November 2022 Newsletter

In the November issue, the Soroptimist International Loomis Basin club members were busy with collecting candy for Stand Up Placer families, making pumpkin succulents, hosting Soroptimist members for the District 4 meeting, taking the girls from Koinonia Group Homes on a nature walk, selling mandarins and other activities.

Read below or link to the issue: Soroptimist Loomis – Newsletter – November 2022

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Soroptimist International of Loomis Basin
November 2022

Awards Reminder

The November 15th deadline for award applications is fast approaching. Since we’ve increased the number of Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards (LYDA), the club is particularly seeking single mothers going back to school to apply for these LYDA awards.

Come to the November 16 Program Meeting

The November program meeting will be held at Pizza Factory with Mechelle describing our work with Koinonia (see Angel Walk article) and Mariam, founder of Love Each 0ther Always, or the LEOA Foundation, based in Loomis. The LEOA mission statement is “We Give Love to Everyone by Distributing Food, Clothing, Toys and Education.” The organization distributes food to those in need every Thursday in Loomis (King Rd. & Sierra College) as well as in Forest Hill, Sacramento and Rancho Cordova. In addition, LEOA conducts toy drives and offers educational programs for children and adults.

Buy Your Mandarins from Soroptimist

Thanks to member Terry and her husband Frank, the club is once again selling delicious mandarins from their Bearing Fruit Orchards as a fundraiser. A bag of approximately 7-8 pounds is $15. The small post office priority box is $18 and has approximately 10 pounds of mandarins. The boxed mandarins are all uniform size and packed with stems up to avoid damage to the skin. Buyers pay for their own postage and take their boxes to the post office. Contact Terry by text at 916-417-5741 to place your order. Pay by Venmo, Zeffy or check to SILB.

Club Hosts District 4 Meeting

Soroptimist International Loomis Basin (SILB) was honored to host the District 4 meeting on October 22 with 48 attendees including the Sierra Nevada Region (SNR) Governor Lisa, Governor-elect Stacey, other SNR officers, District 4 Director Katherine and members of other local clubs. President Rae worked closely with Katherine to organize a well-run meeting, beautiful fall decorations and delicious food catered by our own Peggy, P&L Catering.

We learned about plans for the region, Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA) projects and upcoming conferences. Each of the federation chairs gave tips clubs can use in the four pillars: Programs, Membership, Fundraising and Public Awareness.

Karen Wilkes, Days for Girls Rocklin Team, made a moving presentation highlighting the Loomis club’s participation and describing how she personally delivered sustainable menstrual kits that prevent girls from missing days of school each month.

Thank you to “Soroptimisters” Rick and Jack and members who helped with set up and clean up. Members also prepped food, ran the audio visual, managed the fundraising and had roles in the program. We appreciate all these helping hands: Rae, Ashley, Becky F., Bev, Chris, Cindy J., Elizabeth, Julie B., Karen, Lori D., Lori W., Marilyn, Ralene, Shari and Sheila. We also raised $698 for the Live Your Dream Award by selling cork pumpkins, pumpkin succulent centerpieces, baby booties by Joelle and a raffle.

Club Celebrates Fall with Pumpkin Succulents

Julie B. did a great job putting all the ingredients together for a fun Pumpkin Succulent Event. Everyone enjoyed making beautifully decorated pumpkins. Thank you Julie!

Kathleen collects Halloween candy for Stand Up Placer from President Rae

Stand Up Placer Families Receive Halloween Candy

Thanks to Alaire for connecting the club with the 2nd Annual Halloween Candy Drive so the children whose parents are being helped to escape domestic violence by Stand Up Placer could enjoy trick or treating. Members donated over 30 pounds of candy that was collected by Ms. Great Classic Placer County Kathleen Gerlach during the Pumpkin Succulent event. Thank you for making a difference.

Olive Oil Sales were Successful

Lori D. has transmitted our olive oil order to Ternerno Farms. SILB members sold 294 bottles and the projected profit is $3,092. We’ll get an email from Lori in mid-November detailing next steps. Thank you, Lori D., for all the time and effort on organizing this and to club members for supporting fundraiser.

