It's that time of the year to start thinking Soroptimist Ruby Award !!!!

The Soroptimist Ruby Award celebrates remarkable women non Soroptimist member whose personal or professional efforts have made an extraordinary difference in the lives of women and girls. These honorees are women who dedicate themselves to uplifting others, creating meaningful change, and inspiring future generations. Their work not only has a profound impact but also serves as a source of encouragement and empowerment for others.

If you know a woman who exemplifies these qualities—or if you yourself do—we invite you to submit a nomination for this special recognition. Please complete the form and essay and return it to me by April 1, 2025. Thank you for helping us honor these incredible women.

Looking for more info about the Ruby Awards or Who was Ruby Lee Minar 

https://si-founderregion.org/ruby-award

Please send nominations to me at rubycoord@soroptimistsnr.org

Click here for the application

Cheryl M. Henning

SNR Ruby Award Coordinator 2025

(775) 934-4660

The submission deadline is April 1st for the SOLT/Evelyn Holland club application. Have this discussion at your board meetings and membership meetings on how you are supporting the leadership goals of the organization. Put it on paperI Submit examples of how you have incorporated sustainable leadership training in your club. Recognition awaits you. 

Here is the link to the application

https://soroptimistsnr.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EHollandAwardSOLT_Entry-Form-1.pdf

Here is a bit of helpful information from SIA.  

Soroptimist Leadership Role Delineation Study Results Regardless of the role, several skills were identified as essential to club presidents, club vice presidents/presidents-elect, secretaries, and treasurers: 

• Accountability

• Dependability 

• Flexibility 

• Listening 

• Civility 

• Verbal & written communications  

Sue Chambers 

SOLT Coordinator

775 217-2859

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

The Sierra Nevada Region Public Awareness Awards Program proudly honors clubs excelling in four distinct categories:

★ **Newsletter Star Award**: Recognizing exceptional newsletters that engage and inform members and the community. 

 ★ **Website Star Award**: Celebrating innovative and user-friendly websites that effectively showcase club activities and initiatives. 

 ★ **Social Media Star Award**: Acknowledging creative and impactful social media campaigns that enhance visibility and connect with a broader audience.  

 ★ **Innovative Public Awareness Star Award**: Commending unique and practical strategies that promote awareness of Soroptimist and its vital work. 

Clubs are encouraged to submit entries in any or all of these categories by April 1^st. Awards will be presented for first and second place in each category, highlighting the impressive achievements across the region. 

 Moreover, the club that demonstrates a remarkable ability to integrate all four areas to promote awareness of Soroptimist and its activities will be celebrated with the prestigious:

 *Five Star Award for Best Overall Public Awareness**

Submission Process**: To simplify participation and encourage clubs to showcase their talents across multiple areas, all entries for the awards should be submitted to:

Jackie Sillman, Five Star Award Chair at fivestar@soroptimistsnr.org

Entries will then be forwarded to the appropriate coordinator for the award judging!

ENDOWMENT GRANT 4/1/2025 APPLICATION DEADLINE

Does your club have a great idea for a project or program to make a positive impact in your community, but are short on the funds to fuel it? Help is available! The Sierra Nevada Region has our Endowment Fund available for clubs to apply for financial assistance.

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The Endowment Fund is a grant program that will give up to $1000 to qualifying applicants/clubs. Clubs can be eligible for the grant no more than 2 times for the same project. The grant is for a new project or a continued project. The funds for the grant are raised from the raffle ticket sales of gift baskets that are donated from our region clubs and raffled off at the Sierra Nevada Region conference. The application is available on the Sierra Nevada Region website.

The Endowment Committee consists of 4 region members who will review the applications for completeness and then vote whether or not to approve the request before submitting the grant applications to the Sierra Nevada Region Board of Directors for final approval. There is still time to get your application in for the April 1st deadline! If you can't get it in by then, still apply to be eligible for the 20/25/2026 deadlines. If you received a previous endowment grant, you must submit an Endowment Grant Impact Report to be eligible to apply for a new grant.

The Endowment Committee and the SNR Board members look forward to dispersing these funds. I encourage all clubs with new programs to apply for this Endowment Grant. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me at  endowment@soroptimistsnr.org.

Kathy Erickson

SNR Endowment Coordinator

SNR Soroptimists Celebrating Success Awards

Soroptimists Celebrating Success Awards recognize the best practices of Soroptimist clubs in each of the four pillar areas supporting the SIA strategic plan: fundraising, membership, program, and public awareness.

Due to the region on April 1, 2025, the Soroptimists Celebrating Success Awards honor outstanding programs undertaken for this 2024/2025 club year.

These awards have been designed to recognize best practices in our Sierra Nevada Region. Celebrated as the best projects in SNR, not only will the region award recipients be celebrated as the best projects at our Annual Conference June 6-8, 2025, but additionally we are going to share /acknowledge all entries during the pillar presentations, throughout the Conference.

When submitting applications, please include a one paragraph overview outlining the project to be shared a conference.

Soroptimist Celebrating Success entries

Soroptimist Celebrating Success entries enable all clubs to learn and celebrate. We have a regional committee of judges ready to judge so thank you for your entries.

Entries are due to our region Coordinator on April 1, 2025.

