Soroptimist Pinellas County, Florida, USA newsletter

"Soroptimist International is an organization of women in management and professions working through service projects
to enhance human rights and the status of women."

Meeting!!!
Please be sure
to mark your
Calendars.
February 26
2008

SCOUP

February, 2008

THE BEST FOR WOMEN

E Mail Us

Officers:
2007-2008

President:
Mary Louise Scussel
Vice President:
Susan Kinney Lowell
Recording & Corresponding Secretary:
Pat Arbutine
Treasurer:
Pegi McEneaney
Director
2 Year Term:
Mel Chase
Director
2 Year Term:
Alice
Schutzendorf

Delegate:
Terry Sue Turner
Delegate:
Martha Gray

Parlimentarian
Terry Sue
Turner

Link to
2006 Bylaws

The
Way We Were
2006 -2007

Committee
Assignments
2007 -2008

Chairman of the
Region Conference:
Terry Sue Turner

1Organization
Committee:
By Laws

2. Awards:
Committees:
Women Honoring
Women
(Postponed until
2008 - 2009

Women
Opportunity
Award
Cathy Wagner
Phylls Cloman

Violet
Richardson
Award
Marsha McGrath
Linda Tamanini

3 Outreach
Sunshine
Alice Schutzendorf

Telephone
Terry Sue

Scoup
Pat Arbutine

Directory
Susan Kinney Lowell

Public
Relations
Karen Curry
Deborah Sullivan

Growth & Development
Paula Harvey
Jay Fontaine

SOLT
In the
SCOUP

Programs
Susan Kinney Lowell

Audit & Budget
Karen Curry
Paula Harvey
Pat Arbutine
Betsi Lewis

Soroptimists largo

Please remember to bring Toiletries.
Paper Products & other whatnots for the gals
at "Women on the Way".

E Mail

Project
Sierra

Our club museum is upstairs at the Silver Queen.

SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL
OF UPPER PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA

P.O. BOX 10535 CLEARWATER, FLORIDA USA 33767
Volume 41, Issue, February ,2008 Online Edition #80

Meeting - February 26th.

Place will be the Radisson Hotel Clearwater Central.
20967 US Hwy 19 North.

This is located just north of Perkins Restaurant on the service road.

Special Awards Meeting

Woman Opportunity Awards & Violet Richardson Awards
to be given.

The dinner will be held in the Clearwater Room. 5:30 to 6:30 is social hour. Dinner at 6:30pm followed by awards presentation and business meeting. Invocation and classifications before dinner.
2 entree dinner buffet, roast pork and chicken marsala plus vegetarian course.
The price of the dinner including room rental is $25.
Please let Terry Sue know by Friday.
442 0149

Attached Please find By Laws Updated for 2007 - 2008. These bylaws passed at the January meeting.

	Conference News
	Mary Louise has moved and her computer has not been hooked up yet. Will each of you call either Mary Louise (797-0231) or Terry Sue (442-0149) before our next meeting on the 22nd to discuss your assignments for the conference? It is really too hectic at the meeting for the one-on-one discussions that need to take place. Each Committee Chair be prepared to give a brief report on your progress. Also we will need volunteers to collect the meal tickets at each function. Betsi will have sign up sheets at each meeting.
	Committee Chairs. Ads & Corporate Sponsors - Betsi Lewis Baskets - Paula Harvey Board Meeting Treats - Mel Chase Color Guard - Mary Louise Scussel Communications -Internet - Pat Arbutine Conference Reservations - Martha Gray Hotel Reservations and Payment - Betsi Lewis Decorations - Phyllis Cloman Emergency Items - Ellen Jensen SI Holiday Isles - First Timers Party Governor's Luncheon - Mel Chase Hotel - Terry Sue Turner/Mary Louise Scussel Newsletters & Press Books - Karen Curry Pouch - Linda Tamanini Print - Susan Kinney Lowell Registration Desk - Martha Gray Tellers & Pages - Marsha Mc Grath Thursday Night Reservations - Alice Schutzendorf Tote Bags - Marsha McGrath Will be filling the bags. Si Largo - Mid Pinellas will provide items for bags. Transportation - Judy Price Wednesday Night Dinner - TerrySueTurner/ Mary Louise Scussel SI Tampa- Welcome Bags" for the Board members and the Official Visitor (for the Wednesday arrival). SI Tampa- table decorations for the Sunday morning meeting Click here to view our Southern Region Conference Homepage on line. Anyone wishing to place an ad in the Conference Booklet will find details here.

