QuarterMania! Fundraiser March 20
VISTA, California, February 17, 2022—Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland will host a QuarterMania! Fundraiser on Sunday, March 20 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at the Vista Optimist Club, 600 Optimist Way, Vista. Doors open at 12 noon for check-in, lunch and viewing the vendor booths. The auction starts at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $30 and include bidding paddle and poker chip, chicken caesar salad, roll, non-alcoholic drink, dessert and coffee. There will be an opportunity drawing plus a silent auction with items such as a Charcuterie Board “basket,” handcrafted jewelry by a local artisan and more. Participating vendors include Nice & Bella Jewelry, Popcorn Factory, Hotel Life Sheets, Sweet Treats, and more. Guests are urged to bring plenty of quarters. Maximum bid is 3 quarters, so no one spends more than 75 cents on any item. “Bring your kids, friends, and neighbors to this family-friendly event,” said event chair Pat Origlieri. “And bring a roll of quarters!” she added. Additional paddles and quarters will be available.
In QuarterMania, each guest gets a numbered paddle and a correspondingly numbered poker chip, which they place in the auctioneer’s drawing basket. The auctioneer displays an item and states the number of quarters needed for a chance to win that item. Guests may bid on the item by placing the specified number of quarters into a small bucket on their table and holding up their paddle. The buckets of quarters are collected, and the auctioneer pulls a random numbered chip from the drawing basket. The bidder holding the paddle that matches the number pulled wins the item. If the number pulled did not bid, another number is pulled until a winner is found.
Tickets may be purchased online at SoroptimistVista.org or by calling Pat Origlieri 760-724-9674 or emailing her at pat@vistacopy.com. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door. Proceeds support Soroptimist’s Dream programs promoting women’s and girls’ education and empowerment and human trafficking awareness. See soroptimistvista.org.
Human Trafficking Awareness Walk Jan. 29
VISTA, California, February 2, 2022—After a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland held its 16th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Walk and Event on January 29 in Vista as part of Human Trafficking Awareness Month. “Last January, we had to settle for holding a virtual event, so it’s great to be able to gather in person again,” said Soroptimist member Kaye Van Nevel, who has chaired the Walk every year since 2006. Walkers gathered outside on the grounds of the United Methodist Church of Vista. Van Nevel welcomed the crowd and recognized local dignitaries present, including San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, and representatives from State Assembly member Marie Waldron’s office and from the San Diego Board of Supervisors Office, District 76, Jim Desmond. Van Nevel then introduced keynote speaker, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan. Stephan has long been an advocate for victims of human trafficking, pioneering San Diego’s Sex Crimes and Human Trafficking Division. Recently her office unveiled an anti-human trafficking training program aimed at the tourism and hospitality industry.
Saving “the best for last,” Stephan ended her talk by announcing the opening this April of a new family justice center in North County called “One Safe Place” in a revamped warehouse in San Marcos. “It has been a dream of mine for 15 years….it will be a state-of-the-art facility…a place of hope, healing and justice in the North County” Stephan said, where survivors of sex trafficking, domestic violence, family violence, elder abuse, and sexual assault can seek justice, begin healing, and reclaim their lives with help from a variety of agencies operating on-site.
The walkers then collected their “Stop Human Trafficking” signs and headed to Melrose Drive, walking from the church to Sunset Drive and back to the church, eliciting honks of support from passing drivers.
Van Nevel and her Soroptimist Club also coordinate the North County Anti-Human Trafficking Collaborative, open to the public which meets every other month at the church. Their next meeting is Thursday, March 3 at 9 am in Fellowship Hall, United Methodist Church, 490 S. Melrose Drive, Vista. Masks required.
Live Your Dream Awards® 50th Anniversary
Let the Soroptimist celebrations continue! While we are still in the midst of our 100th anniversary, 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Live Your Dream Awards®. Even though the program has adorned other names since 1972—including the Training and Awards Program and the Women’s Opportunity Awards—our ambition to help women create a better life for themselves and their families through access to education and training has always remained the same. See how the program began and how it evolved over the last half century.
