Members
Local Soroptimist Ponca City Group Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Story Contributed by Kathy Tippin
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Mayor Kelsey Wagner presented a proclamation to the Soroptimist International of Ponca City in celebration of their 75th anniversary during the Sept. 8 Ponca City Board of Commissioners meeting.
The proclamation recognizes the many contributions to the community by the group to economically empower women and girls through access to education by disbursing over 160 Soroptimist Live Your Dream cash awards to local women. The awards are to help them get the education and training they need to improve their employment prospects and economic standing. Also they have conducted 10 Soroptimist Dream It, Be It events that have put 400 local eighth-grade girls on the path toward achieving their career goals; inspiring seventh-grade girls over the past three years with program presentations by professional women; donating numerous items to West Middle School as a PIE Partner; and providing service to New Emergency Resource Agency, Living Hope Pregnancy Center, Survivor Resource Network and local Scouting America troops.
In 1921, one year after women won the right to vote, the first Soroptimist club was founded in Oakland, California. At the time, women were not permitted to join the all-male civic groups, but their desire was to work toward strengthening their community.
Their first Oakland Soroptimist Club project was to “Save the Redwoods,” the great ancient trees which were being felled. The club lobbied the legislature, taking on powerful lumber companies and winning public support, resulting in a major portion of the forest being set aside as protected land that still exists today.
Their vision was “to ensure that women and girls have an equal voice in creating strong and peaceful communities, now and in the future.” The Soroptimist name was coined from the Latin words “soror” meaning sister and “optima” meaning best, so Soroptimist is perhaps best interpreted as “the best for women.”
On Jan. 21, 1950, 25 Ponca City women were charter members for the Soroptimist Club of Ponca City (SIPC) in support of the vision. Times were different coming out of World War II, but these women saw a need in the local community to support women and girls.
As the local club celebrates its 75th anniversary, SIPC members continue to play an active role in Ponca City. Using their respective talents and energy, members make time in their busy lives to give back to our local and surrounding communities making a difference for women and girls in our part of Oklahoma.
SIA programs that have evolved over the 75 years and continue to be major focuses of SIPC include Live Your Dream Awards (usually given to a single head of household to help her further her education to support her family), Senior Girls Scholarship (a cash award presented to her organization of choice and to the young woman) and the Ruby Award (recognition of a woman who has given volunteer hours to make a difference and a cash donation to the organization of the recipient’s choice).
For 25 years, a major local project was to raise awareness of Breast Cancer through an annual banquet spreading information about breast cancer, supporting programs for women to get mammograms, celebrating survivors through annual banquets and more.
Ten years ago, SIPC started the Dream It, Be It (DIBI) program for Ponca City eighth-grade girls as a goal to help girls grow up to be strong, successful, happy adults. DIBI targets girls in secondary school who face obstacles to their future success by providing girls with access to professional role models, career education and the resources to live their dreams. Selected by their teachers, 40 eighth-grade girls participate in four sessions covering manners, appearance, job interviewing and personal behavior, and conclude with a luncheon focusing on careers for women with local professional women role models. At the final luncheon, the girls are each given an opportunity to meet with professional women in three different fields, told a little about what is involved in the career and encouraged to ask questions.
For information on the local Soroptimist club and how you can make a difference locally and throughout the world, contact President Kathy Tippin at 580-716-9015.
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