Soroptimist Across Canada

The SI Convention in Dublin gave Canadian Soroptimists a rich chance to rub elbows and hatch plans. Since then we have been making them come true. This is the third Soroptimist Across Canada newsletter, and isn’t it great to share our Canadian brilliance?

In this issue you will read about our second venture, an online Parallel Event at the NGO CSW. It’s an opportunity to showcase Canadi-an values and Canadian Soroptimist programs that alleviate poverty for women.

Now it’s time to kick off another project: cele-brating the empowerment of women by Sorop-timists in Canada for 100 years, in 2026! To tell the stories that connect the achievements of the last century with current needs, and that inspire future Soroptimists.

Stories . . . of SI Vancouver’s 100 years of social housing for women and families. Of SI Toronto mentoring dozens of women in the 1930’s and 40’s, and now mentoring refugee women. Of SI North & West Vancouver launching the petitions which culminated 20 years later in the passing of the Pro-tection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, bringing the Nordic model of dealing with prosti-tution to Canada. Of the Friendship Tulip Garden donated to SI Peterborough by Dutch Soroptimists after WWII, which inspired their herb garden at the women’s shelter - much like the garden that SI Abbotsford-Mission tends with the women at Glory House.

Many clubs have rich stores of photos, newspaper articles, minutes. Let’s interview our knowledge-keepers and create a digital archive of voice, print and visual stories. Let’s produce a vibrant cultural history of the women in Canada who have empowered, educated and enabled women and girls to advance their economic independence and gender equality. Let’s get some funding to tell the stories of the farsighted women who launched and nurtured Soroptimist in Canada, and the huge impact of empowering thousands of women and girls. If you are interested in this project, let myself or Gover-nor Gertrud know!

And keep the ideas coming for Canadian Soroptimists to work and serve together!

Submitted by Western Canada Region Governor Suzanne Heron

CLICK HERE to read the entire Winter-Spring 2024 issue of Soroptimist Across Canada