Soroptomist campaign against violence
Soroptimist International of Whitefish is joining the international campaign, 16 Days of activism against gender-based violence, which takes place annually and runs from through Dec. 10 (International Human Rights Day).
The first Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 called upon people and organizations around the world to take action in their communities to stand up against violence against women and girls. According to the World Health Organization, one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime.
The theme of this year’s events is “From peace in the home to peace in the world: make education safe for all!” In answering the call to “Orange the World”, Soroptimist International of Whitefish will light its Thrift Haus in orange during the 16 days of awareness and post statistics daily on social media and in print media about gender based violence and exploitation taking place in the form of human trafficking, domestic violence, rape as a weapon of war, cyber bullying, and femicide.
The Soroptimist Thrift Haus, located 303 First Street in Whitefish, is operated by Soroptimist members and is the flagship fundraiser for their programs and philanthropic giving.
“By lighting the Thrift Haus orange throughout the 16 days campaign and posting important facts and figures on our Facebook page, we hope to raise awareness and spark local conversations about putting an end to violence against women,” said Diane Yarus, chairwoman of the club’s Imagine Life without Violence/STOP trafficking committee. In addition, the club invites other businesses and civic organizations to “Orange” their buildings in solidarity.
Soroptimist International is a global volunteer organization working to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. The Whitefish club was founded in June of 1951 and supports many local charities and causes. Tens of thousands of dollars are given annually in scholarships and awards that enable women and girls to pursue college and technical training that will expand their earnings potential.
SI of Whitefish has been proud to support and organize the popular Expanding Your Horizons conference at Flathead Valley Community College over the past decade. Last year more than 400 middle school-aged girls from around the region participated in the conference, which provides hands-on workshops lead by local women working in science, technology, engineering and math careers.
Smile of Hope is another grassroots program of the organization and provides funds to cover dental care for low income women that head their households and has been transformative in their lives.
For more information about the 16 Days Campaign go to: http://www.unwomen.org
To learn more about the programs and projects of SI of Whitefish visit our website: http://www.soroptimistwhitefish.org or email: siwhitefish@soroptimist.net.