Well, if you're reading this, you've downloaded FounderLink, the Region Newsletter from our Founder Region Website. I am so excited that this is happening. We have tried for many years to have a Region-wide newsletter, and because of time and costs, we have been unsuccessful. But now with new technology, we've done it. A great big thank you to Carol Stein, FounderLink Newsletter editor, the Public Relations committee and Diane Allen, our new Webmaster.

Our first attempt may be awkward but once we get the hang of it, you should see the newsletter published twice a year or maybe even every quarter. The newsletter shall include a message from the Governor, what's happening in your clubs, what's happening in the Region, a region calendar, what's happening in the Federation and a few other surprises. Please send in stories and suggestions of what you would like to see in print.

For me, I would like to thank you for attending Conference and making it the success it was. We tried something different and new on Friday, and according to your evaluations, you liked it! The Region committees of Programs of Service and Legislative Advocacy presented a wonderful program on Friday. We also had our Women of Achievement Luncheon on Friday, as well. The Women of Achievement got the recognition they really deserved. They seemed to get a little lost when we gave them their awards on Sunday.

I also want to thank you for your generosity at Conference. You donated enough money on Friday for Founder Region to become a Fellow. We were presented our certificate at Friday night's Fellowship Dinner. And then on Saturday, you donated $1,170.00 to our 1999-2003 Quadrennial project, "Assisting the Victims of Landmines. Also, just as important, you contributed over $9,600.00 to the Foundations Tote Bag raffle, the highest ever collected. I am so very proud of you.

Please circle June 29 and 30 for our Leadership Seminar. We will be having the training at Walker Ranch. Our guest Friday evening is Past International President, Patsy Daniels. You should all have received your Call and be registered by now!

I can't believe my two years as Governor is almost half over. It has been a wonderful experience, one that will be with me forever. I've visited over 40 clubs so far and I still want to visit each of you before my term is complete. Please invite me to your fundraisers, special events, or just to a meeting. I would love to come.

I want to give kudos to my Region Board and to the Region committees. They are completing a lot of work and I want to recognize the great job that they are doing. A special thank you to each and everyone of you 'cause without you, there would be no Founder Region.

Warmest Regards,

Leadership Retreat

The annual club officers and members training retreat for Districts 1-5 will be held June 29and 30, 2001. The site chosen for this year is Walker Creek Ranch, at 1700 Marshall/Petaluma Road, Petaluma.

In response to the membership requests the following workshops will be presented:

1. R&R for Dummies (recruitment and retention)
2. Soroptimist International Projects and Programs
3. Public Relations and
4. SOLT, Soroptimist Orientation and Leadership Training.

Members will be able to attend two of the morning workshops and then attend their specific officer workshop in the afternoon. A general membership workshop will be available for those not incoming officers.

District VI, Leadership Retreat is scheduled for July 13-14 in Kona, Hawaii. The Leadership Retreat is geared to be informative and engaging with time for sharing and exchanging of ideas.

JUNE

10

Redwood Memorial Grove

29-30

Officers Training and Leadership Retreat - Districts I-V

30

Deadline for payment of annual dues to Federation and Region

JULY

13-14

Officers Training and Leadership Retreat - Kona, District VI

25-28

Governor's RoundTable

31

Order WOA and Violet Richardson Award applications/Federation

AUGUST

11 - 12

Fellowship Board Meeting

17 - 19

Region Board Meeting - Cloverdale

SEPT.

15

Region Committee Mtg. - Santa Rosa Jr. College

28-29

District VI - District Meeting - Maui

OCT.

1

Nominating Committee Requests for Region Elections & Deadline for submission of materials to Region Secretary for November mailing.

3

Founders' Day - Recognition of Chartering of 1^st club - 1921

6

District III - District Meeting - Vallejo

S/I Oakland's 80^th Anniversary celebration (evening)

7

District I - District Meeting - Oakland

12-13

District V - District Meeting - Ft. Bragg

14

District IV - District Meeting - Gualala

20

District II - District Meeting - Lafayette

NOV.

2-4

Region Board Meeting - Cloverdale

10

Region "November" mailing sent to clubs (*no later than)

15

File IRS (Form 990) and State Taxes

DEC.

1

Response to Nominating Committee & Deadline for receipt of Violet Richardson Award Applications to Clubs from applicants

10

S/I President's Appeal - Human Rights Day (UN)

15

Deadline WOA Apps to Clubs

Proposed Region Amendments to Region L & R Chairman

JAN.

15

Deadline - Violet Richardson Award Winners to District representative

30

Deadline - WOA Club winners to District representative

FEB.