	Click here for Southern Region Newsletter from Governor Connie
	Susan has personal business cards for our Soroptimists available. She will make them for you at $5 for 20 cards. This covers the cost of paper and ink.
President Mary Louise will be looking for three volunteers for the nomination committee at this meeting. Our club will be hosting the District II Meeting on October 10th and October 11th.

Calendar 2008-2009

February 26th
Meeting

March 25th
Meeting

Service Funds Due March 31
Dues April 1

April 18-19- 20,2008
Southern
Region Conference
Hosted by
Our Club
Place will be
The Hilton Hotel on
Clearwater
Beach.
Theme:
"Plunder the
Possibilities"
Chairperson:
Terry Sue
Turner

April 22nd
Meeting

May 27th
Meeting.

June
Joint Installation

Happy Birthday
to Southern Region. 60
Years Old!!

Birthdays

Marsha M 1/06
Pegi M-1/16
Judy P - 1/25
Karen C- 1/27
Jeanne G-1/27
Nancy C.-3/19
Mary Lou A.4/10
Alice S -5/5
Paula H-5/14
Cathy W - 5/15
Ellen J - 6/13
Mary Louise S 6/28
Martha G-7/19
Linda- 9/04
Terry Sue T -9/4P
Phyllis 9/06
Debra 9/12
Pat A. - 9/13
Jay - 9/16
Marion D -9/20
Susan K-9/23
Mel C. -10/8
Peggy R- 10/17
Grace S - 11/22
Betsi L- 12/19

Marie Y -2/13

Request from
Terry Sue.
Telephone
Committee
Please Get Your
Reservations to
Her.

Soroptimist International of Upper Pinellas - Regular Meeting. January 22, 2008

President Mary Louise brought the meeting to order at 7:30 PM.

In attendance were a total of 17 women.

Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance were said.

Brag Bucket was passed around. $145 was collected.

Minutes as published in the SCOUP were accepted and filed..

Treasurer's report was filed for Audit

Macy's Fund Raiser. We sold 55 tickets before the event for a total of $275. This money all came to us. The day of the event we made $116 in a split from Macy's . the total we made was $391

Communications:
We received thank you from Christmas recipient and Sharon Coil.

Women of Distinction - Sharon Coil's was submitted to region before Jan 1^st.

By -Laws: Susan moved that that we accept the bylaws as published. Paula seconded. They passed unanimously.

Paula questioned as to whether we need to submit by laws to region. Betsi will check.

New Service Projects: No ideas came up. We will accept additional ideas. Ellen questioned what we were talking about. $2200 are in our service fund. They n eeds to be dispersed by June.

Betsi read a letter from Sharon Coil about Women on the Way. There are 2 accounts - a scholarship fund and an emergency fund. Scholarship funds are earmarked for Women on the Way. Emergency Funds donations are deposited in the WOW checking account. Our previous donations have all gone to WOW emergency fund..

WOW are taking old computers tv, computers,this Saturday only on Coachman 9-1 sat.

New Business:
Violet Richardson Award: Marsha McGrath commend Martha for her last 5 years of work.
Marsha Had 6 applicants.
Winner: Shaeera Tariq. Her organization was the Women's Empowerment Group in Pakistan. She will be at the February Meeting for presentation.

Women Honoring Women: Cathy & Phyllis had 11 entries.
1^st place Winner - Marien Elizabeth

2^nd place - Christie Wester

This will be our program for February.

Pat moved that we spend up to $20 for dinner and guarantee 20 people to the hotel. Seconded by Phyllis. Paula called for a vote. Passed.

Martha volunteered to bring framed certificates for the winners.

Board Resolution that $100 be donated to the SIA President's December 10th Appeal passed unanimously

Board Resolution to only keep records 3 years. Resolution failed.

Cathy moves that we retain the minutes and financial correspondence for for 7 years. Seconded. Passed unanimously.