Read about the evolution of our Live Your Dream Awards HERE.
Profiles of 3 More Live Your Dream Awardees
by April Frisby
Member, SI Vista NCI
Raniqua
2021 Live Your Dream Awardee
Rachel
2021 Live Your Dream Awardee
Monica
2021 Live Your Dream Awardee
October 19, 2021, Vista, CA–If the past year has taught us anything, focusing on positive actions and forward momentum is essential as we slowly emerge from the strange anti-social cocoon forced upon all of us. There is no better time than now to introduce a few of the women who are currently pursuing higher education to better the lives of themselves and their children during this global pandemic. The Live Your Dream Awards were created for this very purpose, to help support these courageous women to make a difference in this world by empowering them to be the best possible versions of themselves.
This year, the club has raised over $21,000 to award seven women, giving them a much-deserved opportunity to improve their lives through further education. With funding and support from our Soroptimist club, the women can utilize the awards for food, rent, bills, travel, tuition, or in any other way that will help them along the path to ultimately achieving their dream jobs and inspiring other women in the process.
For many of these women, the Live Your Dream Award is a lifeline, becoming instrumental in stopping the perpetuating toxic cycle of abuse, neglect, or addiction that could have otherwise led them down a darker path. Situations often experienced by young mothers struggling to support themselves can include being abused or abandoned by a partner, suffering with mental health or addictions, or being forced into risky situations against their will have become all too common, which is why Soroptomist is dedicated to improve the lives of women in the community and around the world.
This month there are three more Live Your Dream Awardees we would like to celebrate. Each is a positive, strong, brave, independent woman who has worked hard to make impressive progress in her personal and professional lifes. All are stars and serve as shining examples to us all.
Raniqua
Raniqua is a mother of two daughters, Journey and Amiah, and is working at Solutions for Change, a non-profit in Vista that most of us are familiar with that helps get individuals and families back on their feet.
Raniqua has a certification and works as a Peer Support Coach and only has one semester left at Vista Adult School until she gains her qualification in Medical Administration. Coming from a large family–she has nine brothers and sisters–she enjoys sports like cross-country running, track and field and basketball.
Rachel
Rachel is a mother of three boys, Daniel, Isaac and Junior, and enjoys being active in activities at her church in her spare time. Her youngest son, Daniel, suffers from Mast Cell Disease, which often triggers sudden, unpredictable food allergies that can leave him hospitalized. After spending a lot of time in hospitals, Rachel’s dream is to help people by becoming a nurse.
Rachel goes to Palomar College and will graduate in 2025 with her degree in Nursing. In the meantime, she will also gain an MA or LA certification from MiraCosta College before she gains her nursing degree. One interesting fact is that Rachel’s father is an author, and she hopes to write a book one day to follow in his footsteps.
Monica
Monica is mom to three boys and her children are active in soccer and boxing. Monica works at a school for children with special needs during the week and, on weekends, works at Aurora, which helps people with mental health and addiction issues.
Monica is dedicated to helping people and is graduating with a degree in Psychology from Cal State San Marcos next August.
In addition to studying Psychology, Monica is also considering attending the academy to become a probation officer. ⬛
Spotlight on 4 Live Your Dream Awardees
by April Frisby
Member, SI Vista NCI
Anissa Florie
2020 Live Your Dream Awardee
Stephanie Cagle
2020 Live Your Dream Awardee
Rochelle
2020 Live Your Dream Awardee
Xochitl Dybbro
2020 Live Your Dream Awardee
September 8, 2021, Vista, CA–If the past year has taught us anything, focusing on positive actions and forward momentum is essential as we slowly emerge from the strange anti-social cocoon forced upon all of us. There is no better time than now to introduce a few of the women who are currently pursuing higher education to better the lives of themselves and their children during this global pandemic. The Live Your Dream Awards were created for this very purpose, to help support these courageous women to make a difference in this world by empowering them to be the best possible versions of themselves.
