From the Heart of the Governor

Issue 6 Volume 1 January, 2015 Inside this issue: Governor s Message 1 Kudos 2 Reaching Higher 3 Events 4 Leadership Thoughts 5 Convention 6 LYD FAQs 7 SIA News 8 Dream It, Be It Prize 9 https:// www.facebook.com/ pages/soroptimist- Northwestern- Region/114263771950897 Email Contest Don t forget about the Region Email Contest. An email was sent to the club email addresses on October 1. We look forward to your participation! From the Heart of the Governor It s great to ring in a new year, which symbolizes a fresh start and the making of resolutions to do better and reach higher. I wish each of you the best in your personal pursuits this year. For Soroptimists, January marks the midway point of the club year. Strategic plans, goals, and volunteer efforts are well underway with the end of the club year beginning to come into focus. There is still much to be done in the coming months, which I ll refer to as the Dreams Under Construction phase of the club year. While some club projects have been completed, many others are just ramping up. It s time to roll up our sleeves and reach higher. Last July, members were introduced to the new Dream it, Be it program for girls. Many clubs have reported being anxiously engaged in community assessments and program plans. This is terrific news! Be sure to report your club s participation to SIA by February 15 th. The curriculum for the program will be available this month to provide additional help and direction to clubs. A program toolkit is available with steps and information to assist members in their initial planning and reporting. However, some of the best tools to be used in these Dreams Under Construction are the experience, mentorship, and support Soroptimists provide teen girls as they plan for a college education. The region is striving for 100% participation in the Live Your Dream Awards program. There are many women with Dreams Under Construction. Award funds, along with an acknowledgment of their efforts, goes a long way in helping women live their dreams through education. Education leads to a better job, which leads to a more stable home and family life, which leads to increased self-esteem and self-worth. Soroptimists do the easy part of providing funding for the awards. The women do the hard part of transforming their lives through education and change. I hope every club in NWR participates in this signature program. Dreams Under Construction also includes the Northwestern Region Conference. The meeting team is working to create a value experience for each attendee. Sponsorship opportunities will soon be on the region website. We will also have a special event that will help women of Congo realize their dreams of a safe and happy life. Rather than ask for donations of goods to support this service project, we are asking members to take part in a 5K Walk/Run to benefit Run for Congo Women. The entry fee will entitle participants to an event t- shirt with excess funds being donated to this cause. Registration information will be online soon, and we hope to see hundreds of walkers at the event. It is not necessary to be a Soroptimist to participate, so spread the word. Founder Lisa Shannon will provide a keynote address following the event. So, as we cross the midway point of the club year, keep up your many efforts and take joy in knowing you are making a difference. The finish line will produce extraordinary results if we all consistently work together as a region-bound by similar goals. Efforts to continually strengthen our leadership chain with member skills, abilities, and financial means will make all the difference in our success. Soroptimists are well-equipped to take Dreams Under Construction and make them a reality. Thank you for your continuing support and dedication. Our love lifts us higher. Dreams Soroptimist ~Carol Hansen, Governor

