Soroptimist International of White Rock has given $32,000 to groups working to benefit women and children.
The funds, distributed in April, were divided amongst South Fraser Women’s Services Society, for their hot lunch program; Alexandra Neighbourhood House, for their children’s centre start-up and revitalization; Semiahmoo Family Place, for their drop-in program; the Elizabeth Fry Society, for a program which provides children of prisoners with books and recordings of their parents reading to them; White Rock/South Surrey Hospice Society, for various bereavement programs. Semiahmoo Animal League received funds to benefit their children’s farm program; and, Soroptimist International received a donation for their ReSTART program, which provides kits of household items to women leaving transition houses.
The White Rock group also presented its Women’s Opportunity and Violet Richardson awards. The first, a $2,000 award aimed at assisting women who have primary responsibility for their families to obtain education and training necessary to improve their opportunities, went to Rachael Sedgely, with Heidi McCurdy named as a runner-up.
The Violet Richardson Award, honouring girls who are making a difference through volunteering, was given to Emma Waterman, for her involvement in multicultural environments, including travelling to India to help build a school. Runner-up was Holly Wacker.
