Right now, we are living in trying times…a virus…the Corona Virus…has made daily living a challenge. Schools, restaurants and stores have closed. Concerts, sports events and even our fundraisers, business meetings and board meetings have been cancelled. Essential items, such as toilet paper and paper towels, are difficult to find and are being “rationed” to avoid hoarding. But…as far as I know, we are all in good health, and so are our families and friends. So, we have so much to be grateful for.
Perhaps, the universe is telling us to slow down and cherish what we have. I know that I, like many other busy women, live a packed life. Will I pack as much in as I do now once we have conquered this virus or will I try to squeeze more into each day because, I don’t know when my last day on earth will be? What about you? What will you change in your future?
As I reflect on our club BCVO (Before Corona Virus Outbreak), I can’t help but beam with pride about all we have accomplished in the first 3 months of 2020:
- January’s Program Meeting was all about Human Trafficking Awareness, both sex and human. We sold Purpose Jewelry from isanctuary and raised money and awareness for our own efforts to put a halt to Human Trafficking in Orange County.
- Our Wine Tasting Fundraiser, also in January, netted twice what we expected (which is a good thing given today’s climate).
- Last, but certainly not least, in January we hosted our annual Day of Empowerment in partnership with the Assistance League of Huntington Beach and Golden West College’s Cosmetology School and supported, once again, by Jersey Mike’s Subs along with members, other club’s members and friends of SIHB.
- In February, our club hosted the Desert Coast Region’s District II Winter Meeting. Our fearless leader, Marcelle, was down with a nasty cold so our Secretary, Bert, jumped in with both feet to be the voice of SI Huntington Beach. And…she rocked it!
- Following on the heels of the District Meeting, we held my favorite program meeting of the year…the one in which we honor our Live Your Dream Awardees – 12 this year – and catch up on past awardees from our club and from other clubs in Orange County. Once again, we rocked it, filling Don Ramon’s Mexican Restaurant with over 100 people – all celebrating our amazing honorees.
- We would like to thank some very special people: Weikko Wirta from AES, our first corporate sponsor, and a very special woman whose generous donation will sponsor a Live Your Dream Awardee in 2020-21.
- We would also like to thank Matt Liffreing, Marketworks, who, even though we invited him as a guest, brought his camera and took many pictures for us.
- And…we would like to acknowledge Vaniethia Hubbard, Vice President of Student Services, Santa Ana College, Doris Kennedy, President of the Huntington Beach Assistance League, Cherie Schenck, Chairperson of the Board of Project Self Sufficiency, Mai Le, EOPS Director, Coastline College and all of the counselors and coordinators from the community colleges who joined us along with the families and friends of our honorees.
As I stated at the beginning of this blog, we have so much to be grateful for. I will leave you with some pictures from our 2021 Empowering Women Through Our Dream Programs Program.
Terry
Proud Chair of our Live Your Dream Team
For more information about our club and how you can support us, please email us at info@soroptimisthuntingtonbeach.org
