Soroptimist International of Los Angeles
ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS
February-March 2015                                                                    Vol. 6, Issue 5
President JoyceDear <<First Name>>,

The two SILA speakers for the month of February demonstrated the best of what women can accomplish. The first speaker was Janet Ho and the second was Dr. Margaret Peterson. Don’t miss their inspiring stories in this newsletter. In one month, we had a speaker who will reach to the highest level in her life time and a speaker who reached a very high goal and can even go higher in her system. These speakers are the heart of women for the future.
 
Membership is at the center of SILA. At our February 18th meeting there was an opportunity for potential new members to learn about Soroptimist. At present, we have three exciting women that are interested in joining. That is our future.
 
SILA is working very hard on our SILA Annual Awards Luncheon Fundraiser on March 21 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.  We have a true community hero, Dr. Sharon N. Rabb, founder of The Center for the Empowerment of Families (CEF), as our Woman of Distinction honoree.  Our other awardees are: Live Your Dream and the SILA Graduate Fellowship Award. This is an exciting event so be sure to invite all your friends and families. These awardees are our future.
 
Mark you calendar: Camino Real Region Spring Conference 2015 at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel, April 24-26, 2015.  Come and be our future.
 
We have an active calendar that speaks to our mission.

President Joyce
 
IN THIS ISSSUE:

- Planning to Honor Heros
- Janet Ho - Future Secretary of State?
- Words from the President of California Hospital
- Spring Conference - All Aboard!
- Go to Istanbul!
- New Friendships with Singapore Soroptimists
- Follow up: Florence Nightingale Restored

QUICK LINKS:
SILA's Website
Camino Real Region
Federation (SIA)
International (SI)

 
2014-15 BOARD:
President: Joyce Jacob
1st VP: Carole Oglesby
2nd VP: Daphyne Howell
Secretary: Bev Johnson
Treasurer: Teresa Harvey
Director 2014-16: Barbara Jury
Director 2013-15: Julie Mairs



CONTACT INFORMATION:
For more information about SILA or this Newsletter, please contact:

President Joyce Jacob at joycejacob@aol.com or 626-222-9316

Editor Janet Elliott at jvelliott88@gmail.com or 310-809-2438

Webmistress Ann Read at annr@earthlink.net or 626-919-9202

 
 
PREPARING TO HONOR HEROS

Living Your DreamSILA members have been hard at work planning the annual Awards Luncheon which will be held on Saturday, March 21 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Living Your Dream is SILA's primary fundraiser and includes a silent auction, luncheon, entertainment and awards recognizing deserving local women.

Dr. Sharon RabbThe primary honor is awarded this year postumously to Dr. Sharon Jacques Rabb, founder of the Center for the Empowerment  of Families.  Dr. Rabb was a clinical psychologist, pastoral counselor, licensed Marriage, Family Therapist and educator with nine years as a teacher, Resource Specialist and Gifted Coordinator with the LAUSD, and over 25 years as a mental health provider to individuals and families in private practice and community. She provided leadership training to faith-based and community-based organizations.

The mission of CEF is to empower underserved and marginalized populations and communities to build and sustain healthy relationships and families by providing them with the skills and knowledge that lead to better communication, self image and interpersonal skills.

Also honored will be winners of the SILA's Graduate Fellowship Award and Soroptimist Live Your Dream award, a woman working to improve her and her family's lives.

Join us for a fun, entertaining and inspirational afternoon. 


 
JANET HO - FUTURE SECRETARY OF STATE?

Girl Up logoSILA members enjoyed a wonderful treat at our program meeting on February 4. Janet Ho, the Founding President of the Los Angeles Chapter of Girl Up, the youth voice of UN Women delivered a review of the history, present activities and future plans for this inspirational coalition of high school leaders.
 
Janet HoJanet is graduating from Notre Dame Academy this year and is officially on her way to Yale University. Her long term goal is to be the U.S. Secretary of State. She feels that role is more important than the President of the United States.
 
Janet revealed an astonishing grasp of the challenges for girl/woman-based organizations and institutions. We hope that Girl Up members will join us in appropriate service activities in the coming months. We also strongly suggested that Soroptimist is a future connection for Janet herself.


 
WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT OF CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL

California Hospital logoSILA members enjoyed a unique program meeting on February 18 which included a tour of the Women’s Health Center at California Hospital Medical Center, Dignity Health, a dinner catered by the California Hospital Foundation and their President, Nate Nusbaum, and comments by Margaret Peterson, PhD, President of California Hospital Medical Center, Dignity Health.
 
Dr. Peterson is not the first woman president of the hospital but she has come at a time when downtown Los Angeles is changing rapidly in a very positive environment. She was born in India and came to America at the age of nine. She feels her strong family background and the support from all the positive people around her give her the support to go forward. Dr. Peterson stressed how she feels her growth through the teaching and nursing systems have prepared her to take on a leadership role.
 
SPRING CONFERENCE - ALL ABOARD!
 
Spring Conference LogoPlan on attending the 34th Annual Camino Real Region 2015 Spring Conference. This year’s conference has taken a nautical spin with the theme “Cruising with Caminio Real”.  It will be held from Friday, April 24 8:00am to Sunday, April 26 noon at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel. It will be a fun and informative voyage.
 
There are a few new things this year, such as an expanded Leadership Academy on Friday that includes both Soroptimist Education as well as professional development and available to ALL members.
 
In addition, there will be club photos on Friday and a mix and mingle dinner on Saturday highlighting all new members and recognizing our distinguished veterans.

Come and support SILA's own Shiela Tatum as Conference Chair and Ginger Cole as Governor-Elect.

For more details, click here to view the offical Call to Conference.
GO TO ISTANBUL! 

SI Convention logoThe 20th Soroptimist International Convention is being held in Istanbul this summer. For details about the convention and the many planned activities, click here.

 As International President Ann Garvie says, “Without a doubt Convention will bring the realisation that you are special and part of an outstanding global family. The Convention experience is so unique; friendships are generated, renewed and go on to last a lifetime.”

As SILA members Julie Mairs and Ginger Cole say, you HAVE to go on the full day tour to Ephesus from Istanbul, one of the many activities offered by the organizers of the Convention.
NEW FRIENDSHIPS WITH SINGAPORE SOROPTIMISTS
 
Ginger and daughter with Singapore SoroptimistsSILA member and Camino Real Region Governor-Elect Ginger Cole and her daughter Gail had a wonderful opportunity to meet with members of Soroptimist International of Singapore while they were on a holiday cruise at the end of December. The Singapore members, including Mani Ratnasamy, Lucia Rasiah, and Lynette Rasiah, Lucia’s daughter who was almost the same age as Gail, went out of their way to host Ginger and Gail at a dinner and to take them on personal tours of the city.
 

Lynette and Gail

As Ginger noted, “Singapore was so much more friendly and exciting because of these wonderful ladies who took time from their busy holiday to share a few precious moments with us.”
 

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FOLLOW UP: FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE RESTORED

Joyce Jacob with Florence Nightingale StatueYou may recall that in February 2014, SILA President Joyce Jacob was featured in an article written by Steve Lopez (LA Times) regarding the restoration of the Florence Nightingale Statue in Lincoln Park. In January, they had the unveiling, and Joyce unwittingly ended up as a key speaker at the ceremony. "The statue does look beautiful," Joyce acknowledged, "but not sure how long it will last (that is Steve Lopez comment)." But what a worthwhile effort to honor the founder of modern nursing practices.
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You're invited to the...


Contact SILA member Bev Johnson if you're interesting in attending this event in support of Clothes the Deal.