SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL of CAPITOLA-BY-THE-SEA COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS

This year our club is continuing its long tradition of actively and joyously serving its community. We are very excited and honored by the news that the club will be receiving $5000 from a SIA Club Grant to help fund the "Gemma Mentor Project". Read more about this project and the SIA Club Grant.

We are thrilled to be providing assistance to GEMMA, an organization which provides housing and a helping hand to women who are leaving the Santa Cruz County prison system. In addition to our grant, Gemma will be receiving a portion of the proceeds from our main fund raiser, "Bras for a Cause".

Another long-term focus project is working with the organization WomenCARE, based in Santa Cruz, which offers support and assistance to women who are living with cancer and their families. WomenCare also receives a portion of the proceeds from our main fund raiser, "Bras for a Cause". In addition, we assist with their annual fundraiser, a bowling tournament by sending teams to play and collecting contributions from members who do not bowl.

Each year, we participate in the Women's Opportunity Award, program, sharing applicants with SI Santa Cruz and SI Watsonville. We also participate in the Violet Richardson Award and the Women Making a Difference Award programs every year. This year's award winners will be honored at a dinner on March 27, 2007 at Peachwood's restaurant in Santa Cruz.

We contribute annually to The President's Appeal. This year's "Saturday of Service" project will again be helping with registration at an annual event, held at the University of California at Santa Cruz, called "Expanding Horizons", a one-day workshop aimed at increasing the interest of girls in math and science. We fund numerous smaller projects each year at the discretion of our members. In the past, supported organizations have included Capacitar, The Boys and Girls Club of Santa Cruz, Guitars Not Guns, Magazines for local high school libraries, The Walnut Avenue Women's Center, raising funds to provide shoes for children living in an orphanage in Kenya and many more.

We stand committed to the mission and goals of Soroptimist International and continue to find ways of making a difference and building friendships among ourselves and in our community.