MINUTES AND RECAPS

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Meeting Recap

September 19, 2023

 

Reminder: Tickets for Octoberfest are currently $65 each and will

increase to $75 on October 1 st .

Meeting Recap by Bridgit Strachan

The meeting was called to order @ 12:15 by Clara Oakes, Co-President Elect

Pledge of Allegiance All

Inspiration: Marsha Lucas The theme of today’s inspiration was “Push people up, all

people, for the higher they go, the higher we go.”

 

Soroptibit: Clara Clara reviewed the Four Pillars of Soroptimist and examples of

 

each:

1. Programs - Live Your Dream

2. Membership - recruitment and retention

3. Fundraising – Rocktoberfest

4. Public Awareness – ongoing articles that appear in

various publications and social media.

 

Parliamentary Point: Lenora “Stand Up! Speak Up”

Announcements: Clara and

Mary, Co-President Elects

 

Dawn:

 

LuAnn: 5 th Tues – Nov

Yolanda:

 

Thank you to Diane Irby for the Pizza appetizer.

Thank you to Dawn for picking up lunch.

Thank you to Clara for lunch.

Mary: Consider attending the District Meeting on October 13.

It is both informative and fun.

A sign-up sheet was circulated among the members.

The Solano County Library Foundation is having their 23 rd

annual Authors’ Luncheon on Nov 5 at Rancho Solano. Diane

B’s book club is donating two tickets for Octoberfest. They are

$95 each.

Tickets are $95 each.

Next 5 th Tues October 31 at noon at regular meeting space

Wear your most bewitching outfit (optional)

Raffle tickets for District Meeting basket raffle

There are 8 sets of 3 tickets, $10 each, available.

 

Program: Gail Thompson, Gail’s position is to help the homeless navigate through the

 

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Homeless Advocate resources that are offered in the community and county.

Gail shared current statistics and very poignant stories of

Vacaville’s homeless.

Summary:

The homeless are considered invisible residents.

 “Very few want to be on the streets and are there

through no fault of their own.”

 All are redeemable.

 None deserve to live like they do.

 Which ones don’t matter?

 Many were once active members of our community.

 The homeless are not a priority.

 Vacaville is too generous of a community to let this

(homelessness) happen.

 Bureaucracy contributes to delays in helping them such

as opening warming and cooling centers, enrolling

them in various programs, and to the lack of wrap-

around services.

 To date, 7 homeless have died on our streets.

The problem of the homeless could be solved if the city and

county would come together and address the current

barriers.

Immediate needs:

 Sleeping bags, blankets, shoes, socks, tents, warming

and cooling stations, roaming shower

We were invited to ride with Gail on Tuesdays, when she visits

and provides what she can to the homeless people of

Vacaville.

 

Dream Maker: Marsha

Lucas

 

Our Dream Maker, Marlene, shared with us her story. She is a

single mother of five children, and once was the owner of a

successful business. Covid hit, and she lost her business, and

began a downward spiral of Covid – abusive relationship –

drugs - lost her restaurant, kids, herself, went to jail – met Cat

moved into sober living – repeated this cycle x2 – on street for

1 year.

Cat continued to work with her, and she has now been sober

for nine months, has a daughter living with her, her father

adopted one of her children and they are co-parenting, and

she is hoping to begin visitation with her three other children.

She comes from a history of addiction (mother) and has

despaired at times that she has repeated the cycle. Our

program has made her feel very special and proud of herself

and she thanked us profusely for this program.

 

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Rocktoberfest Update: Mary needs scratchers for one of the Silent Auction items.

She has emailed and distributed a form for us to complete for

any live and silent auctions. This is needed to keep track of

what is being donated.

Dawn thanked everyone for their ongoing hard work to make

this a successful event.

 

Personal Sharing Diane I. thanked everyone for all the cards, phone calls,

flowers, and support during her recent illness. “This is a very

special group of women, and you all mean so much to me”

LuAnn told us about a book she read yesterday for the Reading

Program. It was about an ant, a fly and a spider web. Not a

very good ending!

Lenora: Updated us about the beautiful Banyon tree in Maui

and how it appears to still have life in the mother tree. The Phoenix is Rising

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SEPT 5, 2023 RECAP

 

Pledge

Inspiration- have positive thoughts

Intros.

Pres. Dawn asked us to inspire others.

Sept. Food Bank month, among others

Dist. Meeting is Oct. 14th  WE need lots of our members in attendance to help with check in and registration  7:30 am

Carpool

Our club pays for registration, we pay our own lunch, $40.00

Debbie H. and Marsha to work on our basket for District Meeting.

Buy raffle tickets,  3 for $10   We have numbers instead of tickets.  Pay Yolanda

Announcements:

Sept. 6 Literacy night Library  Ambassador night Sept. 14 

Ask Pres. Dawn if interested

Library foundation 6-8:30 Eastridge  5250 Deer Ridge Ct. Fairfield,      6-8:30 cocktails hors d’oeuvres  Sept. 21

Rsvp   SOLANOLIBRARYFOUNDATION@GMAIL.COM

707-421-8075

 

Authors’ luncheon:  Sunday Nov. 5, 2023

11-3:00

Rancho Solano Club house    tickets:

Solanolibraryfoundation.org  707-421-8075

( This always sells out, get a group and go says Joy)

 

Soroptibits:

Best for Women is an  on-line magazine SIA sends out the first of each month.  Please read it, lots of good information.  Our name is mentioned as finalist in Celebrating Success award.