This year, the club has raised over $21,000 to award seven women, giving them a much-deserved opportunity to improve their lives through further education. With funding and support from our Soroptimist club, the women can utilize the awards for food, rent, bills, travel, tuition, or in any other way that will help them along the path to ultimately achieving their dream jobs and inspiring other women in the process.
For many of these women, the Live Your Dream Award is a lifeline, becoming instrumental in stopping the perpetuating toxic cycle of abuse, neglect, or addiction that could have otherwise led them down a darker path. Situations often experienced by young mothers struggling to support themselves can include being abused or abandoned by a partner, suffering with mental health or addictions, or being forced into risky situations against their will have become all too common, which is why Soroptomist is dedicated to improve the lives of women in the community and around the world.
This month there are four Live Your Dream Awardees we would like to celebrate. Each is a positive, strong, brave, independent woman who has worked hard to make impressive progress in her personal and professional lifes. All are stars and serve as shining examples to us all.
Anissa Florie is a young, vibrant single mother of a four year old son named Elisha. She is currently studying at Palomar College working towards an Associate’s Degree in Sociology. She plans on transferring to Cal State San Marcos to finish her masters degree in Social Work to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Anissa is passionate about helping others and has earned a certificate to assist people struggling with mental health or addiction issues. She cares deeply about positively impacting other women and using her own personal experience to support and inspire them to heal and transform into strong, capable women.
Stephanie Cagle was born in Puerto Vallarta and had an adventurous childhood, calling a sailboat home and writing in her journal while traversing the ocean with her parents and sister for eight years.
Her family eventually settled in San Diego where she attended High Tech High and published a book under the Jane Goodall Foundation. She has a four-year-old son named Vincent and is almost finished earning dual associate’s degrees in Sociology and Psychology at Palomar College. She is moving to Virginia at the beginning of next year and will apply to Old Dominion University to continue her studies so she can make a positive impact as a child psychologist or therapist.
Rochelle is a married mom of three boys, Benjamin, Emillio, and Lorenzo and one girl, Ariel. She attended MiraCosta College and gained an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts. She is currently enrolled at Cal State San Marcos working toward her Bachelors in Sociology.
Rochelle is very interested in public policy and wants to be a teacher working in the juvenile justice system so she can make a difference in turning the lives of young offenders around through education and mentoring. Rochelle enjoys organizing, planning and photographing events on the weekends and uses her social media marketing skills to help her husband with a small business selling recycled copper rose sculptures.
Xochitl Dybbro has a dream of becoming a surgical tech and continuing her education in Seattle after she finishes her Bachelor’s degree. She has a daughter Izel, who is four, and she helps support her mother and brother, who suffers with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis and is awaiting a transplant and lives with the autoimmune condition Lupus.
Xochitl attended Palomar College and is transferring to Cal State San Marcos to major in Social Justice and minor in Border Studies. She is interested in gaining a certificate remotely from the Native American Women’s Resource Center in Montana in helping people at the border.
SI Vista NCI Installs Incoming Board
VISTA, California, June 30, 2021—Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland held its Installation of Officers at a potluck brunch held outdoors on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at a member Sherry Luz‘s home in Vista. This year’s theme was “Traveling the Soroptimist World,” reflecting the international reach of Soroptimist as well as the fact that incoming President Melinda Jarrell owns her own travel agency, Winner Destinations. In addition to installing the board, we also inducted one new member, Paige McWey.
Missing from the festivities was outgoing club President Assly Sayyar, who was sick in bed. Filling in for her was Lani Beltrano. Assly has served ably as club president for three consecutive terms and members wish her a speedy recovery! We will miss her annual dispensements of the “Sacred Stones of Sayyar”! This year she signed on to be President-Elect so she is still on the board.