1-3

Region Board Meeting - Cloverdale

15

15 - 17

Mail "Celebrating Success" Club form to Federation

Fellowship Board Meeting - Readings

28

Deadlines - Violet Richardson Ward SOLT Award to Governor-elect

Eloise B. Cushing Award to Member Services Chairman

W.O. A. - District Winners to Region Chairman

Women Helping Women, Woman of Distinction and

Advancing the Status of Women to Region Chairman.

MAR

9 - 10

Fellowship Interviews (Hawaii)

16 - 17

Fellowship Interviews (California)

23

Caucus - Districts I-V

31

Deadline - Julia "Bees" Combs Extension and Membership Awards

APRIL

1

S.O.A.R. Award form due to District Directors

15

Deadline - Conference registration

MAY

2

Region Pre-Conference Open Board Meeting

3 - 5

Region Conference - Kona, Hawaii

31

Deadline - Form 200 and Club Award Form to Federation

JUNE

9

Redwood Memorial Grove

Conference 2001 Reflections
Del Nickerson, Regional Conference 2001 Coordinator

Conference 2001 has come and gone, but the memories linger on...The excitement began on Friday with an early morning workshop and lasted through the awards on Sunday. As usual Founder region supported the Fellowship and Foundation programs with generous donations.

Thanks to SI Dixon for the wonderful job they did as Hostess Club. The hard work that went on in the background made everything go smoothly. You were superb.

Thanks also to Governor Carol for keeping things moving in an on time manner. I really felt there was a feeling of warmth and fun for which Founder Region is famous.

Also, my thanks to all of you. Your support at these meetings are what make them so special. I know that next year in Kona Coordinator Mary will have that same enthusiasm (and what a beautiful setting). My best to you all....Keep up the spirit.

Public Relations Contest Winners Announced
Elaine Reed

Soroptimist International of McKinleyville was named the first place winner of the Public Relation Committee's contest, "How Does Your Garden Grow."

This club is only four years old but is already doing a superb job of publicizing itself. They submitted a beautifully done PR book which included newspaper clippings of all their events, a video of a TV spot, aprons, programs, tickets etc. It is a real "How to book". They will be taking it to the Leadership Training. The McKinleyville club received a plaque and a one time use camera.

Soroptimist International of Eureka is the second place winner with a very good collection of their publicity material. S.I. Eureka received two public relations videos from Soroptimist International of the Americas.

Watch for the PR Contest information in FounderLink and in your club's November mailing.

Call on your Member Services Committee
Susan Joyce

Please call on the members of the Member Services Committee to make presentations to your club about Soroptimist Orientation and Leadership Training and Recruitment and Retention. We are ready, willing, able and enthusiastic about working with you!

We can offer some new and creative ideas for attaining your R&R and SOLT goals. A few ideas for recruitment…

1. Let your fingers do the walking in the yellow pages…look for those members in the professions!
2. Go mall walking in teams…door to door in malls, introduce yourself to the owner, manager, etc., wear your Soroptimist pin, give them literature, invite them to a meeting.
3. Set up a table outside of a grocery store, collect business cards, show the Soroptimist video, give out Soroptimist literature.

A few ideas for retention:

1. Let your members speak to the club about themselves and their business or profession.
2. Highlight your members in your club bulletin.
3. Place members on committees where they serve and are served the best…and recognize their efforts!

A few ideas for SOLT

1. Have different members present very short blurbs of SOLT at all of your meetings.
2. Include a dash of SOLT in your club newsletter.
3. Hold a special SOLT meeting at either a regular club meeting, or in someone's home. Use the SOLT millionaire game, jeopardy game, have fun with it! Just please…DO SOMETHING!!!!

Please remember to utilize our region committee's three new "f" words in everything you do...flexibility...fun...future! If we all focus on these three words, we cannot help but be successful in our recruitment, retention, and S. O. L. T. efforts.

Our committee has issued a challenge to you to gain 20% minimum net increase in your membership between now and the end of this biennium. It has been done before…it can be done again! Have fun in getting this done…how about a recruitment contest in your club?

In keeping with Governor Carol's key word in our region theme…SOAR…for recruitment and retention, add an extra R for emphasis and it can mean: "Soroptimist Ongoing Action -Recruitment/Retention!

And for Soroptimist Orientation and Leadership Training, it can mean SOAR….SOLT, Ongoing, Achieves Results!

First Year for Violet Richardson Award
Jean Crawford, Region Violet Richardson Award Chair

The Violet Richardson Award is a Soroptimist International of the Americas program for young women between the ages of 14 and 17. It recognizes those young women who make their community and the world a better place through volunteer efforts. This was the first year for the award.