Yay us!

Candidate for SIA Fundraising council  wanted- you must be willing to donate $500 and raise money for our mission.

Tell Dawn if you are interested.

Fundraising:  Activity to bring awareness and lots of good ideas.

 

$50.00 bottles of wine needed, steep price so team up if interested in donating.

Oct. 21 Octoberfest- our only fundraiser-  Please start selling tickets, see our website for on-line purchases.

$65.00   Buy tickets for yourself and friends.

Silent auctions needed- good quality, Oct. 9 deadline

Ask businesses for donations

Mary needs scratchers- please purchase and give to her.

Gift cards also sought for a gift card tree.

Christmas tree tour on Dec. 16 at Donna’s house for museum-

 she will open home to us on 15th  as one of the Live auction 

items.

Everyone needed to work the Octoberfest,  all hands-on deck and sell, sell, sell.  OUR only fundraiser!

 

Submitted by Joy Swank

 

AUGUST 22, 2023 RECAP

 

Read to end about the fifth Tuesday!

 

Pres. Elect Mary called meeting to order:

Inspiration and Introductions

New Member Induction- welcome Debi Schrader

Membership chair Linda inducted her, sponsor is Yvonne Thrasher

 

Rocktoberfest announcements:

No money, no dreams.  Pres. Dawn urged everyone to help.

Katie printed flyers, committee and Jackie worked on letters, see website.

• Please give sponsor letters out, reach out to friends.  Let’s all help.

Table for eight $1,000 or $1,500.00

Just do it!

• Get creative too, make baskets

• Dawn to reach out to last year’s sponsors.

• Tina will approach Nugget market again for donation.

• Décor Cyndy, call if you can help make some stuff- otherwise all hands-on deck on the 21st to decorate the venue.

• Food- Linda and Tina to confirm with Anderson’s, and Pure Grain

• Venue is booked, event starts at 5:00

• Dawn has contract, Sandy to handle dessert auction, make sure you make the presentation beautiful- lovely platter, etc.

• Live Auction- Clara to handle, she will send email blast.  Looking for nice, creative, experiences.  Joseph Diaz auctioneer again.

• Silent auction goes to Mary, she will look into on-line donors.

• Raffle- Clara wants kitchen gadgets Bring into her.

Tickets on-line, a few hard copies if you need them

Parliamentarian Point:  Lenora- Raise your hand to be recognized, stand to speak.  Stop shouting out.  Wear pin on left over heart, name tag on right.

 

Clara- happy 63rd birthday to us, we sang.

 

Soropibits:  see the website for the History of Us, Special shout out to Jull Hunter who wrote our fabulous history/herstory.

Trivia game played, lots of fun.

Today we have 38 people now on the books average attendance 20

Next Tuesday is fifth Tuesday, 29th Main Grape meet at 5:00-7:30

Bring cash please to pay Mercille, about $7.00 each.

You are required to purchase two drinks, house wine cheaper, about $8 the others pricier.  Food items were ordered.  

Personal sharing…

 

Submitted by Joy Swank,

Secretary

AUGUST 15 RECAP

Meeting called to order at 12:15pm by Co-President -elect Clara 

15 members present, Guests- Marsha's exchange student, Speaker Holly, Cat and Dream Maker ( Shondeia) and Yvonne's guest Debbie S. who will be inducted next week.

Pledge of Allegiance: All 

Inspiration: Marsha ( The 4 Agreements: Impeccable with your word…,

Don’t Take anything personally…, Don’t make assumptions… ,Always do you best…

Soroptibit :  Co-President -elect Clara- SI Level- conventions vs. conferences. SI just had a convention in Ireland. SI every 4 years in 2027 it is an Alaskan Cruise. President presides over SI convention. SIA convention every 2 years- next is Belleview Washington 2024. Every year in May is Founder Region conference, usually in San Ramon, every 6 years Hawaii or Guam- 3 delegates are paid for by our club, Pres. or designee and 2 delegates. 2025 Our club is a host club for conference 

Program: Speaker, Holly Carter from Aldea

Highlights of presentation:

Become a Resource Parent with Aldea- foster families- more placements than there are foster homes. Looking for people who want to provide a foster home, they are looking for a wide range of ethnicities etc. to foster. Pre and post foster parenting classes. You will have support to deal with children’s behaviors. Vacation and respite help. Caregivers can be provided since some people do work. www.aldeainc.org Holly’s contact email: hcarter@aldeaninc.org   cell 707-977-8628 They also have a program for 18-21 aging out of the system provided through assembly bill and Aldea has some transitional housing.

Lenora- Parliamentary point- Please wear your name tag and pin.

Introductions after speaker as a change of pace. 

