women.

The Soroptimist Ruby Award recipient should be a woman who:

• Has worked to improve the lives of women and girls;
• Has had a significant impact on the lives of women and girls;
• Inspires and encourages other women.

This year's recipient was given $400 personally and $400 to her organization.

 But, throughout her career, and even before retiring in 2015, Kathi stepped up to volunteer for the South Lake Tahoe Boys and Girls Club as a Board member for 25 years. She served as Vice President for 6 years and is currently serving her 2nd term as President. "Kathi Jensen is gold and that goes very nicely with rubies," said Executive Director Jude Wood. "Not only is she an amazing mentor to me in my role but a huge support to other women in the community. She was an integral part of our capital campaign soliciting donations and helping to raise $6.6 million for the new building. Kathi also provides the Club with much of her professional expertise, both in teaching and administrative support. She volunteers at ALL of our events and fundraisers, and is quick to advocate for the Club and show her support for our work."

Kathi also volunteers with Rotary as a Youth Exchange Counselor. She could be seen during COVID following the school buses around to hand out bag lunches to the students.

And from a former colleague :

"Kathi Jensen was the Vice Principal at South Tahoe Middle School when I was hired. She and the principal took a chance and hired me without a teaching credential, because they'd observed me as a substitute and saw my potential to be a great teacher. She took an interest in cultivating my talents, sitting in my classroom to observe my teaching, and then offering advice about how to connect with the toughest kids and teaching me social-emotional learning strategies when those were not nearly as popular as they are today. Her incredible influence can be seen in my teaching practice to this day. Throughout my 24 years of teaching, she has encouraged me when I struggled, given me honest advice when she knew I needed it and celebrated my successes. I would absolutely not be the teacher I am without her help those first few years when she put her faith in me and offered me expert advice and mentorship."

Youth advocate, mentor, overall volunteer, Kathi Jensen is the epitome of the Ruby award definition, honoring women who, through their professional of personal efforts, are making extraordinary differences in the lives of women of girls. Kathi's award goes to the Boys' and Girls' Club.

Every year, Soroptimist distributes more than $2.8 million in education awards to about 1,700 women all over the world.

Over half of our Live Your Dream Awards recipients are survivors of domestic violence, trafficking or sexual assault. Nearly all of the women and families we serve have overcome enormous obstacles including poverty, teen pregnancy, and drug or alcohol addiction. Live Your Dream Awards recipients may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, childcare, tuition and transportation.  This year these two recipients split a $4500 scholarship.

READY FOR A BREAK FROM THE SNOW??? BUY A RAFFLE TICKET TO MAUI OR FOR A TIMESHARE EXCHANGE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

Raffle Tickets are only $50 each and we are only selling 200 for each trip. Email us at raffle@sitahoesierra.org and tell us how many for each trip you'd like to buy and we will take care of the rest. (see more information below)

Wishing a very happy March birthday month to our SITSters!



2-Mar JOANNE SHOPE

2-Mar LOIS DOWNY

4-Mar COOKIE RORK

24-Mar JEAN BERGNER

26-Mar JENNIFER STAFFORD

Our age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying us!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

If you can Dream It, you can Be It!

Soroptimist International