President Rae’s Message

I love the phrase, “time flies when you’re having fun.” This expression captures the way I’ve felt since our Soroptimist fiscal year began. Time has passed quickly because we are all engaged in something we feel connected with and enjoy.A positive way to stay connected is to read the Sierra Nevada Region (SNR) Eblast email that you receive once a month from Governor Lisa. This is a great way to know what is happening at the region level as well as what other Soroptimist clubs are doing.For example, SI Lincoln’s Halloween Spooktacular Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser was recently advertised in the SNR publication. A group of us signed up as a team. Participating was a great way to meet Soroptimist women in other clubs, create comradery between clubs, gather ideas and to just have FUN.We decided to dress up as Rosie the Riveter, a media icon associated with female defense workers during World War II. Since the 1940’s, Rosie the Riveter has stood as a symbol for women in the workforce and for women’s independence. Our bowling scores weren’t very impressive, but we had a blast! You might see an event in the SNR eblast that you are interested in attending; if so, reach out to other members and share.

We Rise By Lifting Others, President Rae

Angel Walk Provides Coping Tools in Nature

Each fall, our club engages member Mechelle, Achieve It, to deliver a program with the girls in Koinonia Group Homes to increase confidence, self-care and coping skills. Her program leads perfectly into our Soroptimist Dream It, Be It career exploration program in spring. This year, Koinonia staff asked for a one day program rather than the usual five sessions. So Mechelle created the Angel Walk Workshop at Rattlesnake Bar on October 26. Becky F., Becky J. and Karen participated, and Shari arranged the food. There were 13 participants including five girls and four staff members.

“Our intent was to have fun, take a break from grind, feel angel love and connect with nature to feel the healing effects of elements – water, fire, air, earth,” said Mechelle. “The Angel Walk didn’t start out all rainbows and butterflies. Lots of re-structuring was required on our end due to restrictions, schedules and late arrivals. And, we had some angry young ladies who were clearly unhappy.”

Becky J. indicated that she loved getting out in nature with the girls and watching them open up as the day went on. “Mechelle was wonderful with making changes as we went to meet their needs,” said Becky J.

We walked over three miles on trails, stopping to experience nature’s sounds, sights and scents, explained Karen. “Mechelle led us through deep breathing and visualization to stay grounded in difficult situations,” said Karen. “As we hiked, we switched partners and discussed ways our minds can exaggerate imagined catastrophes and our ability to use our creative minds to make changes. Down by the river, Mechelle taught the group how to release anger with breathing and screaming techniques, followed by throwing rocks in the river.”

Mechelle described how as we continued to walk and talk, something magical shifted. “One of the young ladies who wanted to go home, decided to stay,” said Mechelle. “She ended up hiking next to me most of the time, sharing her frustrations, knowledge and desires. I loved watching them start to giggle and laugh.”

Being with girls was also a reminder that when we help others, we often learn something about ourselves or get something that we need in return, according to Becky J. “For me, it was a great conversation with a young lady whose kindness and compassion, despite her difficult situation, touched my heart,” said Becky J.

Mechelle indicated that she was grateful for the “Soroptimist Angels” who rolled with the changes all day and kept positive. “Becky J., Becky F. and Karen were also there to listen and talk with the Koinonia staff members,” said Mechelle. “The staff members really take the brunt of the anger and pain of these young teens. I was so glad to be of service to those who do the heavy lifting, supporting these girls daily.”

The ending circle was really heartwarming, according to Mechelle. “The looks on the girl’s faces were priceless,” said Mechelle. “What were once frowns with angry energy spewing from their bodies, were now smiling faces, playing in the dirt and sharing how they felt so different. Magic happened out there. Nature, love and kindness really do make a difference.”

Join the Club in Celebrating the Upcoming Holidays

We hope members will participate in and support these upcoming events to share in holiday goodwill and contribute to those in need in our community.

