Dear Sierra Nevada Region Soroptimists,  

As we begin this exciting region conference season, I want to extend a heartfelt

welcome to each of you! This time is not just about gathering; it’s a celebration of our achievements, a chance to connect, and an opportunity for inspiration. Together, we can empower one another in our mission to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and girls.

Your region conference is more than just an event; it’s a moment to honor our

successes and the positive impact we’ve made in our communities. Let’s engage in meaningful discussions, exchange innovative ideas, and forge new connections that will strengthen our network.  

I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge our dedicated Region leaders. Their hard work and commitment have been instrumental in organizing this conference, ensuring that every detail is carefully arranged for an exceptional experience for all members. 

As part of our SIA Board of Directors, I will be joining you as your official visitor, I am so eager to connect with you. I look forward to sharing important updates about our initiatives and learning more about the fantastic work your clubs are doing. I encourage each of you to actively participate, share your stories, and embrace the spirit of collaboration.  

Together, let’s inspire one another and continue our vital work with renewed energy and passion. I am excited to see many of you there, ready to celebrate our collective achievements and ignite our vision for the future!  

Warm regards,

Gloria “Ginger” Cole, Ed.D. 

2024-2025 SIA President

A special thank you to SIA President Ginger for her note for our spring conference.

Please see the SNR Conference Call and Registration links below. 49 th ANNUAL SNR Spring Conference June 6-8, 2025 Just a reminder: The deadline for the Atlantis Room Block Group Rate is May 16, 2025, at 5pm PDT. For hotel questions or concerns please contact The Atlantis toll free:

1-800-723-6500 and reference Soroptimist International.

April’s UpliftHER Focus is on Single Parenting.

This is an obstacle that women and girls face on their path to

formal education and economic empowerment. SIA headquarters

will share suggested projects related to that obstacle that count

towards our Big Goal, of helping make the dreams of half a

million more women and girls come true by 2031. Clubs can

participate in the quarterly project focus by sharing SIA posts and

posting their own projects with the hashtag #SoroptimistsUpliftHER.

What Might That Look like?

Financial assistance for childcare during school or training programs can make a huge difference to a single parent! If your club provides childcare grants to single mothers, be sure to report it to SIA.

Ways to Get Involved!

This is a completely voluntary initiative, but we do hope members and clubs will be excited to participate!

• Share SIA’s posts about each monthly focus on social media.

• Post about your club’s own project using the hashtag #SoroptimistsUpliftHER.

• Participate in one of the suggested quarterly projects and report it to SIA as appropriate!

You can share your ideas with other members on your website/Facebook page and at the Conference in June! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at Program@soroptimistsnr.org.

Tracey Edwards

Fed. Program Chair

9916) 826-9325

How are those nominations coming along?

I hope each club is preparing if not actively working on nominations for their Board for next year. This includes not only your Nomination Committees but each member of each club to suggest potential candidates or be candidates themselves.

It’s not always easy to fill those spots. May I suggest thinking a little outside the box?

Soroptimist International of Truckee Meadows has Co President-Elect’s this current year. Two women are sharing the duties. One is a veteran member and the other a more novice member. This has worked to not only share the load but also establish a mentoring situation. They will continue next year as Co-Presidents.

Another instance is a current President whose President-Elect feels she is not ready to be President. The two can be Co-Presidents for the year and the mentoring can take place. The following year, the mentee is ready to lead on her own.

As you look at your club, see how these mentorship opportunities present themselves and be innovative as you work on your new Board.

Please reach out if you have questions or additional ideas.

Holly Nash

You can call or text me at:

805.218.4322. You can email me at: membership@soroptimistsnr.org

Dream It, Be It – Chairs

It is an exciting time of the year. Many of our clubs have either completed or are close to completing a DREAM IT, BE IT program. Just think of the impact all of you havemade on young women and know that we continue to grow through mentoring and relationship building. According to AI, “Dream It, Be It, is a crucial program for

Soroptimist because it empowers girls to achieve their education and career goals, helping them break cycles of poverty and violence by providing access to professional role models, career education, and resources, aligning with Soroptimist’s mission of transforming the lives of women and girls.”

