Soroptimist awards handed to local women
Empowered women empower women was the theme of an annual awards program which honored 13 young women from the Eel River Valley and Eureka. Soroptimist International of Eel River Valley and Soroptimist International of Eureka joined together to present the awards to these deserving women.
“We honor women and girls who are striving to make a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities,” Award Committee Chair Kris Chorbi said. “The theme of our awards night is `Empowered women empower women' because as Soroptimists, we are women at our best empowering other women and girls to be their best,” she added.
Chorbi said, “These women and girls dare to dream big, have overcome obstacles on their educational path, volunteer in our community to help those in need, and work to empower our youth.” She described each recipient as having a story of “resilience and passion for volunteerism.”
Both the Eel River Valley and Eureka clubs chose a recipient to receive the Violet Richardson Award, which honors young women between the ages of 14 and 18 for volunteer action such as fighting drugs, crime, and violence, cleaning up the environment, and working to end discrimination and poverty. Violet Richardson was president of the first soroptimist club in Alameda County in 1921.
Yadira Jisnaih Rodriguez was the Eel River Valley recipient but was unable to attend the awards ceremony. She is actively involved in the Fortuna Creeks Project. Lily Williamson was the Eureka recipient and she said “This award means a lot. Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to contribute to the community.” Williamson is active in 4H and the Future Farmers of America.
Delaney Holland was the recipient selected to receive the Catherine Burns Memorial Scholarship, which is given to a senior at Eureka High School who exhibits civic duty, is active in her school and community or is going into the teaching field. Holland enjoys political science and aspires to become a political science professor. She also distributes voter registration and voter impact information to her classmates.
The Star Award was presented to Eel River Valley's Kasidy Johnston. This award is presented to a young woman who has demonstrated resilience to overcome adversity in high school in order to achieve success in a college, uni
versity, or vocation program. Johnston expressed her appreciation to all who helped her overcome adversity in her life. “You can do anything, even if it's hard,” Johnston said. She plans to attend University of California, Davis or University of California, Berkeley and potentially study biochemistry.
Marianna Ramirez of the Eel River Valley was the recipient of the Kathleen McVey Award, which is given to a young woman who is making outstanding contributions as good citizens, to home, school, community, country, and the world. Ramirez said, “I am very honored to receive this award, and very grateful. I love interacting with people and learning from people,” she added. Ramirez is interested in social work, criminal justice, environmental studies, and may one day pursue attending law school.
There were six recipients, four from Eureka and two from the Eel River Valley, of the Live Your Dream Award. This award is for women who provide the primary financial support for their families, and provides women with the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects.
The Eureka recipients were Lazell Sanders, Ashaley Rohme, Edrie Black, and Kelsie Thurman. The Eel River Valley recipients are Samantha Franceschi and NiaMani Pitts
Sanders said, “This opens doors for me and my children and I just want to say thank you.” She has gone back to school with plans to be an addiction counselor.
Rohme, who recently completed a certified medical assistant program said, “My goal is to obtain more knowledge and further my education as a nurse, and this will make it possible for me to achieve my goals and be healthy and happy.”
Black said there will always be struggles “that can be overcome, and we can better our lives. This will be motivation to keep going forward,” she said of the award.
Thurman was not able to attend the awards ceremony, but through award presenter Hannah Winans, said she was “truly appreciative of the financial support in pursuing my dreams of opening a preschool. I will pay it forward someday,” she also had said.
Franceschi said she plans to pursue a teaching career, and Pitts said she was interested in pursuing a career in the dental field. Pitts said, “They say it takes a village to raise a child…thank you for being a part of my village.”
The final award of the evening was the Ruby Award, given to women who are making extraordinary differences in the lives of women and girls through her work or volunteer efforts. Kristen Freeman was the Eureka recipient and Natalie Chapman was the Eel River Valley recipient.
Freeman is the Director of the Eureka Rescue Mission's Women and Children's Shelter and expressed her appreciation for receiving this award. Chapman works with a local Healthy Moms program and said, “recovery and change are possible. This (award) will give me support to continue my education and training,” Chapman said.
Judges for the awards were Sue Long, former mayor of Fortuna, Paula McHenry, a retired teacher from Hydesville and Cuddeback Schools, Kurt Weiss, a Fortuna Sunrise rotary member, Carol Kinser, a retired teacher from the Eel River Valley, Kathy Johnson from Humboldt Area Foundation and Natalie Babero, director of disability services for students in Auburn, Washington and former staff from College of the Redwoods in Eureka.