Come Join Us and Have Fun
Soroptimist are women at their best, working to help other women and girls to be their best and realize their dreams through access to education. The name, Soroptimist, is a loose translation from Latin and means "best for women". You can be part of this global organization by joining Soroptimist of Lake Havasu City or by participating in our local events.
Soroptimist of Lake Havasu City is Busy!
The local chapter of Soroptimist is active all year long giving back to our great city. We are non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) that relies on individuals attending our events, private donations, business support and foundation grants. Please consider getting involved with one of our programs.
Live Your Dream Award Programs & Fundraisers
- Live Your Dream Award: Annually, Soroptimist donates a cash award to a deserving woman within Lake Havasu City who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects. Our award committee reviews all qualified submissions to determine the candidate that is best suited for this amazing award. In May 2016 the club awarded $8,000 to Lake Havasu women and girls!! The award is normally made in May.
- House and Garden Tour: Our largest fundraiser is an event that is a rare opportunity to enter some of Lake Havasu City's finest private homes and admire the special furnishings and collections, and explore some of the most enchanting outdoor spaces as well. Once you buy a ticket to the tour you have access to raffles, giveaways, and a poker run. The home tour is the first Sunday in December.
- Street Scramble & Scavenger Hunt: Our other fundraiser is an event that is an urban adventure run/walk for everyone. It is held on Main Street in Lake Havasu. Teams of 2 to 5 people register for a really fun event for team building and the opportunity to win raffles and prizes. Individuals who are registered also receive discounts at stores and restaurants. This annual event is normally held in March.
- Dream Maker Jars: Our club supports our region by collecting "change" and small donations that are placed in their personal jar. Their jars sit out at home and at work where family and co-workers can make small donations. Club members pool their funds in May and the club presents them at the Golden West Region spring conference. These small amounts, when pooled together from 900 club members across the region, allow the region to award thousands of dollars to women and girls. This runs from September through May.
Dream It, Be It Programs
- Junior High Heels Self-Esteem Seminar: Moving from grade school to middle school can be difficult. To ease this transition, sixth grade girls from the six Lake Havasu City grade schools are invited to the Thunderbolt Middle School for a ½ day seminar. They are introduced to the principle of the middle school, they are taken on a tour of the school, they participate in team building, they create vision boards, they are encouraged to ask questions, and they meet girls from across the city. This annual event is normally held in March.
- S-Club: Soroptimist sponsors and guides the S-Club at the Lake Havasu High School throughout the school year. These club members learn the value of empowering others, they learn how to manage and run a club, and they participate in and help support all of the Soroptimist events.
- Mentoring: Each year Soroptimist of Lake Havasu adopts a woman to mentor. In 2016-2017 the club is mentoring a young lady who has recently left the foster system and is now on her own. The mentoring provides women with access to professional role models, career education and the resources to live their dreams. This runs from September through June and the friendship/bond that is formed goes well beyond the initial mentoring.
- Community Service Day: Each year, the Soroptimist club members donate a day of service in support a deserving cause aligned with helping women and girls live their dreams. Recently we spent an entire day painting the inside of a house that offers shelter to abused women and their children.
Soroptimist is a Global Organization
The first Soroptimist club was formed in 1921 by a group of 80 women in Oakland, California. Today, Soroptimist is a global women’s organization whose members volunteer to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. Approximately 75,500 Soroptimists in 130 countries and territories support community–based and global projects benefiting women and girls. The organization is particularly concerned with providing women and girls access to education, as this is the most effective path to self-determination.