Announcements:

Fashion show Feb 22^nd. A fund raiser for Wow at the first United Methodist Church of Clearwater. Cost is $25. Terry Sue will take reservations. Reserve by Feb 15^th.

Telephone committee - Terry Sue thanked her committee for calling her on Sunday.

Conference
Terry Sue. Please call her or Mary Louise if you need information about your duties.

Adjourned 9pm

Pat Arbutine - Secretary

Dedicated to Dorothy Quick who loved to share her Soroptimist wisdom with us.

S.O.L.T.

Diana Miller

Southern Region United Nations Chair

Soroptimist and the Commission on the Status of Women

Each year, a Soroptimist delegation attends the Commission on the Status of Women meeting at the United Nations Center in New York City. The next meeting will take place February 25-March 7, 2008 and will focus on financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The Commission on the Status of Women (often referred to as “CSW” or “the Commission”) is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. It is the principal global policy-making body. Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.

The Commission was established in June 1946 with the aim to prepare recommendations and reports to the Economic and Social Council on promoting women's rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields. The Commission also makes recommendations to the Council on urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women's rights. The Commission's mandate was expanded in 1987 by ECOSOC to include the functions of promoting the objectives of equality, development and peace, monitoring the implementation of measures for the advancement of women, and reviewing and appraising progress made at the national, regional and global levels.

Forty-five Member States of the United Nations serve as members of the Commission at any one time. The Commission consists of one representative from each of the 45 Member States elected by the Council on the basis of equitable geographical distribution: thirteen members from Africa; eleven from Asia; nine from Latin America and Caribbean; eight from Western Europe and other States and four from Eastern Europe. Members are elected for a period of four years.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) like Soroptimist International that are accredited to, and in good standing with, the Economic and Social Council are invited to designate representatives to attend the sessions of the Commission.

NGOs can participate in several ways during the session:

observe the meetings

present written and/or oral statements

meet official government delegations

lobby delegations in the context of negotiations of agreed conclusions and resolutions

and organize parallel events during the session

NGO representatives may attend all open meetings of the Commission. They may also attend informal consultations held during the session of the Commission, if the chairperson of the informal consultations grants them permission.

Soroptimist Making a Difference for Women Award

The Making a Difference for Women Award acknowledges women who are working to improve the lives of women and girls through their personal or professional activities. Their efforts help to promote the issues that are important to the Soroptimist organization. Honorees are women who have worked in extraordinary ways to benefit women and girls. Examples of the type of work honored include: spearheading an effort to open a domestic violence shelter, working to secure health services for low-income women, starting a mentoring program for at-risk girls, or lobbing companies to provide on-site child care. The program enables local Soroptimist clubs and the Soroptimist organization to thank these women and encourage others to explore ways to assist women and girls. The program begins on the club level, where the type of recognition varies. Award winners at the club level are eligible for additional awards at other levels of the organization. The finalist receives a $5,000 donation to the charitable organization of her choice.

Soroptimists STOP Trafficking,

The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution designating today, January 11, as the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness.

In recognition of this day, Soroptimist is launching the Soroptimists STOP Trafficking project, which seeks to raise awareness about the sexual trafficking of women and girls.

I would like to thank all of the Soroptimist clubs participating in this important project. Through Soroptimists STOP Trafficking, we will serve as a voice for the many women trapped in lives of sexual slavery, and raise awareness of Soroptimist as an organization working to free women and girls from this heinous existence. For more information about sexual slavery and Soroptimist's commitment to ending it, visit Soroptimist.org.

Sincerely,

Machiko Yamada, President

Soroptimist International of the Americas

email: siahq@soroptimist.org

web: http://www.soroptimist.org

SIA is pleased to announce oroptimists STOP Trafficking, a new public awareness project addressing the trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation. This new project will provide information cards about sexual trafficking for participating clubs to distribute in the community. In addition, clubs will work to raise awareness through media and public events. The project has been created in response to overwhelming input from clubs and members indicating a desire for an SIA project that addresses this serious global issue.

The project will launch in the United States on Friday, January 11, 2008, the first National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness. The launch will begin with a public event at which clubs are asked to distribute specially designed flyers in transportation centers in their area: airports, train stations or bus depots. The event will focus on the public awareness message: "Someone in this transportation center may be here against her will," and will provide an excellent opportunity for public awareness and to gain media exposure.