KUDOS O R N E R I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved. ~ B. R. Ambedkar Facebook Challenge Currently the Region Facebook page has 268 Likes. We want to make that 1,000! And we challenge you to help make it happen! Be sure you Like us! https:// www.facebook.co m/pages/ Soroptimist- Northwestern- Region/11426377195 0897. And encourage people you know to Like us too! Kudos Korner Nancy Boettcher was born on a cold January day and has excelled in everything that she has done in her life. She is dedicated to the Lower Valley Soroptimist organization of which I believe she has been a member since early 80's. Nancy has headed up one of our annual fundraisers. The Merry Makins Craft Fair held the first weekend of December for the last 32 years. Nancy is an inspiration to all the members. Her depth of knowledge is incredible. I would like to acknowledge her. ~submitted by Martina Castle Charvetk Soroptimist Making A Difference In Their Community SI Anacortes raised $8,006.33 ringing the bell for Salvation Army at the Market Grocery in Anacortes on December 13. While there was no actual competition among the service clubs this year, SI Anacortes raised the most $$$ among all the local service clubs. Teams of Soroptimists rang the bell in 30 minute increments throughout the day with accompanying music and their cuddly little friends in tow. Who could resist bell ringers with their puppies? ~submitted by Aleli R. Howell Members of Soroptimist Int l of Port Orchard and the Port Orchard Rotary Club held their 19 th annual Port Orchard Cares Christmas event at a local Fire Station, by distributing gifts and food to as many as 40 families and numerous individual senior citizens adopted from the local Food Bank, South Kitsap Helpline, as well as several military families. Our community is very supportive of this event and shares generously to help others. It is touching and inspiring to see how quickly people respond to the needs of those less fortunate in these shaky economic times. Our local grocery stores allow collection of the food at their doors and are always very supportive of this mission. A local Auto Dealer provided a large van, to pick up the groceries collected and local hardware store provides the shelving for the food storage, along with the CPA firm that provides the gift security and the South Kitsap Fire Department allowing us the use of their basement for food storage, their conference room to wrap gifts & their large vehicle bay for the distribution, which is an all-day process. We know from experience that Port Orchard Cares! ~submitted by Sharon McAffee Submit your Kudos to: nwrsia@gmail.com. Be sure to include KUDOS in the subject line of the e-mail. Page 2

Reaching Higher SI of Greater Bremerton SI of Greater Bremerton Area is so excited to report a membership increase of 37% for the first six months of the 2014-2015 club year. With membership down at the beginning of the year, our membership committee, spearheaded by Kristi Croswaite, rolled its sleeves up and went to work setting an initial goal of five new members for the year. Lo and behold, we are only six months into the year and already have seven new members. And we anticipate a few more coming on in January. We attribute our growth this year to the following (1) forming a committee, (2) setting annual membership goals and being consistent in our recruiting, training, and retention efforts, (3) continuing to encourage existing members to share Soroptimist and to invite women who are passionate about the work that we do. We also held a successful recruiting event in October and have another planned in the weeks ahead. Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. ~Napoleon Hill ~submitted by Sharon Weathers SI of Ashland Fourth and fifth grade girls at Helman Elementary School had the opportunity this fall to participate in a six-week Soroptimist Strong Girls Strong Women After School program sponsored by Soroptimist International of Ashland. Other schools across the state are picking up the ball and showing girls the fields of science, technology, engineering and math are not just for boys. These programs show girls that they don t have to impress other people; they can be themselves and still do amazing things in these fields. The next session of Soroptimist Strong Girls Strong Women Careers will begin in February when the girls will visit women doing business and professional jobs. Once the door is open, there is no stopping girls from continuing the adventure. An article appeared in the Ashland Daily Tidings. Read more at: http:// www.soroptimistrv.org/siashland/stronggirlsstrongwomen.html ~submitted by Christina Christensen Milestone Mentions If your club is having an anniversary (multiple of 5 years) we d like to know about it! And if you have a particular celebration activity scheduled, please tell us what you have planned. Let the region celebrate your milestone! Joy shared is expanded and multiplied. Send your Milestone Mentions to nwr-sia@gmail.com along with MILESTONE MENTIONS in the subject line of the e-mail. Save the Date! The NWR Area Meeting Schedule can be found in the Members Only section of the NWR website. Check out the meeting for your area at: http://soroptimistnwr.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/01/areameetingdates.pdf. Issue 6 Volume 1 Page 3

