Letter from the Editor
Dear Friends:

Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions? What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of my life? What does it mean to be cool? What does it mean to be a Soroptimist? What do others expect from me? What do I expect from me? No, this is not “20 questions” and it is not a test, although sometimes it is good to ask questions to check in with ourselves. Jan Levy, our keynote speaker at this year’s WIN Kick-off reminded us of that.

As most of you know, my first real exposure to Soroptimists was at the first WIN Kick-off in November 1997. I was so taken by the WIN Program and what the Soroptimists were doing, that I wanted to be involved. Since then, I have worn many hats in the club, including that of President. Remember Winnie the Pooh and three deep breaths? I’ve also seen some members come into the club and some that have left.

I had the privilege to sponsor Marilyn Gruber, our newest Soroptimist member. You can read her profile in this issue of the Soropti-Scoop. Marilyn had read the article about the WIN Program in the Peninsula Women’s section of the Peninsula Daily News. Marilyn was interested in possibly becoming a mentor. She called Mitzi Sanders (Sequim High Career Coordinator) who then asked me to contact Marilyn about mentoring. This is another example of how the support from the community (the PDN article) helps make things work.

When I called Marilyn, she asked what being a mentor entailed. She said she didn’t want to jump into anything; she wanted to check things out. Marilyn had lived in town for three years, but hadn’t gotten involved in any organization. She said she hadn’t yet found the right place to volunteer her time. She came to our 7:00 am Soroptimist meeting the following Tuesday. By the time breakfast was over, Marilyn was talking like she was already a member. You can tell when they ask a question such as: “When is our Garden Show?”

Our Garden Show was a spectacular event! There was great support from the community. What struck me the most was the smiling faces and general joy in the air. People were having a fun time. And Soroptimists seemed to come out of the woodwork. Even members that were on leave-of-absence showed up! Dee Christiansen, who still has part of her heart with Soroptimists (and may rejoin the club – we’re ready for you, Dee!), helped out at the Silent Auction. Marilyn Gruber, who hadn’t been officially inducted as a member, was there, as was Judy Cavey who will be joining SI Sequim if she stays in the area. It was great to see our long time members and our newest members working together. It was an opportunity to get to know one another and to experience the Soroptimist Spirit! Everyone had a part in making this a successful and meaningful event! I am proud to be a Soroptimist!

Our Soroptimist club has been blessed with good leaders and supportive members. Support can come in the form of words of encouragement, or volunteering to help on a project, or showing up at meetings, or stepping up to take a position on the board – these are just a few ways.

Have you noticed our banner lately? Not only does it have more patches on it, but thanks to Darlene Tucker, the fringe has been re-sewn in such a way it looks almost brand new. Thank you Darlene, for volunteering your services. This is another example of showing support for our club.

As Soroptimists we are expected to be involved, but the level of involvement is different for each of us. And it changes along with the changes in our lives.

When I first joined SI Sequim, I was unsure of what I had to offer. I am not as well read or socially adept as many of our other members. Thank goodness I didn’t let that stop me. The club has not only accepted me for who I am, they have helped me to learn more about myself, to grow in positive ways, to utilize untapped potential. The club has helped me find more meaning in my life and all around me. How cool is that?!! Well, it is so cool that I wanted to share my discovery with you. I am grateful to be part of such a wonderful group of women. Thank you all for what you bring to the TEAM. I encourage you to stay involved and learn more about what is meaningful for you.

Light and Love,
Kathy Purcell
Editor