SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL
OF
Post Office
Telephone information line:
Website: http://www.sislt.org
ORIENTATION GUIDE
MEETING
INFORMATION
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON MEETINGS: We meet for lunch approximately 49 weeks a year each Wednesday from
BOARD MEETINGS: Board meetings are usually held on the
Monday preceding the first Wednesday of the month. All members are welcome and encouraged to
attend. Members may not vote at a board
meeting, but they can participate in discussions. All club petitions, surveys and sign-up
sheets must be presented to and approved by the board before they are
circulated at a regular meeting. Check
with committee chairs or the president concerning questions about board
procedures and protocol.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Members of committees set their meeting times according to their convenience and the responsibilities and assignment deadlines of the respective com-mittee. Committees typically meet once a month, although some meet more often or less often, as their particular responsibilities dictate.
NEIGHBORING CLUBS: Information on neighboring clubs is available
on the Sierra Nevada Region’s website (www.soroptimistsnr.org). The
other local club is Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra, which meets at
SOROPTIMIST PIN
AND NAME TAG
You are encouraged to wear your Soroptimist pin and name tag at all meetings. We wear the pin on the left, over the heart (not on the collar). Many members also wear their pins regularly as a part of their business dress. (You'd be surprised how many Soroptimists you meet when traveling!) The name tag is worn on the right, opposite the pin. You will receive your pin at your induction and your name tag will be ordered at that time. Your new mem-ber fee will cover the cost.
SOROPTIMIST
INTRODUCTION
When asked to introduce yourself in the Soroptimist manner,
you are encouraged to use the standard form for identifying members and their
businesses: State your name and your
position or the name of your business.
(Example: President Cheryl, this
is
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcements are limited to information about upcoming committee meetings and other club-related activities. SUPPORT PLUS announcements give members the opportunity to share information about other members who are ill, in the hospital, or who have lost a loved one. The club sends cards or flowers.
SHARING PERSONAL
AND NON-SISLT INFORMATION WITH CLUB MEMBERS
FINES: Members pay fines for the opportunity
to share something special (e.g., birthdays, anniversaries, child’s school
achievements, new car, picture in the paper, vacations, etc.), or to make
announcements about non-SISLT activities.
Members are encouraged to keep fine announcements and stories
brief. A typical fine amount is $1.00,
although you are welcome to pay more, if you wish.
NETWORKING TABLE: The table located outside the meeting
door is for business advertisements, pledge sheets for non-Soroptimist
fund-raising events, or other non-Soroptimist business information. Sponsor sheets or follow-up information may
also be placed on the networking table.
NEWSLETTER: Members may also submit articles to the newsletter advertising the fundraising events of a non-Soroptimist organization.
SHARING MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION WITH NON-SISLT
INDIVIDUALS AND SOLICITORS
If a non-Soroptimist asks you for personal information about
a SISLT member listed in the roster, newsletter, or other club informational
materials, please contact the member for permission to release the information,
or better yet, have the member contact the requester herself. We do not accommodate in any way individuals
who request entire rosters, phone lists, or e-mail and fax numbers for the
purpose of general solicitation. Such
requests should be denied outright.
SOROPTIMIST PLEDGE
The pledge, found on the back of the Mission Statement card, should be committed to memory, as we close most meetings with it. The pledge is also printed on page 11 of this guide.
GUESTS
Members are encouraged to bring guests to any meeting. Prospective members may also attend business
and board meetings. When bringing a
guest(s), members should always notify the Facilities Coordinator, or leave a
message on the
SOROPTIMIST
INFORMATION
SISLT: The club
newsletter, SOROPTAHOE, is mailed to you each month. Members are encouraged to submit articles to
the newsletter. The telephone information
and message line,
REGION: You can access information about the Sierra Nevada Region, to which SISLT belongs, on a website at www.soroptimistsnr.org.
FEDERATION: The Soroptimist of the Americas is a quarterly magazine published by our federation in July, October, January, and April each year. Your dues cover the cost of a subscription to the magazine. You may also learn about Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA) activities by perusing the federation’s website at www.soroptimist.org.
INTERNATIONAL: The
International Soroptimist is published quarterly (March, June, September,
and December) by Soroptimist International headquarters in
ATTENDANCE , COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS
Members are expected to attend weekly luncheon meetings
regularly. They are required
to attend the meetings of their assigned committee and to actively participate
on that committee throughout the Soroptimist fiscal year (July 1 through June
30). Committee chairs keep attendance
records for their respective committees and submit them to the board twice a
year. New members are assigned to a committee
their first year. Members often
alternate between technical and program committees from year to year to gain
more experience in the club. It is your
responsibility to notify the committee coordinator if you cannot attend a
meeting. Often, a member who agrees to be a co-chair
does so with the commitment to become the chair of that committee the following
year, i.e., a chair in training.