Events In collaboration with Our G.E.M.S. (Girls Empowered through Mentoring and Service), SI of Greater Bremerton Area will host a documentary showing of Playground. Throughout Washington State even in Kitsap County women and children are trafficked for profit. Together, we can educate and raise awareness about this horrific crime. Playground Libby Spears goes undercover in southeast Asia to infiltrate the vast network of people involved in human trafficking (specifically, sex slaves), and discovers that not only are a significant number of its victims children, but also that the United States is one of the industry's biggest customers. When she returns home to learn more, she discovers the roles that the educational system and law enforcement have played in keeping the issue off the radar. Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events, not of words. Trust movement. ~Alfred Adler Monday, January 12, 2015, 5:30 p.m. Opal Robertson Teen Center, Bremerton, WA RSVP: SI Greater Bremerton via email at info@bremertonsoroptimist.org It is a FREE event and we invite and welcome all District 1 clubs and its members to attend. ~submitted by Sharon Weathers, SI of Greater Bremerton In May of 2014, SI of Anacortes and SI of Fidalgo Island sponsored the beginning of Skagit County Coalition Against Trafficking. SKCAT was formed and is presenting the following FREE educational programs: NOT IN MY BACKYARD Nationally known speaker; Margie Quin, ASAC (Assistant Special Agent in Charge) Sessions are January 24, 27, 28, 2015. For a breakdown please see the Calendar on the NWR Website: http://soroptimistnwr.org/events-2/. For additional information please contact Gayle Kersten, gayle_kersten@yahoo.com Events Is your club planning an event or activity? Provide us with the who, what, when, where and why and we ll have it listed in The Soroptimist WOMAN. Be sure to Include contact information. Send your events to nwrsia@gmail.com with EVENTS in the subject line. Soroptimist International of Renton will be having their Annual Dinner and Auction on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, 5:30-9:00 p.m. at the Renton Technical College, 3000 NE 4 th Street, Renton, WA 98056. Tickets are $50. This year's Theme is A Super Bowl Party! The evening includes a delicious dinner (medallions of beef or smoked salmon penne pasta, vegetarian by request). There will be Dessert-Dash Silent and Live Auction. Proceeds from the auction will benefit SI of Renton local scholarships and signature projects along with Soroptimist International causes. Please RSVP by January 16 th. We Hope to See You There! Questions? nickels@cox.net or 206-910-2231. Issue 6 Volume 1 Page 4

Leading with Leadership My New Year s Resolution Every year on December 31 st at 12:01 we put into action our New Year s Resolutions and for many of us, by January 31 st at 12:01 we will have broken at least half of them! A Facebook quote showed up that said, My New Year s resolution is to stop lying to myself about making lifestyle changes. As you are laughing at that and recognizing that it applies to you, I offer a compromise. For 2015, let s not make personal resolutions that stress us out and create anxiety, instead make a Soroptimist resolution. Repeat after me: In 2015 I will do one thing for Soroptimist that allows my club and the women and girls we serve to be lifted higher. Your one thing could be setting up monthly giving to Laurel Society; chairing a club project; accepting a leadership role; working on your club s Dream It, Be It committee; or working one on one with your Live Your Dream club winner. You decide it doesn t have to be big. It just has to come from the heart! The first follower is actually an underestimated form of leadership in itself. The first follower is what transforms a lone nut into a leader. ~Derek Sivers ~Stephanie Smith, Governor-Elect Leadership Styles During the last president s call we discussed what it means to be a servant leader. As we move toward the season of nominating new leadership, finding new committee chairpersons and event organizers, we may want to think about the style of leadership needed. For example if your club is anticipating changes that may impact the membership then perhaps someone who demonstrate transformational leadership abilities is needed. The primary focus of this style is to make change happen in: our self, others, groups, and organizations. The style requires a number of different skills and is closely associated with two other leadership styles: charismatic and visionary. A visionary, can help turn that vision/change into reality and a charismatic has the ability to inspire and motivate. The task of leadership is not to put greatness in humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. ~John Buchan Leaders who can adapt their natural leadership style to meet the needs of their members and the club are leaders who can lead in both the good and challenging times. So what type of leader are you today and what type of leader do you want to be tomorrow? We encourage you to explore these different types of leadership styles and prepare yourself to be a club leader! ~Sandy Lawrence/NWR Professional Development Committee Page 5