Although I was unable to be at conference on Sunday when the award was presented, I understand it went very well and was well received by all who were there. We had wonderful finalists.

We had a good turnout of clubs involved in it the first year and I would like to encourage all clubs in Founder Region to participate this coming year. I would encourage each club to:

1. Order their supplies ASAP (the order form has already been sent out by Federation)
2. Read the information on how to apply the program, ie. advertising and distribution of the applications, including putting their club name on the applications and brochures.
3. Consider a monetary award at club level (for those clubs who did not)
4. Contact their district committee member or myself if they have any questions or problems including have one of us speak at their clubs.
5. Give us feedback on what worked or didn't work at club level or any suggestions to help improve it.

Monetary awards are given to the Region winner and her organization by Soroptimist International of the Americas. She and her organization then become one of 29 finalists who receive an additional award from the Federation. I hope all clubs in Founder Region will consider a monetary award for their club finalists and/or her organization as budgets are prepared for the coming year.

Based on the applications received this year, there are wonderful young women doing great volunteer work in each of our communities and they deserve to be recognized. Thanks to all of you who participated in this new program.

Fellowship Foundation Report
Linda McDoniels, President

Founder Region Fellowship had the privilege of being a recipient of $30,000.00 from the estate of Julia "Bess" Combs this past year. We were thrilled with the bequest and plan to make good use of it this next year.

At conference this year the board decided to honor members of Founder Region who were not fellows in memory of and thanks to Bess. We named 8 new fellows on Friday night at conference. Each new fellow had given to the Fellowship program of her time and effort and we wish to say thank you once again to each of them.

We were also pleased to present four Fellowships to women in the graduate programs at UC Berkeley. Because of the generosity of the members of Founder Region we were able to give $27,500.00 this year. More than has ever been presented to the candidates.

Each of the four recipients were exceptional in their field. The winners encompassed all six programs of service. We gave $5,000.00 to Elizabeth Anderson for her work in the field of education; $5,000.00 to Yan Mei Wang for her work with superconductors; $7,500.00 to Kathleen Lee for her work in the field of international goodwill and understanding and $10,000.00 to Alexis Abramson for her work in the field of mechanical engeerning.

We planted the seeds of Fellowship on Friday evening and by 10:30am Saturday morning we had sold six hundred seed packets. For each 100 packets we were able to draw one number and award a fellowship to that member. All six of the new fellows were excited and thrilled at winning her fellowship.

The Fellowship board would like to take this opportunity to once again thank the members of Founder Region for their continued and generous support of the Permanent Identifying Project of Founder Region, our Fellowship program.

"S" Club Members Plan Trip to Japan
Joyce Suihkonen, S Club Committee Chair

What is an "S" Club? "S" Club is a Soroptimist-sponsored organization that gives junior high and high school students an opportunity to provide service to their schools and communities, develop leadership, promote good citizenship, and advance goodwill and understanding.

The Committee presented three $300 Barbara Stevenson awards at this year's regional conference. This award is presented annually to outstanding "S" Club seniors in Founder Region.

Many hours have been spent setting criteria, arranging for funding, and selecting participants to attend the Japan Minami Region Youth Forum. Two "S" Club students from Honolulu and one from Brentwood will join the 50+ additional attendees at the Forum in August.

This year Soroptimist International of Pittsburg resurrected their "S" Club at Pittsburg High School. And, a fourth "S" Club was chartered in Guam at George Washington High School. There are now 11 active "S" Clubs in Founder Region.

Regional "S" Club Committee m embers are Joyce Suihkonen, Chair; Janice White; Vivian Tsuji; Sharle Hoke

For more information about Founder Region "S" Clubs, contact Joyce Suihkonen, at (707) 449-5468 or .

Grant Work "Pays" Off
Soroptimist International of Pleasant Hill

Soroptimist International of Pleasant Hill facilitated a grant from Y&H Soda Foundation for Special Olympics of Northern California

On Friday, May 11, Special Olympics of Northern California - East Bay (SONC-EB) received the good news that their grant request had been approved by the Y&H Soda Foundation located in Orinda, California.

This process began with the Grant Writing Committee of Soroptimist International of Pleasant Hill in December 2000. After various conversations with both the parties, on December 16 SIPH submitted a letter of intent to the Soda Foundation. The letter submitted a two-year grant request for $32,000.

Special Olympics is a year-round sports program for children and adults with mental retardation / developmental disabilities.

The grant request of $16,000 a year will cover the expense of their summer training program, which is scheduled in a variety of locations throughout the East Bay. The training takes place from March through June and the sports that are involved include aquatics, bocce ball, gymnastics, tennis and track and field. The $32,000 covers all costs for facilities and equipment for two years.

