News from Soroptimist International President, Yvonne Simpson

“The target for the SI President’s Appeal 2015 – 2017 is the equivalent of a coffee and cake per Soroptimist.  If the cost of a coffee and cake is $US 8 and each Soroptimist worldwide went without this one luxury, and donated the money to the President’s Appeal, this would achieve an income of $US500,000.

I don’t drink coffee and the mirror tells me that I shouldn’t eat cake… so I have embarked on using my talents to make a contribution. I enjoy knitting and making flower brooches for Soroptimists who want to join me in the journey to make a difference in Nepal is my personal fundraising project.

 

Image: The SIA team at the SIA Convention, Orlando

I have been fortunate – others have offered to sell the brooches. At the SIA Convention held in Orlando, USA, the cheerful and talented Head of SIA’s Fundraising Council, Tamra Sipes sold my brooches. By the end of the convention they had all been sold – including the personal brooches worn by Tamra, Sharon Fisher (our team leader for the President’s Appeal), and the one I have been wearing for the past year. The funds raised were an amazing $US 2700! This equates to 2000 UK Pounds. Added to the 1000 Pounds already raised by the brooch project, it equates to sponsoring five high school girls into a dormitory to stay safe and study at high school for two years. I am grateful to SIA for this amazing support.

Image: Head of SIA’s Fundraising Council, Tamra Sipes with Soroptimist International President, Yvonne Simpson

I now have a helper.  Meet Irene Bissett, aged 92, mother of Wendy Logan, a Soroptimist from Nelson, New Zealand. Irene is knitting some of the flowers, I sew them up and felt them, and add the Soroptimist pin. It’s a team effort which enables me to work with each flower brooch, and have a supply of knitted petals on hand. Thank you, Irene!

Image: Irene Bissett – the maker of flowers!

If we all use our talents, we can make the impact we are aiming for: 1000 women and girls to have access to education, skills development or leadership training in Nepal to empower them to recover from the Nepal earthquakes. Traditionally the President’s Appeal supports the most disadvantaged and vulnerable women. The funds from our flower power brooches are making a difference”.

Yvonne Simpson, SI President