Soroptimist in the 1970s*

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As the Ecology movement shifted into high in the 70s, Soroptimists added emphasis to planning for their Golden Anniversary years in 1970 by serving mankind. Hundreds of dollars were sent to Peru to assist earthquake victims. Concord established a "Meals on Wheels" project and won community and regional recognition.

In 1970 as the war in Vietnam de-escalated, Southwestern Soroptimists were busy escalating club projects to become "Golden Jubilee Clubs" to celebrate the 50th Anniversary. Time and money were contributed toward building a SFA float, "Seeing Eye to Eye" for the Tournament of Roses Parade, and on January 1, 1971, in Pasadena, California, the name "Soroptimist" was televised around the world to usher in our Golden Jubilee year.

At the 1971 Spring Regional Conference in San Francisco, Southwestern Region, with love and affection, unveiled a Bronze Portrait of charter President Violet Richardson Ward. Present in the audience were Violet, "Friend Husband" Stanley, son, John, and SFA President, Katherine Stinson. Mr. Ono de Ruyter, the artist, captured in the portrait the wonderful face and character of our Founder President Violet.

On June 13, 1971, a special Fiftieth Anniversary Memorial Service for departed members was held in the Soroptimist Memorial Grove. Added to this day's activities, a special Redwood Tree was dedicated and named for Charter President Violet.

During our 50 years, service projects continued and special new ones have been added for our Golden Jubilee Year. These have been:

• Santa Cruz had a begonia named "Lady Soroptimist";
• North San Mateo had an orchid named "Lovely Mists" for the lovely Soroptimists;
• Oakland purchased a bookmobile in honor of Founder Member Eloise B. Cushing;
• Waikiki sponsored a Campfire Group of mentally retarded children with severe emotional problems;
• Colfax has converted a "caboose" into a railroad museum;
• Oakland and Berkeley have sponsored "satellite homes" for the elderly;
• Sonoma Valley and Placerville furnished rooms in hospitals;
• Marysville-Yuba City sponsored the "Yuba General Volunteer Bureau";
• Reno has a "Child Care Center";
• Woodland helped purchase the "Woodland Opera House", one of only two in California;
• Chowchilla, Madera and The Sierras have joined together to sponsor a County Mental Health Clinic and program;
• Delano has participated in "Beautification of City Traffic Islands";
• San Leandro has underwritten the cost of sending the high school "jazz band" to Switzerland;
• Manteca has built a swimming pool;
• El Pinablo, El Cerrito and Richmond have started an Inter-Community vision and screening program for pre-school children and
• Antioch provided funds for a "Therapy Pool" for the Mt. Diablo Therapy Clinic.

In the area of Drug Abuse, we find clubs sponsoring programs and rehabilitation centers.

• Taft has "DUE", Drug Understanding Education,
• El Pinablo operated "Unity House",
• Hayward, "Project Eden";
• Visalia, "Turning Point", and there were others.
• Livermore purchased a "Drug Abuse" film for the Police Department, and
• Watsonville has spearheaded a drive for a "Van" for use in Drug Prevention.

Other projects in 1971:

• Burlingame, San Mateo and North San Mateo are sponsoring "Skylark Residencies, Inc" for youth;
• San Francisco is sponsoring a Pediatric Reading and Language clinic;
• Crescent City has spearheaded a community awareness program on "Pollution";
• Greenville has built and equipped a city park;
• East Oakland has a "New Careers" program, and there are others too numerous to list.

A high point in Soroptimist Service, all through the years, has been the awarding of scholarships in all classifications to assist youth in continuing their education. In 1971, alone, clubs distributed approximately $53,000 in scholarships. Other monies disbursed in service projects have amounted to over $100,000 in the year 1971. Soroptimist Service is Big Business, because Soroptimists Think Big!

* 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".