Nov. 23 Day Before Thanksgiving Parade – Club members and families walk in the parade, handing out candy. Thanks to Julie H. and Becky F. for leading this committee.
Dec. 1 Chamber Mixer supporting Loomis Basin Christmas Baskets – The club members usually provide appetizers at this event that collects thousands of dollars to supply food for local families. Jenny and Ashley are chairing this event.
Dec. 3 Loomis Family Tree Lighting – Members often attend and support the community tree lighting. “I’d never been before–my goodness, I felt like I was in a Hallmark movie! Such a small town, fun event,” said Alaire.
Dec. 15 Senior L.I.F.E. Center Holiday Lunch and gift – The club cooks lunch, helps serve and spend time with seniors sharing holiday cheer. We’ll have several shifts and ways you can help prep, cook, serve and clean up during this meal. The club gives center members holiday gifts. Jenny, Peggy and Chris are on this committee.
Dec. 20 (Tuesday) Club Holiday Party – “Soroptimisters” join us at this potluck club celebration at the Blue Goose Annex. Thanks to Heather and Lori D. for planning this event.
Date TBD Folsom Women’s Prison Project – The club puts together small bags with items such as hot chocolate, candy canes, notepads and inspiration to continue with their education. With permission from the warden, members are able to take out the gifts to the prison. We appreciate Shari leading this activity.

Community Uses Little Free Library

Thanks to Karin W., Wendy, Joelle and Lori D., the Soroptimist Little Free Library is doing well. Books for teens would be an excellent addition, if anyone has books to donate for that age group.

Meet Club Member, Eileen

Eileen has been a member of SILB since 2001. Her family moved to the area about 11 years earlier and Eileen took time off from work to care for her two daughters and in-laws. She found being sandwiched in the middle didn’t give her much time for herself, so she looked around for a women’s group to join and found SILB.

She likes being with the dynamic, positive women in our club and believes we provide a good platform for helping in the community. The Loomis Senior L.I.F.E. Center is her most favorite club project. Eileen is so involved that she is the current Board Chairperson and Grant Writer for the center.

Eileen first met her husband, Randy, when they were neighbors as kids. They’ve known one another for 57 years and have been married for 39 years. They have a daughter in Portland, OR and another in Tacoma, WA. Eileen retired last year, after 44 years as an Occupational Therapist. She has traveled extensively with her husband and hikes with a group of friends. She plans to do more of both, now that she is retired.

Plan on Helping with the Purse Event – Jan. 18

Tell your business colleagues that “It’s in the Bag” purse event sponsorships are available to support Soroptimist scholarships and education projects. The $1,500 Platinum level sponsors receive promotion and a table for eight with wine and souvenir glasses at the Jan. 18 event. There are also $1000 Gold, $500 Table and Swag Bag sponsorships.

Thank you to member, Cindy D., for making her company, West Pacific Cabinets, a Platinum Sponsor!

Volunteers wanted – This event is an opportunity for everyone to get involved. Coordinators are needed to help with various areas of the event. Tell your friends to save the date – January 18 – and plan on attending this fun ladies night out and our major fundraiser of the year. Tickets are $50 and include dinner, water, games and door prizes. Purse and alcohol tickets are sold separately.

Watch for updates from Purse Event Chair, Chris or contact her for more information at chris@hebardsolutions.com or (916) 652-0404. See more information on our website at It’s in the Bag.

Experience this International Organization in Dublin Ireland

Soroptimist International will be holding the next international convention in Dublin, Ireland July 27-29, 2023. Several people from the club are attending. If you are interested, talk to Chris. Registration is open and is filling up quickly as well as accommodations. Learn more: Soroptimist International
Convention Dublin 2023 – Soroptimist International

Calendar

Nov 16 LEOA Foundation & Achieve It – Koinonia project – program meeting. Note location: Pizza Factory, Loomis

Dec 1 Chamber Mixer, Loomis Christmas Basket at Blue Goose 5:30 PM
Dec 5 Board Meeting, 4 PM
Dec 7 Business Meeting at Loomis Round Table, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Dec 15 Senior L.I.F.E. Center Holiday Dinner
Dec 20 (Tues.) Soroptimist Holiday Party at the Blue Goose Annex
TBD Folsom Women’s Prison Project

Jan 2 Board Meeting at 4 PM
Jan 4 Business Meeting at Loomis Round Table, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Jan 18 “It’s in the Bag” Purse event fundraiser at Blue Goose 5:30 PM
Jan 30 Board Meeting at 4 PM

Feb 1 Business Meeting at Loomis Round Table, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Feb 15 Club Awards Presentation
Feb 25 Soroptimist Hosting Community Meeting on Human Trafficking

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