Soroptimist International of Hood River

Women's Opportunity Award Applications Now Being Accepted

The Soroptimist International clubs of Hood River and Mt. Adams in White Salmon have pooled resources. Together the two clubs are offering SEVEN $1,000 Women's Opportunity Awards to Gorge women heads of household. Applications are now available; they are due back by December 15, 2009.

Women's Opportunity Awards provide help for women who have primary financial repsonsiblity for their households, whether single or married. The purpose of the Women's Opportunity Award is to help further a recipient's education to improve the lives of her and her family.

The Women's Opportunity Award is NOT a scholarship; awards can be used for any educational expenses, including tuition, childcare, transportation or textbooks. The seven winners will be notified in late December. One of the awards will be open to a previous recipient.

Michele Patrick, a student who received an Award in 2008, said, "The Soroptimist Club's very generous award gave me the breathing room I needed to be able to focus on my studies for a future career in nursing."

Together the Mt. Adams and the Hood River clubs sponsor The Winter Gala, an important fundraiser for the Women's Opportunity Awards. "Our Soroptimist clubs raise funds locally so that we can help women in our communities, " said SIHR President Lisa Hargrave. "Generous community support will fund seven awards this year."

To be eligible for this award, applicants must be enrolled or accepted in a college or vocational school program. Two of the seven recipients will compete for a $3,000 Soroptimist regional award in April 2011.

Applications are available at the Hood River County Library and the Whitson Elementary School in White Salmon. You may also download the 3 page application from this blog post (see above).

Completed applications are due by December 15, 2009. Send them to: SIHR, Post Office Box 51, Hood River, OR 97031 or SIMA, Post Office Box 152, White Salmon, WA 98762. Completed applications may also be dropped off at the Hood River County Library or the Whitson Elementary School.

If you have any questions about the awards or the application process, please contact June Knudson at 541-387-7062 or email her at junek@gorge.net.

JOIN SIHR!
Send your name, address and phone number to SIHR, Post Office Box 51, Hood River, OR 97031 or email Carolyn at carolyn@bci-grp.com or call 541-386-3990.