OFFICERS ELECT 2021-2022
President: Melinda Jarrell
President-Elect: Assly Sayyar
Secretary: Kaye Van Nevel
Treasurer: Pat Origlieri
Asst. Treasurer: Aleta Dirdo
Directors:
Karen Del Bene and Lani Beltrano, Co-Directors of MEMBERSHIP
Runa Gunnars, Director of FUNDRAISING
Eden Weinberger, Director of PROGRAMS
Jackie Huyck, Director of PUBLIC AWARENESS
Delegates:
President of the Club, Melinda Jarrell
One Year: Jennifer Luz-Olson
Alternate: Sherry Luz
Two Year: Runa Gunnars
Alternate: Kaye Van Nevel
Soroptimists Award $21,500 in Scholarship Grants to 7 Local Women
VISTA, California, March 25, 2021— Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland (SI Vista NCI) recently gave educational awards totalling $21,500 to seven local women as part of its Live Your Dream Awards program. The Live Your Dream awards assist women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects. These women are enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program. Awardees may use the money in whatever manner will help them further their goals, whether that be tuition, supplies, rent, childcare or other living expenses. In the past five years, SI Vista NCI has given over $30,000 to awardees. This year’s first-place award winner received a check for $3,500, and the other six awardees received $3,000 apiece. The top winner’s application has been submitted as a candidate for an additional region-level award and a chance to become a candidate for one of three $10,000 Soroptimist federation-level awards.
Every year, Soroptimist organizations distribute more than $2.5 million in grants as part of their Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards. Since its inception in 1972, more than $30 million has helped tens of thousands of women achieve their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families — leading to stronger communities, nations and the world.
“We usually present these awards at our annual awards gala, but due to the pandemic all in-person events have been canceled and we simply mailed the checks and awards certificates to the women” said Eden Weinberger, chair of the Live Your Dream Awards Committee. “We hope to celebrate with them via Zoom soon,” she said.
First-place awardee Kasey Critz’s dream is to earn a master’s degree in special education and work as an advocate for learning disabled students. She has been pursuing a B.A. in education at National University, maintaining a 3.23 GPA and receiving many student achievement awards plus admission to their prestigious Honors for Social Change program. Critz escaped a physically abusive marriage and was left as the sole financial support for four learning disabled sons. She calls the day she enrolled in National University a day of reckoning. “It was time to return to school so I would never again be in a position that left me and my sons powerless,” she wrote in her application. “The Live Your Dream Scholarship would give me a chance to breathe when I am wondering how I am going to squeeze 30 hours of work, homework and parenting into a 24-hour day…Many times I thought that I should take a temporary leave from school and focus on making more money because it was so difficult to succeed at both… I don’t always have a homemade dinner on the table or have all the laundry folded and put away. My assignments aren’t always turned in on time, and sometimes I fall asleep at work because I work the overnight shift as an emergency veterinary nurse. Many times, I just have a good old-fashioned cry to get myself to the next day. Somehow, with the grace of God, I always find a way to make it work, but now I don’t have to figure out how to hide the bruises behind sunglasses, make-up and sweaters,” she wrote.
All six other awardees have similarly poignant stories and struggles. Monica Vargas, single mother of three, is pursuing a B.A. in Psychology from Cal State University San Marcos part-time while holding down a full-time job. “Not only would this scholarship assist me financially by offsetting some of the extra expenses a student endures such as books, fees, supplies etc., but it would also provide me the continued motivation to keep moving forward in accomplishing my educational goals,” she wrote in her application. The other five awardees are enrolled in local colleges, universities or trade schools. One is studying Criminal Justice, three are seeking degrees in medical fields, and one is getting certified in cosmetology. All are single moms living in North County San Diego.
For more information visit soroptimistvista.org or email soroptimistinternationalvista@gmail.com.
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ABOUT SOROPTIMISTS OF VISTA AND NORTH COUNTY INLAND:
Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland (SI Vista NCI) was chartered on March 23, 1953. We are a dynamic group of women primarily from Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Bonsall and Fallbrook who seek to make a difference in our community through offering scholarships and grants to local charities and by raising awareness and educating the public about issues affecting women and girls, such as domestic violence and human trafficking. For more information, see our website at soroptimistvista.org or email us at soroptimistinternationalvista@gmail.com.