Susan Pibal

Celebrating Success Coordinator

soroptimistcelebratingsuccess@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

SI/Grass Valley Tackles Human Trafficking with Impactful Projects

SI Grass Valley’s club has been hard at work for over a year, planning and implementing several projects relating to Anti-Human Trafficking. Spearheaded by their chairperson, Kristina Schramek, who is a retired Supervising County Counsel who represented social workers, three specific projects have seen fruition thru the hard work of their committee.

The first was a coffee cup sleeve highlighting last July’s “World Day Against Sex Trafficking”. 3,000 sleeves went out to local coffee houses during that entire week and were well received.

The second was implementing the California Civil Code 52.6 requirement that businesses have posters in their windows assisting those who are being trafficked. Nevada County had no agency or entity even close to helping implement state requirement. Unfortunately, California consistently ranks number one in the nation in the number of human trafficking cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Human trafficking is a very private crime that often hides under the radar. The California legislature passed this law to expose this crime and provide victims, and those who witness or suspect human trafficking, with a means to report this crime.

What businesses/entities must post this notice?

• On sale general public premises licensees under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act
• Adult or sexually oriented businesses
• Primary airports
• Intercity passenger rail or light rail stations and bus stations
• Truck stops and roadside rest areas
• Emergency rooms within general acute care hospitals, urgent care centers and pediatric care facilities
• Farm labor contractors
• Privately operated job recruitment centers
• Businesses that offer massage or bodywork services for compensation and are not described by Business and Professions Code Section 4612(b)(1)
• Hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast inns, not including personal residences
• Hair, nail, electrolysis, and skin care businesses subject to regulation under Chapter 10, beginning with section 7301, of the Business and Professions Code.

SIGV is currently meeting with Chambers of Commerce, task forces, transportation organizations and local law enforcement, getting these into the hands of people who can help with placing them at local businesses, bus stops and rest areas.

Thirdly, SIGV has partnered with the Sierra College Foundation, local law enforcement, the newly formed “Family Justice Center”, the District Attorney’s office and Women of Worth (an organization

assisting abused women) to present a free, impactful symposium to the public on Friday, April 4 th from 1 to 4 PM at Sierra College. While this is a free event, the club is asking that all who want to attend please register on their website www.sigv.org

The poster and event flier are posted under SI Grass Valley in this newsletters “club info” area. Many other clubs have expressed an interest in having a symposium, such as the one SIGV is holding, and SIGV highly encourages all clubs to come to their event, as well as design and implement their own program to distribute posters. These are available on Canva via the club. Kristina is available to answer questions and/or speak at any club function. Send your request to kshramek@att.net

Linda "Mo" Turner

Stop Trafficking Coordinator

Soroptimist - Sierra Nevada

503-309-6996

TO: Board Members, Directors, Federation Chairs, Committee Coordinators

Past Governors, Club Presidents, Members

FROM: Stacey Jensen, SNR 2024-2026 Region Governor

RE: CALL TO REGION BOARD MEETING

WHEN: Saturday, March 15, 2025

WHERE: This meeting will be held on Zoom.

Click here to register for the meeting.

You will receive a link to the meeting in your registration confirmation email.

Please join the Sierra Nevada Region Board at the third board meeting of the 2024 - 2026 biennium. All

Soroptimists are welcome to this virtual Board Meeting.

ANY ACTION ITEMS for the board meeting must be sent to Governor Stacey, snrgovernor@soroptimistsnr.org

before Saturday, March 1, 2025, in order to be included on the Board Agenda.

Please send all Board Reports to Governor Stacey, and Secretary Maureen by Saturday, March 1, 2025, at

snrgovernor@soroptimistsnr.org and snrsecretary@soroptimistsnr.org.

Feel free to contact Governor Stacey if you have questions.

Looking forward to seeing you all, yours in Soroptimist,

Stacey Jensen

2024-2026 Sierra Nevada Region Governor

A BIG thank you, to all the clubs that participated in the Live Your Dream Awards, and a BIGGER thank you to those who completed the LYD reporting on time. There were 2-steps in the reporting process. Both steps had to be completed for SIA to consider your club as participating. If your club completed both steps (Final Decision Stage on the LYD online portal & the online reporting form) by the required deadline, then your club's first-place awardee will be moved on to the Region level judging with a chance to win a $3,000 - $5,000 LYD award from SNR. The top LYD Awardee at the Region level will move on to the SIA level judging for a chance to win $10,000. 

Don’t forget to print the official Live Your Dream Education and Training Awards for Women Certificate to present to your LYD recipients.

Here is the link: https://soroptimist.imgix.net/05-for-members/Program_Resources/live-your-dream-awards-club-resources/certificate.pdf

Stay tuned for more updates on the Live Your Dream Awards Program and be sure to attend the SNR Conference in June where we honor the Region Level Live Your Dream Recipients. 



With gratitude and appreciation,

Billie

Billie Araiza

Live Your Dream Awards

Sierra Nevada Region Coordinator

2024-2026 Biennium

Sierra Nevada Region

LiveYourDream@Soroptimistsnr.org

Soroptimist International of the Americas

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

SI Tahoe Sierra 1977

SI Pahrump Valley 2006

SI Sierra Foothills 1988

SI Sacramento South 1965

SI Burney Fall River 1970

SI Sacramento 1923

SI Mineral County 2024