Maria Shriver and Christie Hefner were recently interviewed on NBC about how women are portrayed in the media. Check NBC online for information.
You may ask why as a Soroptimist, or as a woman, should I be concerned about the results. Here are some of the facts:
US Dept of labor’s 2008 statistics indicate the top five jobs women hold: secretaries and administrative assistants, registered nurses, elementary and middle school teachers, cashiers and retail sales. Life isn’t so accurately reflected on TV where women and girls get the impression that motivated females balance family, career, and social needs with every problem solved in one or two episodes.
Even attempts at no-frills, middle income American women portray women in a less than favorable light. Definitely an unrealistic portrait. Today’s women generally appear silly, almost dumb and dependent on the attractive male partner or boss. The only exception I could think of right now is ‘Ugly Betty’ as struggling to become independent.
I have pondered these issues before since I have a daughter. I thought maybe I was highly sensitive since I was a product of the ‘70s when we looked to Mary Tyler Moore and Billy Jean King as barrier breakers.
When we looked at the Dove Project, then decided to work as a club with the YWCA’s DiscoverME programs, it made me realize that we - mothers, aunts, grandmas, working women – are responsible for seeing that the youngest generation have good role models to build on. The desire to be just like Meredith Gray, Lynnette Scavo, or Temperance Bones isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but girls need real women to temper the fantasy and support them through the real life challenges/choices they’ll face before they achieve those dreams.
We, the working women of the 21st Century, must help guide, support, mentor, and encourage those who will come behind us. Instead of a year where the first woman wins a Noble Prize, we'll be celebrating the successes of many!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Friendships and volunteering lengthen life
At last month’s business meeting, SITK members returned their completed talent survey forms. The results supplied the club with a list of talents we each posses so we can proceed to help with the DiscoverME workshops and future community service projects.
The survey process wandered like a vine in my brain. What if there was a survey of why members join Soroptimist? What if we knew what members thought were the benefits? Is there a similar thread?
My musings got serious fertilizer when I read about two recent studies showing how you can live a longer healthier life.
An American Geriatrics Society (AGS) study showed that volunteers had less than half the risk of death than their non-volunteer peers. The study, including over 6,300 people, controlled data to account for demographics, socioeconomic status, chronic health conditions, etc. Only 12% of volunteers in the study died during the study’s timeframe compared to 26% who did not volunteer.
SITK members voluntarily give back to our community working on our service projects. We’ve known how good it makes us feel to give back. We contribute to the betterment of our community, the world, and our own lives.
Earlier this year, an Australian study had substantiated the importance of friendship and social networks. A similar Harvard report showed strong social ties promote brain health. A note from the article said that friendship has ‘an even greater effect on health than a spouse or family member.’ SITK provides women an great opportunity to develop friendships and expand our social networks.
With healthcare being such a hot topic, you can now let all other women how you’ve discovered a secret to longevity – Joining Soroptimist.
The survey process wandered like a vine in my brain. What if there was a survey of why members join Soroptimist? What if we knew what members thought were the benefits? Is there a similar thread?
My musings got serious fertilizer when I read about two recent studies showing how you can live a longer healthier life.
An American Geriatrics Society (AGS) study showed that volunteers had less than half the risk of death than their non-volunteer peers. The study, including over 6,300 people, controlled data to account for demographics, socioeconomic status, chronic health conditions, etc. Only 12% of volunteers in the study died during the study’s timeframe compared to 26% who did not volunteer.
SITK members voluntarily give back to our community working on our service projects. We’ve known how good it makes us feel to give back. We contribute to the betterment of our community, the world, and our own lives.
Earlier this year, an Australian study had substantiated the importance of friendship and social networks. A similar Harvard report showed strong social ties promote brain health. A note from the article said that friendship has ‘an even greater effect on health than a spouse or family member.’ SITK provides women an great opportunity to develop friendships and expand our social networks.
With healthcare being such a hot topic, you can now let all other women how you’ve discovered a secret to longevity – Joining Soroptimist.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
3 Degrees of Happiness?
An early 1990’s movie was based on the theory that everyone on earth is only six people away from knowing everyone else.
Now a couple British social scientists have studied thousands of people to show that happiness is contagious! The study, published last winter in a medical journal, suggest happiness spreads from person to person up to three people out. It is contagious through our social networks – neighbors, friends, family and relatives, coworkers, church members – shaping what we do and how we feel.