Everyone is required to participate in our major fund-raising events —
the November Wine and Food Tasting and the July Celebrity Golf Tournament. Each member must commit time to help make
these events a success.
COMMITTEES
Committees are of vital importance to the club. It is
through committees that the activities of our organization are
accomplished. Committees promote the
official Soroptimist programs, and they undertake the various technical aspects
of efficient club operations. Each
committee is appointed to perform certain functions. All club members should be active members of
technical as well as service committees, so that the expertise of members is
divided between the needs of the organization and the needs of the community. Our federation (SIA) committee structure
suggests, but does not prescribe, our local committees.
o Newsletter: Publishes the club newsletter, SOROPTAHOE.
o Public Relations: Responsible for promoting and developing public relations for the club in the community, for obtaining publicity for all club activities and events, and for preparing the President’s Book.
o Roster: Prepares the club roster and updates as needed; sends out e-mails and faxes the SISLT membership about official club business.
o Website: Designs the website and manages the information posted to the site.
§
FINANCE: Responsible for preparing the annual club
budget recommendations.
§
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION: Reviews prospective member applications for
eligibility and formulates recommendations to the Board; sponsors activities to
recruit new members and promote retention of current members; responsible for educating members about the
heritage, purpose, objectives, policies and programs of Soroptimist and for
preparing club members for leadership within Soroptimist and in their own
committees.
§ ECONOMIC & SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Pursues the economic and social improvement of women through seminars in finance and economics directed toward women; in coordination with educational institutions, promotes education and employment opportunities for women both locally and worldwide; responsible for legislative updates and candidate forums; promotes networking among members of the entire club.
§ EDUCATION: Coordinates the SISLT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, awarding both academic and vocational scholarships (only when suitable candidates apply) to graduating seniors from South Tahoe and Whittell High School; to LTCC graduates transferring to a four-year college; and to students re-entering college and the workplace; presents the club with information about educational problems that women may encounter; investigates and supports vocational and career guidance programs, and equal access to non-traditional and new career planning for women.
§ ENVIRONMENT: Fosters increased awareness within the club and in the community about environmental issues. Typical projects include community beautification, and maintenance and clean-up of local trails and natural waterways.
§ HEALTH: Educates club members on health issues; programs give special emphasis to the issues of women, children, and the elderly.
§ HUMAN RIGHTS/STATUS OF WOMEN (HRSW) and the SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF THE AMERICAS (SIA) FOUNDATION: The HRSW Committee educates members on programs about rape prevention, self-protection, educational opportunities, and social initiatives focused on advancing the status of women. The committee works closely with the TAHOE WOMEN’S CENTER and the DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER, for which SISLT provided seed money. The club continues to support the shelter with annual donations. In addition, the HRSW Committee is the club’s sponsor of several federation programs that are administered under the auspices of SIA and outlined below:
The SIA FOUNDATION is a trust fund established by club and individual
donations throughout the federation. The interest from this trust is used
each year to help women to help themselves in many fields, particularly in
education. The fund supports these programs:
o WOMEN'S OPPORTUNITY AWARDS: provides training and retraining program for women who have returned to the work market and need additional training. A cash award assists with educational expenses. Generally, the award goes to women who are the main breadwinners and/or the heads of their households.
o WOMEN HELPING WOMEN: recognizes women who have, by their position or influence, or as a role model, improved the status of other women. The community submits nominees with recognition generally given in service areas.
o WOMEN OF DISTINCTION: recognizes women who have distinguished themselves in their chosen field. A $100 honorarium is given to the recipient’s chosen charity or non-profit organization.
§ INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL AND UNDERSTANDING (IGU): Keeps abreast of activities at federation and international levels (e.g., educational and vocational assistance to developing countries, disaster relief, landmine removal programs); maintains contacts with “friendship link” Soroptimist clubs in foreign countries; promotes within SISLT the Soroptimist International president’s annual December 10th appeal for contributions to a special international issue of her choosing; identifies and develops other programs to promote IGU.
o
YOUNG
WOMAN OF THE MONTH - Students from
o
The
VIOLET
first
president of Soroptimist, who had a personal motto, "It's what you
do that counts!" She laid the foundation for the heart of
the Soroptimist philosophy, which is volunteerism. Annually, the two local
clubs jointly honor a South Lake Tahoe girl between the ages of 14-17 who
epitomizes the values in which Violet Richardson believed. The recipient
receives a cash award and is entered in a national contest for additional cash
recognition.
