SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL of CHICAGO

Educate to LEAD - Annual Scholarships and Awards

We hope you will join us to encourage these exceptional women and High School girl as
we learn more about their achievements, struggles and goals.

The Women’s Opportunity Awards program is Soroptimist’s major service project.
This award is given to women who are financially responsible for their families and who need to
further their education, skills and/or training in order to improve their employment status.

Speaker: Cathy Morley has been a Soroptimist since 1982.
She is an Engineer with a degree in Civil Engineering from Imperial College London and
did postgraduate work in environmental engineering at the Asian Institute of Technology,
Bangkok Thailand. She worked for one of the largest water and sewer consultants in the
UK, with projects in the Middle East, Far East and North Africa. She moved to the US in
1984 and has worked for a consulting engineer in the water and sewer fields since then.

Location: Bucktown Library 1701 N. Milwaukee, Chicago 2nd Floor
Open to the public

Soroptimist International of Chicago is pleased to be a “Community Ally” for the exhibition -
Off the Beaten Path: Violence, Women and Art.

January 22 – April 13, 2011
*Opening Reception: January 21, 5:30–7:30 pm
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Street

In this touring group exhibition, twenty nine contemporary artists from twenty five countries address violence against women and their basic human right to safety, security and justice around the world. Featuring work
by renowned artists such as Marina Abramovic, Laylah Ali, Yoko Ono, among others, the exhibition

Speaker: Lia Valerio - Malia Designs

Lia has been a dedicated advocate for trafficked women and children in Cambodia.
She will tell us about her social-entrepreneurial business and recent trip to Cambodia
including a visit to Goutte D’Eau Orphanage. Locally, she is raising funds for Ann’s House, the long-awaited shelter
for trafficked girls run by The Salvation Army’s Promise program.

Bucktown Public Library
1701 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to: sichicago@soroptimist.net

The dinner meeting will be held at the home of Terry Phillips.

Speaker: Anne Ream, the 2008 “Making a Difference for Women” Award winner. Anne is coordinating the programs to accompany the art exhibit “Off the Beaten Path” highlighted in the last Soroptimist magazine. This exhibit will be at the Chicago Cultural Center, Jan. to April. The theme is violence against women and how art can affect change. Awareness is the first step followed by action and advocacy. Soroptimist will be actively involved in sponsoring one of the programs Stories on Stage.

Dr. (Captain) Ritu Biyani spoke at our awards luncheon in June 2010. She is a Dental Surgeon, a mountaineer, first female Paratrooper from the Indian Army Dental Corps, skydiver, avid photographer, and a breast cancer survivor (Diagnosed in 2000).

Equipped with these unique experiences, In April 2006, she conceptualized and
spearheaded her first pilot project- ' Project High>>>ways' … an innovative blend of
adventure drive with cancer awareness mission, across the country. She did a Solo drive of

Family Rescue’s Domestic Violence Programs are the recipients of the 2011 Soroptimist Chicago Club Grant.
$500 – Rosenthal Family Lodge -providing safe refuge and support services for women
and their children who are fleeing domestic violence.
$500 – Economic Empowerment program The final step of the six week economic
education program is opening a checking/savings account. Many of the women have
never had their own account. Soroptimist will give 10 women grants of $50 each to open
their accounts.

A Luncheon at the Oak Park Country Club
Saturday, June 19
12pm

The beautiful surroundings of the historic Oak Park Country Club are the backdrop for a delightful lunch celebrating the accomplishments of the Soroptimist year.

Club members have voted to accept the proposed slate of officers for the next club year, and we will recognize our current and new board. Awards and Grants will also be distributed.