June 2015

Issue: 21

Annual Focus Meeting will be held on Saturday, June 20, 9am - 12pm

859 E. Santa Clara St. Ventura

The annual Focus meeting will be held in the Cross Over Building at the River Community Church at 859 E. Santa Clara St on Saturday, June 20 from 9 am - 12 pm. This is one of our most important meetings as we will be establishing our goals and objectives for the 2015 - 2016 Club year. We also determine where and to who we will be disbursing the funds raised for this purpose during the past year. We will consider areas we want to concentrate our efforts, fundraising activities, etc.

Later in the month, you will receive a copy of the Program Plan, which is the document that outlines all the various activities in which SI Ventura is engaged. From this document, we will determine which areas we want to focus on for this coming year and establish objectives for each of these areas. As mentioned above, this is a very important meeting and all members are expected to attend.

Consistency Can Leave

Positivity and Hope in its Wake

Sherry Cash,

District 1 Director

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but is a habit," said the Greek philosopher, Aristotle. This sentiment is only part of the puzzle, though.

Everyone is consistent in some way. Even those who balk at routine and schedules are, in effect, consistently inconsistent. In fact, for some - perhaps even Aristotle himself - consistent inconsistency can lead to some of the most profound thoughts, beautiful artwork, or the best novels. The real power of consistency - whatever that happens to look like to each of us on a personal level - lies in the fruit it yields.

What does that mean, exactly? Well, it means that consistency can be a good thing or a bad thing. Consistency doesn't simply lead to excellence by default. Are we consistently complaining? Do our habits break others down, or send out ripples of repeated negativity? Are we consistently tearing ourselves down? Do we routinely back away from challenges, give up when the going gets tough, or cower in the face of adversity? Are we miserable in our work, and often vocal about it?

If one is negative, cruel, ungrateful, insensitive, apathetic, weak, or self-depreciating, then no amount of consistency is going to produce results which resemble anything that looks like excellence. The manifestations of such consistency may be powerful, but still worthless. And even worse, because they're usually harmful.

In contrast, if we strive to make a habit of kindness, humility, courage, ingenuity, gratitude, optimism, and the kind of actions which build others up, consistency produces an entirely different kind of momentum - one which leaves positivity and hope in its wake.

In order to be a beacon for girls and women in our communities, it is essential that our consistencies be such that they serve to highlight our strength, our courage, our tenacity, our love, our humility, and our desire to express gratitude.

We cannot empower anyone if we fail to lead them. And to lead, we must be sure our own brand of consistency manifests an example worth following.

SI Ventura Edna Wirt Woods/
Ruth Nagel Scholarship

Congratulations to Avalon Elliott who is graduating this month from Foothill Technology High School. Avalon leaves high school with a history of academic excellence, numerous awards, both athletic and academic, and hundreds of hours of community service.

The Ventura County Community Foundation recently honored recipients of VCCF scholarship funds, including a $1,000 scholarship award to Avalon who plans to enter college to pursue studies for a career in the fields of business and health sciences. This award is provided by our Soroptimist International of Ventura - Edna Wirt Woods/Ruth Nagel Scholarship Fund.

Our scholarship fund with VCCF was established in 2001, and was funded by fundraising efforts and donations from our members. The fund continues to be supported by other ongoing gifts and donations. Our club's primary directed purpose of the fund is to award scholarships to women and girls from the City of Ventura who are pursuing a degree in a health related field.

This scholarship was created in honor of two of our club's long-time members.

Ruth Nagel became a member of SIV in 1987, transferring from the Santa Barbara club. She was retired and in our 1990-91 club year she and her husband, Charles, left Ventura for the good life in Vegas. In 1989 she made a substantial donation to our club to establish a scholarship to assist persons enrolled in a course of study leading to a career in the health care field. This scholarship fund, in 2001, became part of the VCCF Woods/Nagel Scholorship Fund.

Edna Wirt Woods became a member of SIV in 1943 and was our club president in 1950-51. In 1960-62 she was Governor of Soroptimist Pacific Region (the predecessor of our currently named Camino Real Region). She was the matriarch of our club, always keeping us "professional" and doing the right thing in the proper manner. Her SIV scholarship was funded by the fund-raising efforts of our members and was to assist persons pursuing careers in the field of hearing and speech disorders, a cause that dominated her career. This scholarship fund also, in 2001, became a part of the VCCF Woods/Nagel Scholarship Fund.

Both of these women were role models for what a dedicated member of a community service organization should aspire to be, and our club is pleased to remember them and to continue to honor their memories with this valuable community service scholarship.

Applications for the

Women's Scholarships

Now Available

Applications and information about Live Your Dream (formerly called the Women's Opportunity Award) is now available on our website at

www.soroptimistventura.org

Live Your Dream is a scholarship awarded to a local woman who is the primary wage earner in her family to assist with meeting career/educational goals. Click here to download the application.

