Local Soroptimist club presents education awards to 15 women

Newtown, PA – Soroptimist International of Indian Rock (SIIR) recently presented 15 needs-based educational grants to local college-bound women making use of Zoom for the awards ceremony. “To support the women and girls we work so hard to raise up, we needed to reach beyond the limits of the pandemic.” said Eileen Conner, SIIR President.

“Zoom gave us the opportunity to meet face to face safely as we celebrated the exceptional recipients of our awards,” said Kathleen Meyer, Awards Chair and Technical Facilitator.

This year, SIIR presented three grants from their mission-centric Soroptimist Dream Program. One of these was given to college-bound, high school graduate Raizel Stebbins who attended the prerequisite 2019 Dream It, Be It: Career Support for Girls Conference. The others were presented to two single mothers who will enter four-year colleges in the fall. Nursing student Karen Lieber received the 2020 Ginny Cooper Live Your Dream Award. Shannon Walsh, who is on a course to earn a law degree, was presented with the Live Your Dream: Education and Training Award. In receiving the award, Shannon said, “My dream is to help people reclaim their dignity, voice and their place in our society. I am so grateful to the women of this club for believing in me.”

Of the twelve students receiving scholarships, five were high school graduates each receiving an SIIR Scholarship award for the first year of college. Continuing Education Scholarship awards were given to seven college students, some of whom have been supported through all four years of their college careers. Awards were underwritten by SIIR, the Ruth and Warren Meyer Memorial Fund and Kathy Lynch Memorial Fund.

Denise Ramirez of Newtown Floral Company was presented with the Community Partner of the Year Award for her continuous support and the generosity of her business in making a difference in the lives of women and girls.

SIIR also announced its donation of $2,554 to the Bucks County Opportunity Council’s food program and the provision of 43 kitchen starter kits to women with children starting over after domestic abuse.

Soroptimist International of Indian Rock is a chapter of the global women’s organization, Soroptimist International of the Americas, whose members volunteer to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to economic empowerment.