All trainers volunteer their services.

Eligible athletes are all children and adults, at least 8 years old, with mental retardation/developmental disabilities. This typically includes all individuals with mental retardation, combination deaf-blindness, autism, traumatic head injury, and most individuals with cerebral palsy and specific learning disabilities.

Today there are 1,200 individuals with developmental disabilities involved in SONC-EB. This program is offered at no cost to the athletes. There are 70,491 individuals in the East Bay with developmental disabilities, and SONC-EB has a goal to serve approximately one-third of this population. This goal has initiated a four-year campaign to double the families served, which will increase the current number of athletes to 2,400. Concurrently, the campaign will double the annual budget requirement of Special Olympics. The grant received from Soda Foundation will make a difference in helping Special Olympics reach their goal.

The "heart and soul" of the Grant research is our own Karen Barnes-Jarvis. She has put in many hours by filling out forms, telephone communications, letter writing - tenacity paid off in the end. Karen, you are an invaluable asset to our Club.

District V Clubs and Girl Scouts
Sponsor Teen Leadership Conference
Elaine Reed, Project Coordinator

Soroptimist International of Founder Region District V and Girls Scouts of Sierra Cascade cosponsored a training conference with the goal of assisting high school girls in acquiring the leadership skills necessary to make a positive and significant impact in our communities. The target group was high school age girls who demonstrate leadership potential and are committed to the betterment of their community. Twenty high school girls attended representing eight different communities. Six of the girls were Girl Scouts and the remainder were sponsored by the Soroptimist Club in their communities and chosen with the help of high school counselors.

This was a joint Soroptimist project with 75% of District V clubs participating. This district covers almost 5,000 square miles with a population of 154,000.

Evaluations turned in at the end of the conference by each girl confirmed that they thought it was a valuable training and they would attend again if offered next year and would encourage their friends to attend.

Soroptimists Celebrate Success

St. Helena Sunrise
    President Margaret Friedrich

St. Helena Sunrise is a young club, chartered in 1995. Over the years, we have listened to local needs and as a result, we have been able to touch all segments of our community: young and old, groups and individuals.

Soroptimist "The Best For Women" is illustrated by our sponsorship of the St. Helena High School girls' soccer team. Seeing a need and desire, we hosted a dinner and raised $12,000 to begin this program. We continue this support by providing uniforms and an annual scholarship to a graduating senior soccer player.

The other hands-on and monetary support we give our community, both separately and in cooperation with other service organizations, include:

• Creative Living Senior Christmas Dinner
• Breakfast With Santa
• We Care Animal Shelter
• High School Academic Scholarships
• Community Pool Free Swim Day
• Napa Emergency Women's Shelter
• Fire Department Annual Open House
• Sponsor Fire Department Training Trailer
• Christmas In April
• Harvest Festival Annual Fun Run

The annual Crab Feed, held jointly with Soroptimist International of St. Helena, is our biggest fund-raising event which supports all of our community service projects. This year's event was our most successful ever, netting over $45,000! This is a good example of the community helping us help the community.

Vacaville
    President Tara Baumann

Martha Stewart coins this phrase "IT'S A GOOD THING" time and time again. It amazes me how she makes something beautiful out of everyday objects. Well, that's what we did this year. Soroptimist International of Vacaville, a small ordinary club, with extraordinary women, made this year truly beautiful. We tied into each other's talents, coordinated the vision and the mission of Soroptimist International, and accomplished tasks of which a club our size should be really proud.

We celebrated our 40th year of service, shopped 'til we dropped at Mervyn's child spree, painted the town purple to raise awareness for domestic violence, collected and turned in over 100 cell phones for Cell to Cell, raised an armload of money for breast cancer, assisted other community projects along the way, and managed to have fun and become better friends.

Our outstanding SOLT program was honored at the Regional Conference by receiving the Eloise B. Cushing Award. With the publication of Soroptimist International of Vacaville, Inc. -- Four Decades of Service, Vacaville's SOLT committee has documented the club's 40 year history in a publication featuring a time line of events since the club's charter in August of 1960. The whole thing started when one of the new members, asked, "So, what is it that you women do?" The project involved locating and examining boxes and boxes of club documents and gathering as many Past Presidents' Books as possible. Besides being able to view the past accomplishments of the club, there is now a central "resource center" of information for new and old members alike.

District IV

Editor's Note: Thanks District IV. Every club in District IV submitted the following articles for the newsletter through your District Director Kay Ritter.

