The
Violet Richardson Award
The
Violet Richardson Award recognizes and honors young women between the
ages of 14 and 17 who make the community and world a better place
through volunteer efforts such as: fighting drugs, crime and violence;
cleaning up the environment; and working to end discrimination and
poverty. Volunteer actions that benefit women or girls are of
particular interest.
For
more information about the Violet Richardson Award
contact: Joyce Burger (717)545-6222.
A
copy of the application is available for download
here.
Applications are due December 1, 2009.
The
Women's Opportunity Award
The Women's
Opportunity Awards, Soroptimist's major service project, was
established by Soroptimist International of the Americas in 1972 to
assist women entering or re-entering the workforce in obtaining the
education and skills training they need to improve their employment
status. Women's Opportunity Awards are designed to give women heads of
household, who provide the primary source of financial support for
their families, the opportunity to achieve their career goals—an
opportunity they have not previously had, whether because of economic
or social barriers, or personal circumstances. These awards are for
women who are attending, or have been accepted to, a vocational/skills
training program, or an undergraduate degree program.
Women's Opportunity Awards are cash awards that recipients may use for
any expenses related to their educational pursuits. These include
tuition and books, housing, child care and transportation. These
awards are not scholarships. The program begins at the community
level, where award amounts vary. Local winners then become eligible to
receive region–level awards. Every year, 29 geographic regions
throughout North, Central and South America, and Asia each grant one
$5,000 first–place award, and two $3,000 awards. These 29 first–place
winners become eligible to receive one of three $10,000 finalist
awards.
Eligible applicants
must be female heads of household, who are enrolled in or have been
accepted to a vocational/skills training program, or an undergraduate
degree program. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, and cannot
have already earned an undergraduate degree.
For
more information about The Women's Opportunity Award contact: Ella
Rothenberger (e.rothenberger@comcast.net
). You may download a copy of the
application
here.
Reference Forms are also available
for download.
Applications are due December 15, 2009.
The Ruby Award
The
Ruby Award recognition program was established in
1986 to acknowledge those who work to improve the status of women in
society. The Ruby Award includes three
official programs:
Women
Helping Women:
honors women who consistently and effectively use their resources,
talents and influence to help other women achieve their potential. As
a result, these women have helped to eliminate economic, legal and
social or political discrimination against women, and have contributed
to the improvement of women's status in society.
Women
of Distinction:
honors women who have made outstanding achievements in their
professional, business or volunteer activities. Women of distinction
are ideal role models, having demonstrated exemplary character and
integrity along with outstanding ability and demonstrated leadership.
Advancing the Status of Women: recognizes businesses and organizations that have helped
advance the status of women, and have used their positions to promote
recognition of women's issues. Examples of ways honorees have achieved
these goals include: employment policies; scholarships and grants in
support of women's advocacy; initiation of programs dealing with
women's issues; and financial support of Soroptimist programs.
The
Harrisburg Club awards its Ruby Award at
its annual awards banquet in April.