Now is the time to prepare to measure the experiences that were and are being provided by your club. Below are links to valuable resources that each club will need to complete the program cycle. An evaluation form for girls, a guide to outline the evaluation process, a reporting and evaluation worksheet and a link to submit your final report for the year.

Best of all is the participant certificate that shows each students achievement and each clubs dedication to young women. Thank you, Sierra Nevada Region for giving students a powerful voice to help shape their future.

Click below for the links

Evaluation Form for Girls

Dream It, Be It Evaluation Guide

Evaluation Worksheet

Participant Certificate

Submit Your Report Online

Please make sure to send a copy of your clubs Dream It, Be It, Club Reporting and Evaluation Form to

Karen Holley at dreamitbeit@soroptimistsnr.org

Thank you for participating in the Live Your Dream Program. I enjoyed attending so many of the Club Live Your Dream Awards presentations. The clubs in our Sierra Nevada Region went above and beyond this club year. SIA assigned our region a target goal of 120 LYD Awards, and we surpassed it. This was due to the incredible amount of Live Your Dream Awards the clubs in the Sierra Nevada Region gave out this club year. Most clubs gave multiple Live Your Dream awards to help us reach our goal. We could not have achieved this without the hard work and generosity of the 43 clubs that participated. You have my gratitude and appreciation for all the time, work, money, and the many lives you have changed. Your generosity has helped improve the lives of these women and their families. I had the opportunity to meet and speak with many of the Live Your Dream recipients while attending the different club award celebrations. These are amazing, resilient women, and they are so grateful that someone believes in them. 

Please encourage your club members to attend the SNR Conference in June. Where we will announce all the Region Live Your Dream Recpients on Sunday, June 8, 2025. We have some very exciting numbers to share during the awards presentation. We will be announcing the Region level awardees, the number of LYD awards given in our Region, and the dollar amount. Just a hint: it’s in the 6 figures. We will also have SIA President Ginger Cole there, so you don’t want to miss it. Online registration is already open, and there is an earlybird discount, so register early. 

Here is the online registration link: https://registration.soroptimistsnr.org/events/snr-conference-2025/ 

Now for some housekeeping: 

May 1st is the LAST Day for clubs to download any applications they have received. All clubs should save ALL the LYD applications for at least one year and save the funded applications indefinitely. Save all LYD award recipient applications indefinitely in your club records. 

SIA is sending out emails to clubs that still have applications showing in their online club application system. If you still have applications showing, that means those applicants have not been notified. All clubs need to notify all the applicants, even those not selected to receive an award. If your club still has applicants showing in the online dashboard, please go in and mark them according to the results of your judging and be sure to notify the women. 

If your club's top Live Your Dream recipient was chosen as one of the Region Level Live Your Dream Award recipients, your club has already been notified. Please continue to work with your Club LYD Recipient to ensure they can attend the SNR Conference in June. I will need their bios and pictures sent to me this week so they can be included in the conference program. 

Thank you again for all your support!

With gratitude,

Billie

Billie Araiza

Live Your Dream Awards

Sierra Nevada Region Coordinator2024-2026 Biennium

Sierra Nevada Region

LiveYourDream@Soroptimistsnr.org

Soroptimist International of the Americas

ATTENTION "S" CLUB SPONSORS

Does your club sponsor an "S" club?

Does your club want to sponsor an "S" club?

I am the region coordinator for the "S" clubs, and I have had difficulty contacting the clubs that currently have a club they are sponsoring.  I need to know if your club sponsors an "S" club. Please send me an email with your club name and the contact person. 

If your club is interested in sponsoring an "S" club, please email me, and I will provide the steps to get started.

As you know, SIA no longer supports the "S" clubs, but you could coordinate Dream it Be it into your "S" club and receive credit for the Dream it Be it program and the "S" club with Region.

Please respond to me as soon as possible.

You can send a note directly to me at skwalker52@yahoo.com or youth@soroptimistsnr.org 

Thank you

Sarah Walker

"S" club SNR Region Coordinator

CONGRATULATIONS to all clubs celebrating a Charter anniversary during the month of April!

SI Greater Las Vegas April 15 

SI Loomis Basin April 16

SI Citrus Heights april 18

SI Auburn April 28

SI Metropolitan Sacramento April 28