Cloverdale
    President Ann Silva

2001 marks Cloverdale's 20th Birthday of serving our community from the young to the senior citizens. We hope all of you will join us in our celebration! Fifteen years ago, our club formed the Cloverdale Boys and Girls Club that benefits approximately 400 local youth. After finding other community sponsors for this project, we continue to serve on the center's Board of Directors and support its programs with funds and supplies. For the past 13 years our members, together with several other local organizations, prepare and serve Thanksgiving dinner for up to 350 people.

We also purchase and collect new blankets and warm clothing to all who attend. Throughout the year our members sponsor a girls' softball team, adopt a school classroom, and support the following: a school reading program, a school music programs, the Cloverdale Family Service, Boy's and Girl's Shoe Fund, Project Graduation, Sonoma County Humane Society, Cloverdale's Children's Halloween Party, Youth in Action, a center for abused children, and the new Senior Center. We DO make a difference!

Healdsburg
    President Lisa Schaffner

As part of making the community a better place to live in all ways, Healdsburg members donate hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars each year to a variety of projects designed to improve the quality of lives of women and children, teen, and seniors. From providing shoes to less fortunate teens, toys and grocery certificates to needs children and their families at our annual Christmas Celebration of Giving party, encouraging scholarship and volunteerism with awards that recognize outstanding students in high school, teaching students the responsibilities of parenting with the Baby Think It Over dolls, to renovating the living area of the Battered Women's Shelter and supporting Home Hospice and Senior Citizen Programs, Soroptimist members are involved in all aspects of our community. Our annual fund-raiser in the Healdsburg Town Square is welcomed by the local merchants as a stimulus to their business and promotes community involvement. This year our club has grown by five new members.

Marin County
    President Jane Brennan

Marin County members have made significant contributions to their community and Soroptimist organization projects since 1952. In recent years, the club has supported MAWS (Marin Abused Women's Shelter), Whistlestop Senior Center, Rotary Manor for seniors, a hearing test van for children, Marin Family Literacy Program, and Jeannette Prandi Abused Children's Center. The club selected its Violet Richardson Award nominee and plans to continue its youth scholarship programs next year.

Mendocino-Sonoma Coast
    President Anne Decker

Since 1979, Mendocino-Sonoma Coast members have helped shape our community through projects designed to address specific needs such as E.S.C.A.P.E.S. which assists local victims of domestic violence, the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness campaign and the Healing Well, a women's wellness center which is operated by one of our members, Dr. Mona Khanna, a gynecologist. We also contribute funds for medical treatment for victims of life threatening diseases, educational grants to deserving women and scholarship awards for youth: Making a Difference for Women Award, the Women's Opportunity Award and the Violet Richardson Award.

In addition to sponsoring children's reading and character building programs, student yearbook camps and Take Your Daughters to Work Day, our members also work with other service organizations in the community to promote health and safety and a cleaner environment. Through our members' enthusiasm and hard work, our ways and means eve3nts that support these projects have been more successful every year. Last year our annual Architectural Tour and Wine Tasting event netted $12,000, and our Fashion Show and Lobster Sale raised over $4,000. We are all committed to improving the quality of life for the people in our community and to helping create a better world through service.

The North Bay
    President Robin Bailie

From our Women's Opportunity Award recipient to the Violet Richardson Award, gifts to the Miss Marin scholarship program, the Novato Theater Restoration, the Novato Human Needs Center and Marin County Friends of the Library, Soroptimist International of the North Bay touches the lives of many in our community.

Novato
    President Karen Nathanson

Our club has increased the public's awareness on many of the most important and controversial issues facing our community as well as support many of its programs for women and children: Human Needs, the Children's Reading Room and children's recreation. For the past two years, we have sponsored a public forum on domestic violence, featuring speakers from the judicial system, law enforcement and victims. We have long supported the Marin Abused Women's Shelter. The club hosts a bi-monthly public television program that covers a variety of issues from health education and environment to political debates.

Santa Rosa
    President Helen Sager

It is notable that during is 56-year history, the Santa Rosa club has produced several Region governors, Federation officers including treasurer and president, and an International president, Patricia D. Daniels. recently, Patsy was among the honorees of the Women of Distinction awards brunch hosted by the Santa Rosa club, which included Superior Court Judge Cerena Wong and the five women who started the National Women's History Project in Sonoma County.

Last year the club sponsored a timely public forum: Domestic Violence: How It Affects the Workplace, moderated by the Chief of Police. Speakers included the District Attorney, Judge Wong and the director of the Abused Women's Shelter. Over the years members have innovated many other important projects in the community, a number of which have subsequently received public funds from local and state government. Some of these projects include Visiting Nurses, Aid to Infant Development, literacy programs, educational scholarships for youth, retraining assistance for women re-entering the workforce, sponsorship of rooms at the Senior Center and the Family Support Center, the YWCA Domestic Violence Program, and purchasing over 3000 pairs of new shoes for needy school children.