LOCAL COMMITTEES
SISLT FOUNDATION
This foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation, is the
fundraising arm of the club and the financial instrument through which SISLT
furthers its philanthropic goals. It is qualified by the IRS to accept
tax-deductible gifts and bequests. Funds
are disbursed once a year through an allocation process that evaluates
applications based on a needs assessment.
The grants advance the quality of life for women and youth. Members of SISLT are concurrently members of
the SISLT Foundation. However, there is
a separate 9-member board: three members
are elected each year to serve 3-year terms.
Foundation meetings are held during a suspension of the regular business
meeting of the club.
Anything worth having comes with a price tag. Being a Soroptimist is no different, and the biggest part of that price tag is your time. Repeatedly you will hear, "The price of membership is attendance.” Attendance at weekly luncheon or breakfast meetings, attendance at club committee, social and fund raising activities, and maybe even attendance at community meetings where you will be representing your club. How much time you devote is really up to you, but if you are going to reap the benefits that you read about, then you should be ready to become very involved in your club’s activities. In addition to attendance at meetings, you will be serving on one or more committees. Service on these committees may include additional luncheon or evening meetings. Do not start getting worried; these extra meetings do not occur that often. But so there are no surprises, it is important for you to have all the information necessary to make the right decision about joining our club. Other meetings from which many Soroptimists derive rewarding benefits and friendships are the district, regional and federation meetings. Without attending some of these meetings, you will not meet all those other women with whom you are going to exchange ideas and with whom you are going to form life long friendships. Again, the degree of your involvement is up to you.
Now we come to the bottom line: money. Some annual regional and federation dues are mandatory. The club year runs from July 1 through June 30. All dues must be received no later than June 30. SISLT bills members for annual dues of $114.50 per year. This amount includes local, regional and federation dues. A one-time new member fee of $30.00 covers the cost of the membership pin and other orientation materials supplied by the club. The cost of your seat at lunch is $8.00 per week. Members must purchase a quarterly prepaid meeting voucher for $72. This voucher is good for the entire quarter, up to 13 meetings, excluding any special-event lunches. In addition, you are expected to financially support the wine-tasting fund-raiser.
TIPS THAT WILL MAKE ASSIMILATION INTO THE CLUB EASIER!
2. At the meetings, arrive early and select a seat near someone you don't know. Long-term members have a responsibility to help you to feel welcome. Just make yourself available and allow them to fulfill their obligations. By arriving a few minutes early, you will have the opportunity to visit with new friends. (Remember, sometimes longer-term members are just a tad shy, too. Do not hesitate to introduce yourself first.) Make it a point to meet someone new each week.
3. Volunteer at the first opportunity. It is a great way to meet members and get to know them. It will also insure that long-term members remember your name. After all, you are not really a Soroptimist unless you are in there doing something!
4. Wear your name tag and pin. While you are waiting for your name tag to arrive, the Growth and Development Committee will supply you with a temporary.
5. Stand and give your name any time you speak to the group. It is of no value to hear a name if there is no face to attach to it.
6. Be dependable. Do not sign-up, volunteer, or otherwise commit yourself without following through. This means: Arrive on time; be prepared for what you are supposed to do; if an emergency arises, give the person in charge as much notice as possible, so that she will have enough time to replace you. Better yet, find your own replacement, if something unforeseen prevents your participation. Remember, you unnecessarily inconvenience other people when you fail to follow through.
7. Take a deep breath, open your wallet, and pay a fine occasionally. The club loves to share those special Kodak moments with you.
8. ENJOY YOURSELF!
SPONSOR’S
CHECKLIST
1. Be responsible for filling out the application form. Assist the prospective member in
filling it out and take responsibility for getting the completed form to the Growth &
Development Committee in a timely manner.
2. Bring the prospective member to program meetings.
3. Share personal experiences in SISLT with the prospective member.
4. Attend the new member orientation, if possible, and obtain a copy of the orientation
materials.
5. Participate in the induction ceremony by sharing personal information about the new
member. The incoming member shares information about her business. This is the
only time she may promote or discuss her business without paying a fine.
6. Provide active support to the new member during the first year:
· Invite her to participate on your committee
· Carpool, when feasible.
· Introduce her to other members and sit with her at meetings.
· If she is absent for an extended period, call to see if she needs support.
· Answer her questions about club activities and procedures, or find
someone in the club who knows the answer.