BEST FOR WOMEN

AWARDS RECEPTION

An International Women’s Day

EventThursday, March 8,

2012

Presented by: Soroptimist International Southwest Washingtonwww.sisouthwestwashington.org

Emcee: Alexis Del Cid, Koin Local 6

ABOUT SOROPTIMIST Soroptimist is an international organization for business and professional

women who work to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. Almost 95,000 Soroptimists in about 124 countries and territories contribute time and financial support to community–based and international projects that benefit women and girls. The name, Soroptimist, means “best for women,” and that’s what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are women at their best, working to help other women to be their best.

SI Southwest Washington chartered January 1996. Our club members live in the greater Vancouver area including Camas, Ridgefield, Yacolt and even Kalama, WA. We are one of two clubs in Clark County – our main distinction is that we have just one formal meeting each month. We spend most of our time together working on projects and hosting fundraising events so we can put our money and efforts back into the Clark County communities we serve!

BEST FOR WOMEN

AWARDS 2012

Sponsored by

Emcee: Alexis Del Cid, Koin Local 6

VIOLET RICHARDSON AWARD HONOREE 2012MANDY LATHIM

The Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award is a recognition program for young women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools. The award is given to young women whose activities make the community and world a better place.

LOCAL TEEN TO BE HONORED FOR MAKING CLARK COUNTY THE BEST FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS!

Vancouver, WA -Soroptimist is concerned with the special challenges facing today’s girls and young women. The organization launched the Violet Richardson Award program in 2000 as a way to recognize girls for their volunteer service to their communities. The program honors young women between the ages of 14 and 17 whose volunteer efforts include: helping other disadvantaged girls; fighting drugs, crime and violence; cleaning up the environment; and working to end discrimination and poverty.

Mandy Zoe Lathim, a 17 year old Vancouver teen is a volunteer with the Share House of Vancouver, in the ASPIRE program and is this year’s Violet Richardson Award Honoree! Soroptimist International of Southwest Washington will honor Lathim with the Award on March 8, 2012 during the Women’s International Day “Best for Women Awards” Reception sponsored by Soroptimist International Southwest Washington and the YWCA Clark County.  The Best for Women Awards is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.  To register go to www.bestforwomen2012.eventbrite.com. For more information on Soroptimist visit www.sisouthwestwashington.org

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SOROPTIMIST WOMEN’S OPPORTUNITY AWARD HONOREE 2012TAMI SAYLESThe Women’s Opportunity Awards program was established in 1972 to assist women with primary financial responsibility for their families to obtain the skills-training and education necessary to improve their employment status and standard of living for themselves and their family.

During the 2010-2011 club year, nearly US $2 million in club, region, and federation funds were awarded to more than 1,000 women in SIA’s 19 member countries and territories.

The women receiving these financial awards may use them for any costs associated with their educational efforts, including tuition, books, child care, and transportation.

Vancouver, WA - Tami Sayles, 33, is a single Vancouver mother of three boys (11, 9, and 2). Soroptimist International of Southwest Washington will honor Sayles with the 2012 Women Opportunity Award on March 8, 2012 during the Women’s International Day Award Reception sponsored by Soroptimist International Southwest Washington and the YWCA Clark County.

As a young woman in recovery from the devastation of addiction, Sayles knows firsthand the barriers and the challenges for women. “Poverty, homelessness, and domestic violence become cycles that oppress us,” said Sayles. Sayles after years of abuse by her ex-husband finally saw the light and decided to do what it takes to get back on her feet in a safe environment for her and her three boys. Sayles, now a student at Clark College is taking back her life and making a future for her family.

The Best for Women Awards is open to the public and there is no cost to attend. To register go to www.bestforwomen2012.eventbrite.comFor more information on Soroptimist visit www.sisouthwestwashington.org

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LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR MOTHER OF THREE YOUNG BOYS TO BE HONORED BY SOROPTIMIST!

RUBY AWARD HONOREE 2012MARY BLANCHETTEFormerly the Soroptimist Making a Difference for Women Award, the Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women recognizes and honors the first federation president, Ruby Lee Minar.

A ruby is also a deep red gemstone associated with wisdom, importance, vitality, strength, vivacity, power and love: all words embodying the strong and compassionate women who are our award recipients.

The Soroptimist Ruby Award honors women who have worked to improve the lives of women and girls through their professional and/or volunteer work.

LOCAL CHILDREN’S ADVOCATE IS A RUBY AMONG US AND WILL BE HONORED FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN CLARK COUNTY!

Vancouver, WA - The Soroptimist Ruby Award will be given to Mary Blanchette, M.A., the executive director of the Children’s Justice Center in Vancouver, WA. by Soroptimist International of Southwest Washington on March 8,

2012 during the Women’s International Day Award Reception sponsored by Soroptimist International Southwest Washington and the YWCA Clark County.

Mary directs the work of a talented multidisciplinary team of professional responders who work together to effectively hold perpetrators of felony-level child abuse accountable, while taking extra care to promote the support needs of child victims and their non-offending family members. The center is one of only 500 such

accredited Children’s Advocacy Centers in the nation. Last year, the CJC team held 150 perpetrators accountable through our judicial system to a total confinement sentencing time of over 600 years. CJC’s outcomes help protect

and heal a child victim of crime, but they also enhance the level of safety for all children in our neighborhoods.

Mary Blanchette was the executive director for the Washington State Association of Children’s Advocacy Centers prior to residing in our community four years ago. She holds over twenty years of experience in the child

protection and human service field. She is now the Vice Chair of the State Children’s Advocacy Center Board, she is the chair of a State Legislative Committee on child abuse and was recently nominated to attend the seventh annual

National Children’s Alliance Summit to represent all of Washington’s children’s advocacy centers.

Ms. Blanchette has held many meaningful positions in her career. Beginning long ago as a social worker in foster care, she rose to a position as Senior Manager overseeing a regional Child Welfare Service program. She’s also

been a Mayor’s Human Service Policy Advisor, a Safe Schools Manger for the Office of Education, an instructor for the University of California, and a Child Welfare Governor’s Analyst.

Past Ruby Award recipients have included: Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of “Issues” on HLN; domestic violence expert and advocate Elaine Weiss; former U.S. Congresswomen Patsy Mink and Patricia Schroeder; novelist and former

district attorney Linda Fairstein; Princess Diana; former child actor and U.S. Ambassador Shirley Temple Black; former Philippines President Corazon Aquino; and marine biologist Dr. Sylvia Earle.

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Ruby Award HonoreeMary Blanchette, M.A.

Violet Richardson Award HonoreeMandy Lathim

Women’s Opportunity Award HonoreeTami Sayles

Soroptimist International Southwest Washington

Invite You To Attend Our

BEST FOR WOMEN AWARDS RECEPTIONTHURSDAY, March 8, 2012 ~ 6-8p.m.

YWCA Clark County 3609 Main Street

Vancouver, WA 98687The Best for Women Awards celebrate honorees who are improving the lives of women and girls in our locally community. This year we celebrate these inspiring women on International Women’s Day to remember how far women have come and to continue to help pave the way in making sure the future is bright, equal,

safe and rewarding to all women and girls locally and throughout the world!

Sponsored by:

There is no charge for the event, but reservations are required please RSVP by March 5, 2012 to

To register go to www.bestforwomen2012.eventbrite.com

JOIN SOROPTIMIST TODAY!

Soroptimist International of Southwest Washington

(626) 644-3472 cell/voicehelpingheroes@earthlink.net

www.sisouthwestwashington.org