In addition, members recently refurbished a room at the Abused Women's Shelter dedicating it to the memory of one of our former presidents, Josephine Deyo. Ten years after purchasing and donating the Fire Safety House to the Sonoma County Fire Chief's Association, members are raising funds to replace the original that has been toured by 35,000 elementary school children. The house is electronically equipped to demonstrate fire safety and prevention.

Sonoma Sunrise
    President Conni Wilson

From ecology to education, health to parenting, Sonoma Sunrise members have provided many services that have impacted our community and contributed to improving the lives of our residents. Our club supplies newspapers to classrooms for innovative curriculum projects, provides volunteers and financial support for the Teen Parent Program that helps young mothers graduated high school, helps fund the YWCA Sheriff's Department Counseling Project for victims of Domestic Violence, the Ecology Center that educates the public on managing resources and safeguarding the environment, Relay for Life fund-raiser for cancer research, and Unity Day that promotes equality and the status of women.

We are especially proud of the financial and hands on support we have given over the last few years to the Teen Parent Program. In February, we held a professional dental examination/cleaning and education workshop for the youth mothers and their children along with providing classes on nutrition and overall health. Our club also sponsors the Women's Opportunity Awards and the Violet Richardson Award. These efforts are funded through our annual fashion show that is held the first Saturday in November.

Sonoma Valley
    President Jo Ann Chase

The second annual Hit the Road Jane life skills seminar was another outstanding success. This daylong program was held at the Embassy Suites conference rooms on February 7, 2001, and was attended by over 80% of the graduating senior girls from the two high schools in Sonoma. Along with ideas from motivational speakers during breakfast and lunch, the girls received critical information and materials on how to apply for and keep a job, workplace issues, women's legal issues, health and personal safety, bank accounts, charge cards and how to maintain credit, and renting an apartment. The cost for the day is $18,000, which is funded by an endowment established for this purpose.

In addition to this laudable project, the club continues to fund the Youth Citizenship Awards as well as participating in the Violet Richardson Award and Women's Opportunity Awards. Members also provide hot chocolate to the community for Santa's arrival at City Hall and sponsor an annual Easter Egg Hunt in Sonoma Plaza. Sonoma Sunrise has welcomed two new members this year.

Ukiah
    President Sharon Barker

Celebrating 52 years of service to our community, the Ukiah club is purchasing our first Fire Safety House to educate children about fire prevention, and more importantly, survival. We will donate this specially equipped house on wheels to the Fire Chiefs of Mendocino County in June of 2001. Throughout the past half century, our members have dedicated their time and money to filling the needs of the community through projects such as aiding the homeless, supplying clothing for women returning to work, providing Christmas dinner with toys for every child in approximately 700 families for the past 20 years, donating suitcases and toiletries to children in foster care, granting annual scholarships for students and continuing education for women retraining for new careers and distributing 35 Baby Think It Over dolls for middle school students (as a deterrent to early parenthood. For the past 44 years, we have sponsored an annual swim meet and help provide funds for students to attend other athletic competitions. We also maintain a Disaster Relief Fund for immediate disasters. Because of our many years of very visible service to our community, our fund-raising efforts are well supported.

Yokayo Sunrise
    President Mary Rowland

The members of the Yokayo Sunrise club have not only warmed the hearts of the people living in Ukiah and the surrounding area, but their feet as well! In partnership with the local WalMart, we distributed over a mile of socks to the homeless, to senior citizens, to men and children escaping abusive homes, to impoverished families, and to those in crisis being assisted by the Red Cross. Hospice received the proceeds of our Dessert-a-Month club raffle.

A young woman volunteer and her Ukiah High School Interact Club were honored for their service to the community with a Violet Richardson Award. A single mother was encouraged to continue on her pathway to a better life in our community with our largest Women's Opportunity Award ever. Children received Christmas gifts, and foster children were treated to a movie in partnership with Washington Mutual Bank. The babies and toddlers of Ukiah's High School young parents all received homemade afghans and quilts for Christmas. Ten more American flags will grace the streets of Ukiah with the help of the VFW, and senior citizens will have their meals delivered in new containers we provided. We Soroptimists have made Ukiah a better place for us all.

Getting to Know the Founder Region Board...

Carol Rose, Governor

Governor Carol Rose is married with two children, a boy and a girl, and three grandsons, who are she says, "the love of my life!" After 28 years with Mechanics Bank she retired and now works with her husband, Dr. Howard Liebgold, co-facilitating a class on the desensitization of phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic and anxiety. She has a BA in Psychology and a teaching credential from the State of California.