Live Your Dream also requires two reference forms. Click here to download the reference form.

The deadline for the application is November 15, 2015.

Soroptimist May 27 Program
Meeting Was Given by James Panagoti from 1 Family 1 Restaurant

James Panagoti and

Shirley Lorraine

The featured speaker was James Panagoti, co-owner of Ventura's Red Brick Pizza. He introduced the gathering to 1F1R, a non-profit program that connects hungry families to meals. Coordinated through Food Share and local food pantries, 1F1R accepts sponsorships of meals for the "food insecure" population. Working in concert with participating local restaurants, the sponsorships are assigned to families identified through local pantries as being in need of a good meal experience.

When donations and sponsorships have been made, and eligible participants identified, they are given a reservation voucher for meals on a specific date and for a specific restaurant. The restaurant is informed that the reservation has been made. There is no cost to the families. Tips are included or are covered by the restaurant.

This is an easy way to help provide meals for Ventura County families in need. Sponsorships and donations may be made online at 1F1R.com . A list of participating restaurants is available as well. Do you have a favorite restaurant you'd like to have participate? Have them contact James for information. 805-603-1F1R (1317) or at info@1f1r.com.

Red Brick Pizza regularly contributes to charitable organizations and to the community. The newly created 1F1R program begins here in Ventura and will, with our help, expand to feed families nationwide.

Advertise in Our E-Newsletter and Help Support Our Community Service Fund

For a donation of $100 to our community service fund, we will advertise your business in our e-newsletter every month for a year. That is a $20 dollar savings over the monthly rate of of $10 per month.

Or, donate $50 to our community service fund and we will advertise your business in our e-newsletter every month for six months.

Mail your donation check to: Soroptimist, P.O.Box 6133, Ventura, CA 93066 -- Include your ad information and email contact -- or contact us at siventura@soroptimist.net. We will contact you to finalize the ad copy.

2015 Pledge & Inspiration Schedule

June 10 Meeting:

Pledge - Arlene Briggle

Inspiration - Karen Flock

June 24 Meeting:

Pledge - Ria Bover

Inspiration - Celia Sugden

Please email Karen Flock at kflock@sbcglobal.net if you would like to lead the pledge or inspire us at a meeting.

Upcoming

Events

June 10 - Business Meeting - Noon

June 20 - Focus Meeting - 9am - Noon 859 E. Santa Clara St.

June 24 - Program Meeting - Noon

Installation of
2015 - 2016 Club
Officers

July 8 - Business Meeting - Noon

July 22 - Program Meeting - Noon

The 2015-2016 Board to be Installed at

the June 24 Program Meeting

Our new board members were voted in at the May 13 business meeting. The installation of the 2015 - 2016 board will take place at the meeting on June 24 at Noon at the Ventura Beach Marriott Hotel, Ventura. SIV member and District 1 Director, Sherry Cash will conduct the installation.

Our Incoming President, Kay Armstrong has announced the theme for our upcoming year is, "We've got your back."

Don't miss out!!!

Welcome New Member Sherri Tarpchinoff Bennett

At our May business meeting we inducted new member Sherri Tarpchinoff Bennett.

Congratulations and welcome to SI Ventura. We look forward to getting to know you better in the future!

SI Ventura is 85 Years old!!!

Coming this fall we will be kicking off the holiday season with an 85th anniversary celebration and fundraising event.

If you would like to help in the planning of this event please contact Cyndi Damron at 216-4728 or email her at damroncyndi@
gmail.com.

Presidents Message

As our 2014-2015 fiscal year comes to a close, I just want to thank all of our SI Ventura family for all your dedication, support, contribution and commitment. Our Club has worked hard to further the positive impact in improving the lives of women and girls in our community and without all of you, none of our goals would be met.

Many new challenges and opportunities await as we move forward to continue in our mission. There are many needs out there and diminishing resources to meet these needs. Organizations like Soroptimist and the dedicated volunteers that make up the ranks, are needed more than ever to extend that helping hand.

It has been my privilege and pleasure to serve as your President for the past two years and I look forward to continued opportunities to work with all of you as we move forward.

Lorie Balzer

President

SI Ventura 2014-2015

Have you Liked us on Facebook?

Like our page on Facebook and stay in touch with Soroptimist Ventura

Support SI Ventura

Advertise your business here and reach over 200 people!!!

Only $10 per month.

For Information call Cindy Daly at

805-647-1554 or email her at

cmdaly@pacbell.net

2015 AXXess Books are Still Available

The 2015 AXXess Books are still available for $30.

If you are interested in either selling the books or buying a book for yourself, please contact Lorie Balzer for details and more information at 805-443-8757 or email her loriebalzer@

yahoo.com

Club Meetings

2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month
Luncheon Meeting at 12 noon
Ventura Beach Marriott Hotel, 2055 Harbor Blvd., Ventura

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