SI of Edmonton
2020/21 Club President – Anita Konczi
Soroptimist International Club of Edmonton (SIE) is honored to be one of the first clubs to be chartered in Alberta in 1936. Since then the Soroptimist Edmonton club has continually contributed to the wellbeing of our Edmonton community and to other communities throughout the world.
We have supported the Edmonton E4C School Lunch Program and Women’s Emergency Accommodation Centre for homeless women, Compassion House (a home away from home for women undergoing treatment for cancer), Candora Society, WINGS of Providence (shelter for women), Women Building Futures Society, Alberta Cancer Foundation – The Weekend to End Breast Cancer, ACT and Chrysalis Network against trafficking of people, WIN House for women fleeing domestic violence, Zebra Foundation, YWCA GirlSpace and play therapy room as a few examples!
SIE also supports international projects such as Project Sierra, the Project Five-O, Nepal Earthquake Recovery and the yearly December 10th President’s Appeal which is focused on Gender Equality this year! Other International Funding Recipients have been the Agape Orphanage Foundation in Malawi, Africa. SIE has been a host to several Soroptimist conferences, with guests from many provinces and different countries. SI Edmonton has Friendship Links with S.I. of Bath, England; S.I. of Nayoro, Japan; and S.I. of Saitama, Kawagoa, Japan along with new to us of SI clubs in Ukraine, Hungary and Australia!! Over the years we have met with members from all of these clubs, mostly at International Conventions, but also as Grants of Friendship where they visited us here in Edmonton.
SI Edmonton annually participates in Soroptimist International of the America’s award programs of the Dream It Be It: Career Support for Girls for young women is set up to engage young women in life skills and career counselling!
Plus, SI Edmonton hosts yearly the SIA Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards for Women as our major service project. It is celebrated yearly on International Women’s Day! These financial awards are to improve the lives of women by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects.
SI Edmonton club is always seeking nominations for its “Joy Award” from community programmes that support women fleeing trafficking! The purpose of the Award is to recognize and honour a woman who works to improve the status of women at risk in our society.
Soroptimist Edmonton region celebrates its society successes monthly with a business meeting to organize all of our projects plus a social of some type often is set up in support of another program or just a social for members is always great fun! All women are welcome to join us in supporting other women here and around the world!