She has been a Soroptimist since 1983 and she says she joined under duress. "The bank I worked for made sure their officers belonged to service organizations in the community and I was asked to join Soroptimist. Even though this was a business ploy, I found that I really liked being a Soroptimist and went on to hold every office except for corresponding secretary."

When she was asked to run for District I Director, she thought this might be fun, but found she had a challenge ahead of her and a lot to learn. She loved being a director and after four years decided to run for Governor Elect. Because there were five candidates running for this office, it took three ballots before she won. She said, "It was the longest, most stressful, and one of the best days of my life."

Her favorite fund-raiser in her club has been Silent Auctions because she thinks it is not a lot of work and makes the most money. The last Silent Auctions of her club benefited The Lupus Foundation and since then she has tried to make the Region aware of their need. She hopes more clubs will raise money for this worthy cause.

She remembers being extremely scared was when she gave her speech to become the Governor Elect. She practiced a lot and her husband even videotaped her saying her speech. She commented "That just made matters worse. I know many of you said my being scared didn't show but believe me, if you had seen me from the back, you would have seen my knees shaking. The result is that it brings me great joy and pleasure being your Governor."

Mary Ann Redden, Governor Elect

Governor Elect Mary Ann Redden has been married to her husband Dennis for 32 years. They have one daughter, Cynthia age 27, and one granddaughter Jenna Marie, born July 22, 2000, saying that they never thought they would be like the rest of the world, but their granddaughter is perfect.

She is the owner of Rightway Construction, Inc. Primarily, the business does sheetrock and has been in business since 1972. She holds B1, C9, and C33 licenses. While she hasn't physically hung sheetrock or framed a house, but she did paint houses for a while, inside and out, referring to it as a great experience.

She joined the Antioch club in 1982, and held all offices at the club level except Secretary. She thought it would be too difficult. "It doesn't make much sense why I ran for Founder Region Secretary, but as it turns out it was a most rewarding and educational position." She was also a Founder Region Fellowship, Inc. Director. Currently, she is Governor Elect. She feels being on the Region Board is a great opportunity and laughs when she thinks about how her arm had to be twisted to run for District Director.

She likes raising money with rummage sales because there are no ticket sales. The "New Image Wardrobe," a clothes closet for women returning to work is her favorite service project. She says, "We provide an interview outfit and when they get the job, we provide a week's worth of clothing. The appreciation of the women that have been helped just keeps me...wanting to do more."

She has experienced a lot of memorable moments -- receiving a Fellowship pin from her husband at her Club's installation, winning the District II Directorship, losing an election for Governor Elect when she had to learn to deal with disappointment, winning an election for Governor Elect and dancing all night, presiding with shaking knees at her first business meeting as club president, and dressing like a chicken for Conference. (Wouldn't we like to know more about that!)

Joining Soroptimist helped her "find" herself, when she wanted to be more than Dennis' wife and Cindy's mom. Soroptimist, she says, has taught her self confidence, public speaking, broadened her knowledge of the world, and has taken her many places she never would have gone. Governor Elect, Mary Ann says that Soroptimist gives us a unique opportunity to help ourselves as females because it is an organization run by women for women

Amelia Benko, Secretary

The day after Secretary Amelia Benko graduated from Chabot College with her AA in Dental Assisting, she married her husband, Joe. After almost 30 years of marriage, they have two sons and three grand-daughters. According to Amelia, the girls are "...perfect grandparents revenge, making their own parents crazy daily."

She spent 11 years in the dental field as a front office manager, and then moved on to work in secretarial and administrative work for a variety of industries and businesses. By the time she joined the Livermore Soroptimist club in 1987, she had gone to work with her husband insurance agency as his office manager. She says that at the time she joined, she was told it would be good for business to have exposure in the community.

In addition to holding a variety of offices in her club and heading many committees, she also served as club president in 1990. Her favorite fundraising project in her club is the annual Holiday Home Tour and Boutique held each Christmas season. She says, "It is still going on after 17 years, although we have modified and perfected it to fit our club as the years have gone by, but the actual coming together of all of our members to 'pull it off' every year, successfully, is a lot of what holds us together."

According to Amelia, her club's best service project is their Adult Day Care project, in which their members have raised enough funds to get the Park Department and the Hospital Foundation to match their funds. Now their funds help seniors with little money to participate in the program.