In the lyrics of a song, whose artist and title escape me, it says “Take a hand everybody and show you’re proud. There is happiness to be.” Thinking of the happiness study, it made me think how Soroptimist members take the hand (to serve) of women and girls in our community.
Think how many different ways that ripples out with happiness.
From personal experience, there’s the happiness I feel when working on a project with other women – seeing our positive action make something better. We’re all working together so we achieve more than I could by myself.
Then there is the happiness the work brings to others. Hopefully when the shelter residents get our care bags, it brightens their day. The organizations that get our donated linens are less stressed about providing for their clients and they are happier. I’m sure the WOA recipients are happier when they learn we’ll help their educational efforts.
Next because those folks are happier, I hope they spread it on to someone else. Maybe that happiness leads to them having the confidence to start a new job, finish school, or use their talents to help someone else.
Our community service committee is taking a survey of talents. It’s a good time to reflect on all our personal talents, things we can be happy about, and think how we can use those to spread happiness in our own network!
Now a couple British social scientists have studied thousands of people to show that happiness is contagious! The study, published last winter in a medical journal, suggest happiness spreads from person to person up to three people out. It is contagious through our social networks – neighbors, friends, family and relatives, coworkers, church members – shaping what we do and how we feel.
In the lyrics of a song, whose artist and title escape me, it says “Take a hand everybody and show you’re proud. There is happiness to be.” Thinking of the happiness study, it made me think how Soroptimist members take the hand (to serve) of women and girls in our community.
Think how many different ways that ripples out with happiness.
From personal experience, there’s the happiness I feel when working on a project with other women – seeing our positive action make something better. We’re all working together so we achieve more than I could by myself.
Then there is the happiness the work brings to others. Hopefully when the shelter residents get our care bags, it brightens their day. The organizations that get our donated linens are less stressed about providing for their clients and they are happier. I’m sure the WOA recipients are happier when they learn we’ll help their educational efforts.
Next because those folks are happier, I hope they spread it on to someone else. Maybe that happiness leads to them having the confidence to start a new job, finish school, or use their talents to help someone else.
Our community service committee is taking a survey of talents. It’s a good time to reflect on all our personal talents, things we can be happy about, and think how we can use those to spread happiness in our own network!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Ingredients for Life
More than one club or organization has a mission statement or one of its core values the importance of women helping women or women helping girls. I think it is natural for us to want to help each other, share experiences, maybe even save others from similar misfortunes.
My teenage daughter and I saw Julie and Julia together recently. We share a passion for cooking. What I hadn’t expected was how much more we both learned about each other on the ride home after the movie.
Julia Childs didn’t settle for a French cooking class for housewives, she insisted on being part of the class for professional cooks – all male in those days. Young women and girls don’t experience those limitations today.
Both Julie and Julia discovered they had a passion for cooking. That passion led their lives/careers into new directions. Both women also had wonderfully supporting husbands; not the ‘yes dear’ but fully engaged support that most of us seek from our girlfriends.
Soon SITK members will have an opportunity to be fully engaged and support young girls. I’m so excited about this. There will be diverse ways for us to interact so that time or skills won’t limit our involvement. I encourage all of us to be involved as we really can make a difference - we can help them discover themselves and their passion for life. We can help them find the ingredients for life so they can create their own 'recipes!'
My teenage daughter and I saw Julie and Julia together recently. We share a passion for cooking. What I hadn’t expected was how much more we both learned about each other on the ride home after the movie.
Julia Childs didn’t settle for a French cooking class for housewives, she insisted on being part of the class for professional cooks – all male in those days. Young women and girls don’t experience those limitations today.
Both Julie and Julia discovered they had a passion for cooking. That passion led their lives/careers into new directions. Both women also had wonderfully supporting husbands; not the ‘yes dear’ but fully engaged support that most of us seek from our girlfriends.
Soon SITK members will have an opportunity to be fully engaged and support young girls. I’m so excited about this. There will be diverse ways for us to interact so that time or skills won’t limit our involvement. I encourage all of us to be involved as we really can make a difference - we can help them discover themselves and their passion for life. We can help them find the ingredients for life so they can create their own 'recipes!'
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Circle of Life
Lately I’ve sure felt like life is one big circle. My daughter’s shows me the ‘new’ handbag styles or cute clothes and I’m remembering the clothes and purses I had in high school and college. Our college student asks me to checkout a ‘new’ tune and it’s either a remake by a young artist or one of my favorites from 25+ years ago.
