Happy Holidays .... Cheers to SI Oakland Accomplishments!

​​It has been a great first six months of the 2015-16 term!  Thank you all for your support  during the last six months and your anticipated support during the next six months, as well. To briefly recap what we have accomplished:
    
In August, the Oakland Tribune ran a feature article about Soroptimist International of Oakland and discussed are then-upcoming fundraiser at Z Café to help support the Young Women’s Saturday Program.  We received great community support for that fundraiser as a result of the article.

• We had a very successful fundraiser at Z Café.  The funds from Z Café, as well as donations from Soroptimists and community members resulted in a sizeable donation to the Young Women’s Saturday Program (YWSP) which we presented to the program at our October dinner meeting.
• We welcomed new member, Diane Lewis, who was inducted at the district meeting in Richmond.
• We worked through many of our club bylaws with a few more topics remaining for discussion in 2016.
• We held our annual Holiday Auction fundraiser.  This year, the funds were designated for the Shoe Project.  New for this year was the concept of mini-fundraisers within a fundraiser.  During the Holiday Auction, we held a silent auction for decorative items created by Pat Walker and Elaine Kawasaki and picked up the amaryllis and narcissus holiday plants which Kay Taylor had planted in containers.  Those mini-fundraisers added over $500.00 to the fundraiser earnings.  Once Elaine has received all funds from members and guests, we will have the final income total.  Thanks to Pat, Elaine & Kay for the hard work!
• In addition to dinner speakers from the Tribune (Annalee Allen). YWSP (Joyce Guinto) and District Director Gloria Bragg, new this year we celebrated the birthdays of members born between July 1 and December 31 at a dinner meeting.   A good time was had by all – especially when enjoying bundtini cupcakes!

There are more adventures and events planned for the next six months including recognizing our award recipients at a tea or similar, having two or three fundraisers or mini-fundraisers including a “honey” party, hosting the Shoe Project for elementary school girls, celebrating the birthdays of members born between January 1 and June 30, and having guest speakers including Jane Massengill at our January dinner meeting.  Jane was the keynote speaker at the district meeting but will be speaking on a somewhat different topic at our meeting.  And, don’t forget that the Founder Region conference in 2016 will be held from April 29 – May 1 in Honolulu.

I look forward to seeing all of you either at a club meeting and/or at an SIO event in 2016.  Best wishes for a happy, peaceful and healthy holiday season!


President Cheryl