 

Dream Makers- Cat and this month’s Dream Makers person-  Shondeia  came and Shondeia gave a nice presentation being recovering addict . She is 18 months clean this month – substance abuse for 20 years on and off- lives at Opportunity House, working on repairing relationships. She volunteers at the Vacaville Storehouse and is reconnecting with her children who are in foster care . Going to adult school; she has a GED and is working on turning it into a high school diploma. NOTE: SHE WAS GIVEN INFO ON THE WRAP  SCHOLARSHIP

Thanks to committee members: Marsha and Mercille who took her shopping and to lunch last week. 

Lenore- update on her friends/family on Maui her family had to evacuate. They left without anything. They can pick up signals if they go very close to the water edge. From Tuesday the hotel had no power or running water, power got restored Monday. Maui Humane Society was affected and needs supplies. Lenora will send donation information that she has gotten from her contact. 

 

ROCKTOBERFEST: Mary- Dawn has been getting sponsorships, raffles silent auction- letters are on the website so that you can start getting  donations- art work, silent, live, desserts  of the month, start collecting items we make our money on the auctions and sponsorships. Think about contacting Sandy to donate a nice dessert for the Live Dessert Auction at the event. 

Live Auction- Dessert of the month, and higher value live auction items, experiences are nice. Contact Clara 

Joe Diaz is the Auctioneer.  

Tickets online now- other tickets ( hard copies, will be available Tuesday) Try to encourage online tickets. 

Need Nice bottles of wine 50 and above for the wine pull

Bridgit Muscle Committee has 4 strong young men who can help transport and will be there about 4 hours. 

Soroptimist Pledge:    Please refer to the laminated form on your table if needed. 

FABULOUS LUNCH PROVIDED BY MARY DICKEY

Upcoming Dates/Reminders:           

August 22nd    Club Birthday Celebration/RocktoberFest Committee

August 29th    No daytime meeting                          

5th Tuesday- Mercille and Luann- downtown Vacaville Main Grape closed on Tuesday, but  owner will open for us on Tuesday 29th  Cozy and chic  Wine, Champagne and Chai tea etc. time: 5:00 to 7:30 or may be 5:30 to 8:00 depending on survey. 

Email coming for the members not present. RSVP by Sunday 8/20 to mercille@yahoo.com

October 14th   District II Meeting in Richmond 9 to 3 pm

October 21st- RocktoberFest

December 12th Christmas Gift Exchange at Anderson’s Family Catering.

Submitted by Jackie De Vries for Joy Swank, Recording Secretary

 

August 1, 2023, Recap

Recaps and Minutes will be posted to website under Members Only site. 

 

First Soroptimist meeting 19 out of 37 members present

 

Opened with Pledge of Allegiance followed by Introductions

Dawn’s theme: overview and welcome

Focus on Mission

Celebrating our Passions and Making Dreams Come True

Pres. Dawn said not just her theme- we all have our own passions!

Reminder: two directors available if you have a club concern Bridget and Diane B.

 

Soropti-bit each meeting 

Parliamentary bit every Meeting ( Lenora)

 

All business cards, etc. are consistent with the logo and are on our website for you to download and print

Dawn will bring in some business cards to distribute

Tara Designer

Butterfly award online. Hard copies for submission also available at club. Jackie created certificates based on Tara’s artwork

Committees

Thanks for signing up

Fundraising and Membership need more members on their committees.

Lenora pointed out according to Club Customs everyone is on the fundraising committee.

 

Clara- Speakers are needed- send her any ideas

Clara and Mary are the Co- Fundraising Chairs

Mary- room set up for meetings

 

Calendar- Oct. fundraiser

Dec. 12 Christmas luncheon at Anderson’s ( car pool)

 

Dream It, Be it, planning for end of Jan. focus- girls in foster care ( 14 to 18)

One day workshop- mentors needed

March- Women and Wine ( with the museum)

 

Today’s Soropti-bit- SI Flow chart 

( SI 5 Federations, we are SIA 28 regions, we are Founder Region. 5 Districts, we are District II. Our Director is Jackie De Vries)

 

Parliamentary bit- Lenora- Stand to Speak, Speak Loudly

 

August is Dog Month… and dozens of different mentioned and RRRR it’s Pirate Month Matey!

 

OUR NEW WEBSITE

Password for member site: DREAM1960. All members use same password.

Printable Roster now available. Print your own copy if you need one. Roster is also online. 

Thank you to Jackie for fabulous website. 

Review your information on the roster and send any corrections to Jackie. Hard copy will be passed around at the next meeting for corrections as well.

 

Snacks- committee needed to pursue snacks at every meeting- voluntary donations. On speaker days light lunch.

 

Reading program- Donna looking for readers, let her know. Begins day after Labor Day.

 

District Meeting- Sat. Oct. 14th we are one of the host clubs. We need all members there. Richmond at Galileo club. Our specific job is registration. 

REMINDER – Board Meeting first Tues. evening.

Next week is business meeting- August 8th. Aug. 15 Speaker Aug. 22nd regular meeting and 5thTuesday is Fifth Tuesday- LuAnn requesting suggestion. 

Then we had about a minute. Mary thanked all for food train.

 

Secretary Joy