While our President hasn’t personally contacted me to say, ‘Check this out, Gretchen,’ his message reminds me of an attitude that I was surrounded by at a very young age. There’s even the charm and smooth speaking style; the actions showing acceptance of all levels of people, not just the well-to-do. But what impresses me most, is the encouragement for all to become involved, to serve, where we live. That hasn’t been ‘in’ since the Peace Corp!
As a young adult, I met another man who got me involved in my community. If I wanted change, I had to do something constructive about it. There were NO excuses. The first time I was asked to help he needed a large batch of baked beans for a fundraiser (regardless of the fact I’d never cooked or eaten them), “so open a cookbook and figure it out!”
I’m a firm believer in taking action; no idle commentary. By joining my local Soroptimist club I made a commitment to help my community. I’ll offer my talents and skills to help others. I hope I add to my talents and skills too – I want to learn new things from others as we accomplish our goals. I hope that I leave an impression on at least three other people also, so that they too continue the circle by serving others.
While our President hasn’t personally contacted me to say, ‘Check this out, Gretchen,’ his message reminds me of an attitude that I was surrounded by at a very young age. There’s even the charm and smooth speaking style; the actions showing acceptance of all levels of people, not just the well-to-do. But what impresses me most, is the encouragement for all to become involved, to serve, where we live. That hasn’t been ‘in’ since the Peace Corp!
As a young adult, I met another man who got me involved in my community. If I wanted change, I had to do something constructive about it. There were NO excuses. The first time I was asked to help he needed a large batch of baked beans for a fundraiser (regardless of the fact I’d never cooked or eaten them), “so open a cookbook and figure it out!”
I’m a firm believer in taking action; no idle commentary. By joining my local Soroptimist club I made a commitment to help my community. I’ll offer my talents and skills to help others. I hope I add to my talents and skills too – I want to learn new things from others as we accomplish our goals. I hope that I leave an impression on at least three other people also, so that they too continue the circle by serving others.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Blanket of White
We rose to a blanket of white. Forecasters had estimated a total of just over a half inch for our area; when we sat down to pancake, it was obvious there was nearly a 2” frosted blanket on the ground. The excess was a pleasant and relaxing start to the weekend. Our plans were adjusted so we could enjoy the snow.
A local women’s service organization is in the midst of their annual linen drive. We’d brought home a box of donated king-size sheets that had minor tears in each. I asked my two teens if they’d want to learn to use the serger and practice on the sewing machine to help make bedding for the Mission and shelters. Imagine the great feeling when both dedicated hours to help make six twin flat sheets and a dozen pillowcases today!
The time together led to discussions about boring white sheets, families without homes, what a class had discussed about women’s rights in Asian countries, and odd things, like why one of the dogs kept sitting on the power foot of the serger. (‘He was trying to sew but forgot the fabric.’)
Besides making the task more interesting and getting two helpers (the basics), today was priceless in the way we worked as a focused team. They will remember working on the project for ages. They improved a skill.
While working I remembered the lesson of teaching a man to fish and how he could then provide for many. It made me think of what the Business Partner and Community Supporter program does: the community supports the school/students by donating supplies or supporting a program (basics) but it teaches a life lesson – we, the adults and businesses around you support you and want you to succeed!
The white blanket over the surface today had a purpose. Our pace changed and the focus of the day was helping our community.
WISH LIST: The Business Partner and Community Supporter program has a wish list submitted by administrators and teachers in USD#450. The list isn’t posted as in changes as donations are made and new items appear. Whether you help provide broken machines the 7th graders use learning about simple machines, axles, pulleys, and wedges; your organization provides funding for special needs curriculum; or your business can help with bricks and mortar efforts, every part of the puzzle, each individual has something that will help our students in their educational efforts. Thanks for being there for them!
A local women’s service organization is in the midst of their annual linen drive. We’d brought home a box of donated king-size sheets that had minor tears in each. I asked my two teens if they’d want to learn to use the serger and practice on the sewing machine to help make bedding for the Mission and shelters. Imagine the great feeling when both dedicated hours to help make six twin flat sheets and a dozen pillowcases today!
The time together led to discussions about boring white sheets, families without homes, what a class had discussed about women’s rights in Asian countries, and odd things, like why one of the dogs kept sitting on the power foot of the serger. (‘He was trying to sew but forgot the fabric.’)
