Soroptimist: We are Soroptimists…not Sorops!

We are Soroptimists…not Sorops!

By: Governor-Elect, Gail Dekreon

Soroptimist has been around for a very very long time and I certainly hope that it will be around for the next 100 years.  Of the four federations in the international world of Soroptimist, our federation is unique because it is forward thinking, always looking to the future and searching for ways to make and keep our organization relevant so we can exist for 100 more years.

I joined Soroptimist in 2003, just before the first “Renaissance Campaign” was launched by Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA) in 2004. Everything I know about Soroptimist is from our federation’s campaign to renew us, starting with updating the symbol that represents our federation: the stylized “S” with the “dot” at the upper left.

I know a lot of seasoned Soroptimists mourn the fact that we do not use the emblem depicted on our membership pins instead.

Now I ask all of you artists and graphic artists, doesn’t our stylized “S” show up better in print and in social media then our busy little 1920s lady depicted on our membership pins?

I received my little membership pin when I was accepted by my club.  I always wear it near my heart…on the left side of my chest. Looking at that 1920s image of a woman in a toga, I learned that the lady holding up the name “Soroptimist” in her outstretched arms represents the emblem of an international organization: Soroptimist International, not our federation.

But I am very proud to be a member of Soroptimist International of the Americas, the new world, an inclusive federation of 20 countries that works hard for all of us to grow in the 21^st Century! It’s “Team SIA”!

If you are a hardcore “9ers” fan or “Raiders” fan or “Golden State Warriors” or Berkeley fan or whatever fan,  you will wear their logos on your clothes and hats to team events and tail gate parties, right?

Well “Team SIA” has its own logo too: 

We need to wear it proudly and display it proudly on our websites, Facebook pages, twitter accounts, letters, envelopes, invitations to our club events, in our club event programs, and on the place mats for our fundraising breakfasts….Go Team SIA! We are Soroptimists of the Americas!…hear us roar.