SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL of LODI participate in Women's Conference

Women's Conference in Lodi blends fun, facts, friendship
By Sara Cardine, News-Sentinel Staff Writer

About 100 local women turned out for the Women in Today's World Conference on Friday at Micke Grove Park. The all-day event was organized by several Lodi women's groups, including the local chapter of Soroptomist International and the American Association of University Women. The topics ranged in theme from domestic violence to make-your-own rose corsages, though every event was especially geared toward women working together and becoming educated to the resources around them.

Shirley Kemp, left, and Ora Hoover, Soroptimist District 3 director, how to wrap a rose stem at the Women's Conference at Micke Grove Park on Friday. (Casey Freeman/News-Sentinel)

Sherry Azevedo, a member of the AAUW and the Woman's Club of Lodi, said she came up with the idea 18 months ago when she was trying to figure out how to reach more women in her community. "(This is meant) to bring out the good in each of our groups," Azevedo said, listing the accomplishments of each organization, like Lodi House and Friends of the Lodi Public Library. "If it weren't for all of these groups, Lodi wouldn't have these nice things." She then described how she collaborated on the conference with her two organizations, as well as Soroptimist International and Lodi Business and Professional Women. They decided to hold it this month.

October is the month recognized by many as a tribute to two important women's issues -- breast cancer and domestic violence.

Inside and around the grounds of the Julia Harrison Micke Memorial Building were details and decorations in pink and lavender, from the pink and lavender balloons in the auditorium to pink candies displayed in tiny chests on the tables. These objects served as gentle and colorful tributes to the victims and survivors of breast cancer and domestic violence, who are generally represented by the colors pink and lavender, respectively.

In keeping with the theme, some of the breakout sessions where women could take part in workshops separate from the assembly presentations dealt with domestic violence, personal safety, surviving breast cancer and gender communication.

President of Friends of the Lodi Public Library Janet Berreth showed up bright and early for the occasion and said she was looking forward to a discussion on women's issues by Kellie Brundson of the Women's Center of San Joaquin.

Berreth, who also tutors in a literacy program, added that she hoped to learn more about how to reach out to other women about domestic violence.

"We have a lot of foreign women who come to (learn to) read and write in English and some of them come from abusive homes," she said.

"I'd like to know how to help them learn where to go and who to call." Lodian Eleanor Bender came out with her daughter Shirley Kemp, who lives in Galt. The two sat under a canopy of shade trees at a morning class, learning how to make flower corsages. Instructor Pam Trassare (Soroptimist of Lodi), an independent florist from Lodi Avenue Florist, taught women how to arrange a corsage of small pink roses. After the 45-minute session, the students each had a piece of wearable art -- a cluster of five small, pink roses and baby's breath bound with a curly lavender bow.

"I did a lot of wedding cakes for 30 years, but I always let the florist do the flowers," said Bender of her former business as she and Kemp pinned the bouquets to each other's lapels with long, straight pins. After the morning break-out session, the mother and daughter team pored over the schedule of events, trying to figure out what their next move would be. "I wish we had time to go to all the events," Kemp said. "They have some really good choices."

Inside, Lodi City Council candidate JoAnne Mounce had come from a lecture given by Gillian Murphy and Joyce Grubbs on running a successful business. Mounce, who was there with mother and "best friend" Betty Gates, was having the same dilemma choosing from the list of break-out sessions. "We're looking at the gender communication (class). I guess that would come in handy if I were elected," Mounce joked.

Despite the easy-going nature of the women in attendance, the issues being discussed were both topical and informative. That was the goal of the groups who organized the affair. Members of the local chapter of the AAUW all agreed that reaching out to modern women about women's issues in a fast-paced society is definitely a challenge. "It's very difficult to reach the younger generation with what we think is very important," said member Pat Robison. "It's hard to get young women today to commit themselves to things like voting." President Pat Druin said her grandmother was one of the first women to vote. "Nowadays, we're backsliding," she added. "Maybe it's because today we've come so far that they don't think it was ever not like this," added fellow member Joanne Donovan.