Besides making the task more interesting and getting two helpers (the basics), today was priceless in the way we worked as a focused team. They will remember working on the project for ages. They improved a skill.
While working I remembered the lesson of teaching a man to fish and how he could then provide for many. It made me think of what the Business Partner and Community Supporter program does: the community supports the school/students by donating supplies or supporting a program (basics) but it teaches a life lesson – we, the adults and businesses around you support you and want you to succeed!
The white blanket over the surface today had a purpose. Our pace changed and the focus of the day was helping our community.
WISH LIST: The Business Partner and Community Supporter program has a wish list submitted by administrators and teachers in USD#450. The list isn’t posted as in changes as donations are made and new items appear. Whether you help provide broken machines the 7th graders use learning about simple machines, axles, pulleys, and wedges; your organization provides funding for special needs curriculum; or your business can help with bricks and mortar efforts, every part of the puzzle, each individual has something that will help our students in their educational efforts. Thanks for being there for them!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Go round in circles
“…I've got a song, I ain't got no melody
I' ma gonna sing it to my friends
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky …”~ Billy Preston
I visited s Soroptimist meeting tonight. A friend had invited me a couple of months ago, but this was the first night the scheduling ‘fit.’
When I was invited they didn’t know I’d received financial assistance from another chapter over 30 years ago that helped me pay for college textbooks. What I didn’t know ahead of time was tonight they were announcing this year’s local recipient of the same assistance. They also discovered that another applicant for the reward had a letter of recommendation from a local professor who’d also been helped by the organization.
I’m amazed where we find those circles. The middle school teachers ‘wished’ for calculators and two donors stepped forward. Those calculators will not only help the 50+ students that use them this semester, that will ripple out as those students grow up and are active in our community. Someone helped them, gave them the right tools and they in turn, will have math skills and life skills to help someone else!
The circles get bigger, more entwined. I’m not an engineer, but I see strength in how those circles continue to reach out and support other women in our community. And that DOES fill my heart with a song that has no melody. That’s why I sung it for you, my friends!
I' ma gonna sing it to my friends
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky …”~ Billy Preston
I visited s Soroptimist meeting tonight. A friend had invited me a couple of months ago, but this was the first night the scheduling ‘fit.’
When I was invited they didn’t know I’d received financial assistance from another chapter over 30 years ago that helped me pay for college textbooks. What I didn’t know ahead of time was tonight they were announcing this year’s local recipient of the same assistance. They also discovered that another applicant for the reward had a letter of recommendation from a local professor who’d also been helped by the organization.
I’m amazed where we find those circles. The middle school teachers ‘wished’ for calculators and two donors stepped forward. Those calculators will not only help the 50+ students that use them this semester, that will ripple out as those students grow up and are active in our community. Someone helped them, gave them the right tools and they in turn, will have math skills and life skills to help someone else!
The circles get bigger, more entwined. I’m not an engineer, but I see strength in how those circles continue to reach out and support other women in our community. And that DOES fill my heart with a song that has no melody. That’s why I sung it for you, my friends!
Friday, January 9, 2009
How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time!
Okay, so it’s a childhood joke, but it relates to how to achieve the items on the school district’s wish list.
As the Business Partners & Community Supporters program was introduced to district administrators in October, each was asked to think about items essential to educational basics that we needed.
I learned that we need help purchasing books for our readers that excel and our under-developed readers. (Probably not the technical terms educators use, but what I as a parent understood.) Students at both ends of the spectrum are challenged with reading for course work when it is too simple (not challenging) and too difficult. Yet we can’t afford enough materials for those groups – we tend to provide to the middle of the bell curve. Could we ask supporters to specify books be purchased with their donation?
An open house proved to be an eye-opener. The English teacher matter-of-factly mentioned the textbooks under the chair are what our students would use. Questions from the parents led to the entire picture. There aren’t enough textbooks for each student to have one, they use the books in class, then leave them for the next class to use.
Before Thanksgiving my youngest casually mentioned during dinner one evening that not all the kids have calculators in math class. ‘So what do they do to get their work done?’ I tried to ask casually, without alarm. Students were sharing. Yes, sharing is a worthy attribute, but it makes getting class work done a challenge. Within the week I had received a request from the middle school math teachers for 60 calculators (just 10 for each classroom).
Well one bite at a time, we are heading towards success. Today a local business committed to a donation that will get almost 50 calculators! A wish nearly fulfilled for the math teachers and students.
Let’s see what we can do with the rest of the elephant!
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