Soroptimist International, specifically SI of Turkey Union, hosts our 20 th International Convention this year, 9-12 July. Our meet up location is Istanbul, Turkey. Are you going? Haven t decided? Excited, yet concerned about what s happening in that part of the world? These and many more topics will be explored in a series of articles featured in this our NWR Newsletter. Karen M., SI of LaConner, and Dawn C.C., SI of Lake Oswego/West Linn, are here to help increase awareness and address travel concerns arising from your adventure musings. Soroptimist International hosts our international convention every odd numbered, four years (2015, 2019, 2023, etc.). The previous one took place in 2011 at Montréal, Ontario, Canada. As it is international, it features more of our Soroptimist activities worldwide with a gaze toward their work with the United Nations, wherein Soroptimist holds a Category 1 Non-Governmental Organization Consultative status. This honor provides us, a major global women s organization, an opportunity to shape policy regarding issues faced by women and girls world round. Karen and I are seriously considering attending. We are looking into pre- and post-tours offered on SIs website, http://www.si-istanbul2015.org/? page=pre_post_tours, discounted air fares and Registration, http://www.si-istanbul2015.org/? page=registration. Early Bird Registration closes 28 February 2015. That s only seven weeks away! After that date the cost goes up 55 Euros / about $65 US exchange rate as of 2 January. This 3-1/2 day business meeting event will surely introduce you to new perspectives, challenges not yet imagined, someone/thing different and a broader sense of empathy. See more about Turkey and managing travel planning in our next article. ~Dawn Christiansen Cuellar NWR District 2 Director Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living. ~Mary Ritter Beard Dream Higher Region Awards Fundraising Campaign Don t forget about the new Region Awards Fundraising CampaignThere are two different levels of the Dream Higher Campaign, the Dream Higher Level for donations of $100 or more and the Reach Higher Level for donations of $50 to $99. Donors receive a recognition pin for their donation: A Balloon Pin at the Dream Higher Level and a Rhinestone Heart Pin at the Reach Higher Level. The Campaign will continue through the bi-enium. Donations for either level can be made at any time by sending a check to Region Treasurer Carla Tucker at 23153 Buchanan Place, Mount Vernon, WA 98273. The appropriate pin will be mailed to you. Donations will also be accepted at Region Conference. Thanks again for your generosity!!! ~Carla Tucker, NWR Treasurer Page 6

Live Your Dream Awards: Quick Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Is our selected finalist eligible? An eligible application is complete and the applicant meets all program eligibility requirements. Each question is answered. The application is signed. Please note that a typed name on a writeable application will serve as the applicant s signature. The applicant resides in one of SIA s member countries or territories. The applicant is a woman with primary financial responsibility for herself and her dependents. The applicant demonstrates financial need. The applicant has been accepted, or is enrolled and will still be attending an undergraduate degree or vocational skills training program. She should not graduate before the federation judging in May. The applicant is not enrolled in a graduate degree program. However, applicants who already hold an undergraduate degree are eligible to apply if they are pursuing another undergraduate degree or are entering a training program. The applicant does not have a graduate degree. The applicant has not previously been the recipient of a Live Your Dream Award or Women s Opportunity Award The critical messages for clubs are: the RECEIVED by deadline is February 1st clubs must send the CLUB TRANSMITTAL FORM with the complete application. What is the deadline for district level judging? The club finalist's application must be received by the Region Chair by February 1st to be considered for further judging. What does a club send to the Region Chair? Your submission must include a completed Club Transmittal Form. Your applicant s full name, contact information, and original application must be included. Region Chair Contact Information: This year's Region Chair is Janet Schempf. Her mailing address is 800 Fritz Cove, Juneau, AK 99801. Her email address is fritz_cove@hotmail.com (with an underscore between the words fritz and cove). New this year: The region continues to increase the number of region funded awards and the amount of each individual award. This year, the region will award a maximum of ten $1,500 awards. Federation will fund one $5,000 award and seven $3,000 awards. Important Web Links: The Club Transmittal Form and other program resources are online, at https://www.soroptimist.org/members/program/ lyd-awards.html ~ Janet Schempf Live Your Dream Awards Region Chair Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams. ~Ashley Smith Page 7

