Women Who Make A Difference Honored by San Diego Soroptimists

Feb. 3, 2009 - PRLog -- Seven local women will receive the 2009 Making a Difference for Women Award from Soroptimist International of San Diego.  The Making a Difference for Women Award honors women who work to improve and significantly impact the lives of women and girls, and inspire and encourage other women.
The 2009 honorees are Dr. Viola Frymann, Founder and Director, Osteopathic Center for Children and Families; Kim Gibbens, Director, San Diego Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired; Tracy Jarman, Fire Chief, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department; Kim Morgan, Executive Director, YMCA Youth and Family Services; Rev. Canon Mary Moreno-Richardson, Coordinator, Hispanic Ministries and Director, Guadalupe Art Program; Shannon Thompson, Founder and Director, Shakti Rising; and Joan Wyllie, Founder and CEO, Nine Girls Ask.
The awards will be presented on Saturday, April 4, 2009 at "Up, Up & Away" fundraising event at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina.  Proceeds from the event will benefit young women recently emancipated from foster care with mentoring, housing and education; head-of-household women improving their employment prospects with education, and local and international projects helping women and girls.  
This 37th annual event includes a luncheon, boutique and theatrical fashion show featuring spring fashions from Macy’s in Fashion Valley, produced by Gretchen Productions.  And emceed by Rory Devine, NBC 7/39 news reporter.  Tickets are $75.  The event begins at 10:00 am.  Contact Pat Robbins at 858-277-2988 or Paula Day at phday@cox.net for tickets or more information.
Soroptimist International of San Diego (www.sisandiego.org), part of Soroptimist International of the Americas, was founded in 1931.  Its members join with 90,000 Soroptimists in more than 120 countries to contribute time and financial support to community-based projects benefiting women.  In addition to the Making a Difference for Women Award program, they also participate in the Women’s Opportunity Awards program - cash grants for women seeking to improve their economic situation through additional training and/or education.

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Founded in 1931, Soroptimist International of San Diego is one of San Diego’s oldest service clubs for professional women. Like all other Soroptimist clubs worldwide, the club’s mission is to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and around the world. Their annual fashion show has raised over $500,000 to support their many service projects. Over $180,000 of the funds raised has supported local San Diego students with cash grants, including the Women’s Opportunity Awards program that assists head-of-household women seeking to improve their economic situation through additional training and/or education.
The signature service project of San Diego Soroptimists is to help young women recently emancipated from the foster care system transition to independent living. In addition to local projects, Soroptimist International of San Diego makes a difference in the lives of women and girls internationally.
For more information: sisandiego.org or phday@cox.net.