For 68 years, we have been committed to protecting the environment, education in the fields of health, economic and social development, leadership development, fellowship and diversity. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
$100 for 100 Years Fundraiser
CLICK TO DONATE
Soroptimists around the world are counting down the days to October 3, 2021—the 100th anniversary of the founding of Soroptimist! Our anniversary theme, “Bright Past, Brilliant Future” perfectly encapsulates the respect for and memory of those incredible women who in 1921 had the foresight and courage to become Soroptimists and pursue the best for women. Soroptimists of today are acting with the same forward thinking and courage to make our Brilliant Future come alive through our 2021-2031 Big Goal of Investing in the dreams of half a million women and girls through access to education.
Locally, our club, Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland, is kicking off the celebration by asking supporters and companies to each donate $100–that’s one dollar for every year of Soroptimists’ existence. Our goal is to raise $10,000 for our club’s Service Fund, to be donated out in 2022 to support our mission of helping women and girls through our Dream programs. Like other service clubs and non-profits, we have had to pivot to online fundraising to reach our goals. Please help by visiting our Giving Grid and “buying” a square. You can upload your head shot or company logo into the square and be acknowledged for your generosity. If you would rather donate by check contact us at soroptimistinternationalvista@gmail.com and we’ll pick up your check. THANK YOU!
Soroptimists Raise over $11,000 to Fight Human Trafficking
VISTA, California, February 19, 2021—Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland recently presented checks totaling $11,700 to two organizations fighting human trafficking in San Diego County. During a club Zoom meeting on February 19th, club president Assly Sayyar welcomed guest speakers from Alabaster Jar Project and North County Lifeline. Each organization will receive a check for $5,850 representing equal halves of the total funds raised from the club’s monthlong “30 Miles in 30 Days” Walkathon to Fight Human Trafficking held in January.
First to speak was Susan Johnson, Director and Co-Founder of Alabaster Jar Project, which operates Grace House, a safe house in Vista for trafficking victims. “Thank you so much Soroptimists,” she said. “This will help with paying our staff and making sure that the bills are paid and the rent is paid for the women in our housing program.” Grace House currently houses five trafficking survivors. “They are doing well,” she reported. “Two of them are already working in the community–they actually, during Covid-19, got employment on their own. One earned her high school diploma. We’ve got three that are in college continuing education virtually.”
Representing North County Lifeline were Stephanie Gonzalez, program manager of Project LIFE, and Melissa Haupt, director of programs. Project LIFE supports human trafficking victims on their path to recovery and self-reliance. “The Soroptimists have always supported our program,” Gonzalez said. “I just want to say thank you for always thinking of us…Since we started Project LIFE in 2011, we’ve served a total of 387 clients,” Gonzalez noted, “and that number has continued to grow because we’ve expanded. When I first started, I was the only case manager. Now we have five case managers, a therapist…we’ve really grown. It’s great to be able to serve more clients with their emergency needs, so for example, when we head out on an Emergency Response a lot of times trafficking victims don’t have anything, we’re able to purchase clothing for them and any other basic items that they’re in need of, and can place them in safe housing. So all of these funds are definitely going to contribute to all of that.”
Melissa Haupt said “Collaborations like this like with Alabaster Jar and the other great community partners has allowed us to grow.” She said they now have eight independent units for housing, and provide parenting support to survivors who have children or are pregnant to make sure that they are successful and able to safely parent. “It is a result of collaborations like this and we are incredibly grateful, so thank you,” Haupt said.
When asked what else Soroptimist members can do in addition to monetary donations, all three women agreed that donations of gift cards are most welcome, because the funding they receive is usually restricted to food, clothing and housing. “There are a lot of things that our survivors might need that maybe don’t fit into the box of food, clothing or shelter but are imperative in their case plan as they make progress towards their own personal goals,” Haupt said.