Participating clubs will be provided with professionally designed cards and flyers; club instructions for the project and launch event; and public awareness materials to ensure the project is a success. The materials will be available in all SIA languages. If your club would like to participate or has any questions, contact siahq@soroptimist.org.

Project Sierra

Project Sierra is a four year partnership between Soroptimist International and Hope and Homes for Children which will transform the lives of some of the most deprived children and women in the world.

Project SIerra: A Family And A Future aims to raise £1 million ($2million USD) to help disadvantaged women and children in Sierra Leone face their futures with confidence.

By strengthening families at risk of breakdown, helping young children living on the streets return home and empowering vulnerable young mothers, Project SIerra will enable more children to grow up in a caring family environment - giving them the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

To learn how Project SIerra will achieve this, visit the Project Overview section.

Disaster Relief Fund for Women and Girls

Soroptimist's Disaster Relief Fund for Women and Girls targets the special needs of women and girls during natural and man-made disasters. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable during disasters and lack access to resources. They also have special abilities to respond to disasters, which is often overlooked. Soroptimist's disaster relief program mitigates the barriers facing women/girls during disasters. In addition, the program honors the commitments made by the United Nations in the Beijing Platform for Action and the Outcome Statement of the 46th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women. Soroptimist grants funds to local clubs for use in communities needing disaster relief. Funds are pooled from voluntary contributions sent in from Soroptimist members throughout the world. Soroptimist recently disbursed disaster relief grants to: the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to support Iraqi educational programs for returning women refugees; the Ramona, California, Soroptimist club to help women recovering from the fires in Southern California; and women in El Chaco, Ecuador, to help rebuild the community's farming infrastructure following an earthquake.

Click here for Southern Region Newsletter from Governor Connie

Service Funds are due on March 31st of each year, Remember that you are responsible each year for $100 in service funds. You may raise these either by writing a check, advertising in our WHW ad booklet, or by using our banner to have your own fundraiser. All funds raised under our banner must come to our service fund. Each person that participates in an ad hoc fundraiser is still responsible for a total of $100 in service funds.
(Example. 3 members hold a garage sale. They raise $310. The total amount must come to our service fund. All 3 members have covered their service funds. But if 3 members raise $270, each member is still responsible for $10 more to cover their service funds.)

Contribute through GoodSearch
GoodSearch is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates 50 percent of its advertising revenue (about a penny per search) to the user's favorite charity. Ours, of course, is SIA. The pennies add up quickly. Consider that if only 1,000 members, friends and staff search the Internet just twice a day, Soroptimist could earn $7,300 a year - just for doing something we do every day! If we think bigger, for example, 10,000 users searching twice a day will earn Soroptimist $73,000 a year!

All you have to do is visit www.goodsearch.com and download the GoodSearch toolbar. Enter 'Soroptimist' in the 'My Charity' field and then every time you search the net on your computer, don't forget to use GoodSearch!

Thank you for using GoodSearch to help Soroptimist fund our programs that improve the lives for women and girls. Let's see how much we can get those pennies to add up!
Note from Pat: This is not Yahoo's standard bar.

Live Your Dreams

"Live Your Dreams" pins are available at our club for sale at $3 each which is our cost. There is more information on "Live Your Dreams" below and at the bottom of the page.
The following information is from the Soroptimists International of America Webstie. To read more info, Just click here.." Despite much progress during the last century, women and girls throughout the world continue to face serious challenges. While they represent about one-half of the world's population, women suffer disproportionately from many social problems. Approximately 70 percent of the 1.3 billion people who live on $1 a day are women. More women between the ages of 15 and 44 die due to gender-based violence than cancer, malaria, car accidents and war combined. About 90 million girls around the world are deprived of primary education. These are but a few statistics illuminating the obstacles facing women and girls around the world. Soroptimist created the Live Your Dream campaign to raise awareness about these challenges and inspire women from all walks of life to realize their full potential.

LINK TO THE UPPER PINELLAS HOME PAGE LINK TO TAMPA BAY AREA SOROPTIMIST PAGE LLink To SCOUP Index

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