From the SIA January Summary New Club Email System As announced in October, headquarters moved all club addresses to Microsoft s cloud-based Office 365 system on December 15. The new system will make administering the club email system easier for clubs and headquarters. Beginning in late October, all clubs were sent three messages: one with export/import instructions: http://www.soroptimist.org/members/ membership/membershipdocs/clubadmin/guide-to-migrating-youroutlook.com-data-to-office365.pdf to move address books and other materials from the old system into the new system. A second message in late November included the new login information and general instructions: http://www.soroptimist.org/members/membership/ membershipdocs/clubadmin/guide-to-office365-club-emailmanagement.pdf on how to use the new system. A final reminder message was sent the week of December 8 with the new login information and instructions. If you have any questions about the new club email account system, please contact headquarters at siahq@soroptimist.org. New Club Brochure A new, visually appealing club brochure is now available! The tri-fold pamphlet serves as an informative resource that can be customized with club contact information and printed. Check it out! https://www.soroptimist.org/members/membership/membershipdocs/newc lubbldg/club-brochure.pdf. Following-up and following through Did you know it only takes 3 seconds to make a good impression? In our fast-paced world, people expect information NOW and they want instant gratification. That is why it s so important to quickly contact and welcome potential members when they express interest in joining your club. Check out this recruitment tip: www.soroptimist.org/members/membership/membershipdocs/recruitreten/ followup&followthrough_e.docx about following-up and following Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing. ~Rollo May Page 8

Region and District Leadership 2014-2016 Governor Carol Hansen (SI of Pasco-Kennewick) Governor Elect Stephanie Smith (SI of Oak Harbor) Region Secretary Marti Crook (SI of McMinnville) Region Treasurer Carla Tucker (SI of Burlington) Dist 1 Director Nancy Buechner (SI of Friday Harbor) Dist 1 Sec Renee Recker (SI of Oak Harbor) Dist 2 Dir Dawn Christiansen Cuellar (SI of Lake Oswego/West Linn) Dist 2 Sec Theresa Heidt-Vanderschoot (SI of McMinnville) Dist 3 Dir Kathi Hanson (SI of Three Rivers) Dist 3 Sec Jo Breneman (SI of Pasco-Kennewick) Dist 4 Dir Melissa Domme (SI of Helena) Dist 4 Sec Cindy Zimmerman (SI of Helena) Due Date: Submissions to The Soroptimist WOMAN are due by the first of the month. Publication is distributed by the 10 th of the month. Dream It, Be It Club Planning Prize This is a great opportunity to receive a $1,000 grant from SIA, who wants to support clubs with their local-level project development. Clubs eligible for the grants are those that have started their planning this year and who send in their Progress Reports by February 15, 2015. The Progress Report is in the Club Planning Toolkit, page 10, on the SIA website, www.soroptimist.org, under Program, Dream It Be It. Please be sure to submit your club reports by February 15 th to your District Rep: District 1 Debbi Staehlin, SI Friday Harbor debbi@staehlins.com 360-378-7232 District 2 Karyn Dagenais, SI Brookings karyndagenais@gmail.com 541-661-2591 District 3 Catherine Bowers, SI Spokane catherinebowers@msn.com 509-467-6386 District 4 Sandra Kokoruda, SI Helena koko4404@q.com 406-227-1108 ~Wanda Costi, SI Portland NWR Dream It, Be It Committee Chair denniscosti@comcast.net 360-254-5823 Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. ~Theodore Roosevelt