Region positions held by Amelia include district director (twice), Foundations chair, and the Member Services committee. At the present time, she is Founder Region Secretary. She commented on her involvement, "Now I can't seem to get off the train, nor would I try." In addition to attending the SIA Convention in Kyoto, Japan, as a delegate, she also has done fun things such as attending the Tijuana Margarita Party and Del Nickerson's roast.

She described her most embarrassing moment in Soroptimist as being so overcome by emotion at the Saturday lunch last biennium that she did not properly recognize the District I presidents and club members. She said, "I can only hope they all know how much I respect and thank them for their hard work and dedication."

In summing up her feelings about Soroptimist, Amelia shared, "I was told that Soroptimist was the best for women. I knew next to nothing about other service groups. They were obviously all OLD men and I never even considered them. Once I became a Soroptimist, that was it."

Cathy Mitchell, Treasurer

Founder Region Treasurer Cathy Mitchell, has been married 33 years, and is the mother of two sons and grandmother of three. After graduating from Ukiah High school, she started out in college as a Liberal Arts major. Fortunately for Founder Region, she switched to Accounting.

Since joining the Cloverdale Club in 1990, she has held many club offices -- Director, Treasurer (twice), Vice President, and President. She must have liked being president because she did it two times. She reflected, "The best thing about being a Soroptimist is knowing that I am making a difference in the world. My dollars and time have joined with thousands of others to truly change the lives of so many." She is also proud that the world listens to us due to our relationship with the United Nations.

Her club's corned beef and cabbage dinner and beer tasting is her favorite fund raising project. Even though she says that it is one intense day of work, they have lots of fun and so do the guests.

On being asked about becoming a Region officer, she shared this: "I did not aspire to become a Region officer. I was asked if I would consider running for District Director, and I said yes. Even when I ran unopposed, it did not dawn on me that I would actually win the election. It was the greatest two years in my Soroptimist life, and it gave me the courage and confidence to run for the office of (Founder Region) Treasurer.

Her most memorable times in Soroptimist were attending her first convention in Honolulu this past summer and attending her first offshore conference in Maui.

Beware of following her directions, as she tells of getting the entire Founder Region Board lost on Pine Mountain for about two hours in the dark, cold, and rain, and says that is the most distressing experience she has had in Soroptimist.

When asked about why she became a Soroptimist, she replied, "I joined...because I was asked. Soroptimist Clubs are unique from Rotary and Kiwanis because they are primarily comprised of women -- and women have empathy. They know what it takes to eliminate pain and suffering -- many are living examples. I have met so many people while being a Soroptimist and we all are working for the same goals and we know how to get there and we know what it takes to get the job done."

Past Governor Catherine "Kate" Burns Celebrates 80th Birthday

Catherine "Kate" Burns recently celebrated her 80th birthday and 36 years as a Soroptimist with her friends, family, and Founder Region members. Kate reflected on this birthday by saying, "What an opportunity to bring together in that evening all the memories and particularly the 36 years as a Soroptimist. This was a wonderful way to bring alive the tapestry of my life.

Kate Burns, past Region governor and Federation vice president, spent her early years in Oregon, first on a cattle ranch and later in town where her family owned a hotel. During the depression years, the mill closed and times were hard, and they eventually moved to Smith River, California and later to Eureka. With her mother and father working in the National Farm Loan office, she was able to attend Humboldt State College by living at home and riding a college commuter bus.

After college, she took a teaching position in Bakersfield, and found the next five years to be not only a good move professionally, but full of lots of activities during the years of World War II. When she married a transplanted New Yorker, she returned with him to Eureka, spending the next few years being mother to Michael and Chris and teaching in local schools. Kate tells us, "With 17 years of classroom experience, the opportunity arose to be a principal of another school. At last the additional college classes working for her masters degree and administrative credentials. She spent the next 25 years as principal four different schools and in due time she retired in 1982.

Retiring from the world of education was not the end of work for Kate. She then has been and office manager for a mortgage brokerage. As a Registered Parliamentarian, she has had the opportunity to meet and make many new friends.

Kate became a Soroptimist in 1964 after the death of her husband. Since that time, she has been busy with many Soroptimist responsibilities. She moved from being president of her local club to being a district director, Founder Region Governor, and Federation Vice President. Her varied experiences include brewing up 30 gallons of spaghetti sauce for her Eureka club's spaghetti dinner fund raiser and traveling internationally. At the present time, she is Chair of the Redwood Memorial Grove Committee.

She has had the opportunity to attend Soroptimist International conventions in Melbourne, Istanbul, and San Francisco, and a Soroptimist International board meeting in Barbados. Federation travels have taken her to conventions and charter parties in Kyoto, Toronto, Boston, St. Louis, Calgary, Denver, Hawaii, Saipan, and Guam.