SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL of HANFORD

WHO WE ARE
Soroptimist International of Hanford was chartered November 22, 1958 by Soroptimist International of Fresno. The club has continually served our community since its inception.

We are a group of business and professional women, varied in age as well as occupation. We are eager to serve our local community as well as nationally and internationally. Membership in Soroptimist allows the opportunity for networking, promotes high ethical standards in all aspects of life, provides the opportunity to be a positive role model for the youth and women in the community, and develops interest in community, national and international affairs.

Soroptimist International of Hanford has over 50 members who are involved in many projects, some of which are:

• Sponsor a Student to Girls State
• Donate to local library Book Buddies
• Give Violet Richardson Award to a High School Student for Service to Community
• Scholarships to High School students
• Women's Opportunity Award to a woman who is head of household going to school to re-enter the workplace
• Sponsor "S" Clubs (service clubs) on local High School Campuses
• Honor Local Women at the annual Awards Banquet
• Present Making a Difference for Women Awards
• Help sponsor Miss Kings County Scholarship Pageant and give $500 in scholarships
• Sponsor Business Olympics for students enrolled in KROP Business Program
• Help Sponsor and coordinate Mervyn's Child Spree and donate $1,000.
• Partner with a club in the Philippines to build and operate a Daycare Center
• Donate to local "Secret Witness" program
• Furnish and assemble 160 patient binders, in English and Spanish to local UCP unit.
• Donate financially and "hands on" to local Domestic Violence Shelter
• Sponsor a Girl Scout Troop in a low income area of our city
• Donate clothes to the Community Clothes Closet, a facility where low-income women getting back into the work place can go for clothes for job interviews , etc.
• Donate to the Pregnancy Crossroads Center - "Mommy's Store"
• Sponsor 2 children to Royal Family Kid's Camp, an annual camp for abused and neglected children.

Our members also take the opportunity to meet and network with members of other Soroptimist Clubs. Twenty four members and friends of the Hanford Soroptimist Club made another trip to Tijuana by bus to visit our Tijuana Centro Friendship Link and participated in Tijuana Soroptimist's annual fundraiser "The Margarita Party." This was a great experience for our club. We got a chance to really get to know each other as well as to help our Tijuana Soroptimist Friendship Link We hope to make this an annual event. Before The Margarita Party we had a chance to shop on Revolution Boulevard in Tijuana. We met up with Soroptimist International of Americas President Elect Alice Wells and had our picture taken.