Soroptimist in the 1960s*

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In the 60's, the nation witnessed John Kennedy's successful bid for the Presidency and his tragic assassination. During this time our nation committed itself to reach the moon in 1970, and Soroptimists pledged themselves to work with and for youth. The "S" Club movement took hold; the Soroptimist Foundation Youth Citizenship, (now the "Identifying Project") was begun; and the "Girl of the Month" project increased in numbers. The year 1966 brought involvement in the war in Vietnam, and the nation was conscious of the increase in the use of narcotics. Prevention of "Drug Use and Abuse" became the target for Soroptimist Service.

1969 ushered in student wrangling, walks and riots - women's styles reached a new "high" for hemlines, and men's hair reached a new tonsorial complexity. The young were enchanted with the 'Hippie" movement and style. The Drug Abuse problem became a household worry. It was during this decade that our government census told us that our "life span" was longer, and that earlier retirement was presenting the nation with the necessity of providing activities for our Senior Citizens. With all of this going on in the world, Soroptimists were "Leading the Action" in their communities through various service activities.

Throughout the region Senior Citizens clubs, Drop-in Centers and recreation programs became common-place. Antioch, Healdsburg, Albany, Sacramento, Taft, Davis, San Jose, Pittsburg, Napa, Fallon, Monterey, Modesto, Lodi, and others sponsored Senior groups and Drop-in centers. Redding club made history when it pledged $70,000 for the Senior Citizens Center of Shasta County. The project was completed with the Soroptimists furnishing 70 percent of the labor and materials, and the balance of the funds was supplied by the SFA Foundation, the first and only club to be granted foundation money under the club assistance program.

Other outstanding service projects during this time have been:

• Visalia furnished park playground equipment and the City of Visalia named the park "Soroptimist Park";
• Fresno built a "Chapel in Storyland", located in Fresno's Redding Park;
• Concord built a "Spray Painting Center" at Diablo Therapy Center;
• El Pinablo established a youth teen center known as "The Steeple" where Soroptimists listened and young people talked, a project to provide communication between youth, their parents, and adults;
• S.F. West of Twin Peaks purchased an artificial kidney machine;
• Sacramento sponsored and furnished the "Concillio Library" in the Mexican-American area;
• Auburn had a "Pennies for Pines" project and planted 6,800 trees after the "big turn";
• St. Helena established and supervised a "Teen Center";
• clubs assisted Alaska earthquake and Crescent City tidal wave victims;
• many clubs contributed park and playground equipment;
• hospital equipment and furnishings of all kinds were purchased and donated;
• visual and hearing equipment for pre-school children were popular service endeavors;
• beauty contests were sponsored throughout the region;
• Placerville supported a music camp; and
• Woodland was awarded the "Lady Bird Johnson Certificate" for helping to make their city the cleanest in the U.S.;
• Yerington and Hawthorne-Babbit sponsored "Dog Clinics" and assisted in vaccinating dogs.

* reprinted from Southwestern Region's history book entitled "Out Where It All Began" written and compiled for a celebration of Soroptimist's 50th anniversary in 1971 and updated and reprinted in 1996 for the celebration of Soroptimist's 75th anniversary, prepared by the Founder Region 75th Anniversary Committee and entitled Founder Region "The Way It Was".