Johnson agreed. “We’ve seen an increase in the need for, for instance, gas station gift cards, grocery store gift cards, Uber, Lyft and Instacart. We’ve been using Instacart a lot.”
Interested in donating gift cards? Please consider purchasing gift cards from our Soroptimist Club’s SCRIP fundraising program. Pickup or delivery available. Order gift cards from our club by registering and ordering online at shopwithscrip.com using our club’s Enrollment Code: BC2862E5961. QUESTIONS? Call or email us at 760-683-9427 or soroptimistinternationalvista@gmail.com.
Another thing they all agreed on: they are all exhausted, staff and clients alike. At the top of Susan Johnson’s wish list was “self-care for staff.” The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough, she said. “Because of the Covid measures, we’ve been really spread thin. For the women it would be nice if somebody has some sort of Big Bear cabin or Julian little space that they’d be willing to allow us to use for a weekend retreat for either staff or for the residents…that would be lovely,” she said.
“The pandemic has taken a toll on all of us,” agreed Haupt. “We had to shift in the way we are providing services, and while we do still have in-person services, we have also had to be selective in protecting our clients and protecting our staff. We had to shift gears. How do we provide basic needs to everybody and make sure that we’re keeping everybody safe? So for the basic needs, that meant that we were picking up and doing a drop-off on doorstep and then giving clients a text or call when we get there so that we can do the exchange, wave to them through the window.”
Other needs mentioned included a possible daylong financial literacy workshop and mentoring one-on-one, both things Soroptimists are planning to do in the future to help. Members were cautioned that mentoring would require 40 hours of training. Information about volunteering can be found at the respective organizations’ websites: alabasterjarproject.org and nclifeline.org.
Kaye Van Nevel, who has chaired the Soroptimist club’s anti-human trafficking efforts for over a decade, gave special credit to the North County San Diego Anti-Human Trafficking Collaborative, a group formed and run by Soroptimists in North County which until last year met every other month at the United Methodist Church of Vista. Both Alabaster Jar Project and North County Lifeline were members of the Collaborative and guest speakers at some of their meetings.
For more information visit soroptimistvista.org or email soroptimistinternationalvista@gmail.com.
PHOTO: Zoom meeting in February. Clockwise, from top: Assly Sayyar, President of Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland, Kaye Van Nevel, Chair of the club’s Anti-Human Trafficking program, Susan Johnson of Alabaster Jar Project, Melissa Haupt and Stephanie Gonzalez of North County Lifeline.
Two Events in March
We’re Nominated!
The Vista Chamber is holdings its 2021 Heroes of Vista Virtual Auction, Awards & Gala virtually this year as a livestreamed event on YouTube. Our club, Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland, is one of three finalists in the nonprofit category!
The Heroes of Vista Gala can be viewed live on the event bidding page. Register for Free HERE
This will be a free, live streaming event on Saturday, March 20 at 5:30 p.m. filled with entertainment along with awards for the many amazing leaders in the Vista community. The program and silent virtual auction will be free to access and view from the event page beginning at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 7:00 p.m. You can optionally enjoy a Gala Box with snacks and treats while you watch the ceremony for $75. Register as a bidder and view the event for free, online. No purchase necessary to enjoy this virtual gala!
NOTE: Be sure to pre-register for the event by March 15 with your credit card to donate or bid the night of the event. Everyone pre-registered for the event will be entered into an opportunity to win a certificate for a large charcuterie box for two (to be used on a future date of your choice). The online silent auction opens on March 15.
It’s Our Birthday!
Come join us on Tuesday, March 23 at 6 pm via Zoom to celebrate Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland’s 68th birthday! Our club was chartered on March 23, 1953. That’s 68 years of service to our local community and to issues affecting women and girls locally and around the world. Drinks and Bingo are optional (Donation $10 per Bingo Card). Email us for more info: soroptimistinternationalvista@gmail.com.
