Kroon installed as president of Soroptimist International of Santa Paula
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: July 08, 2009
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Times
“All You Need is Love” was once again proved by members of Soroptimist International of Santa Paula, which welcomed back many of the professional women’s organization board members - including President Barbara Kroon - for second terms. The installation and initiation dinner was held June 25 at the Limoneira Pavilion.
Special guests included Cindy Brand of Thousand Oaks, director of SI Camino Real District Four, Soroptimist International of Fillmore members and Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Blanchard. Brand installed Kroon as SISP president; Vice President Hope Arellano; Treasurer/Corresponding Secretary Ann Perez; and Co-Recording Secretaries Cindy Jordan and Donna Stewart.
“First and foremost,” said Kroon, “I want to thank Domino’s and Sam Hishmeh,” who donated the pizza and pasta dinner, as well as Limoneira Company, which allowed the use of the Pavilion.
Perez presented Laura Gonzales, executive director of the Ventura County Coalition to End Family Violence, “an extremely important entity,” with a $500 donation from SISP.
“The coalition has a long history here in Ventura County,” said Gonzales. The agency “has evolved to save lives and change lives” through expanded services - including batterers’ intervention and a youth advocacy program - to those woman and children who experience domestic violence. With the national economic crisis Gonzales said donations have suffered, but the generosity of SISP “help us to continue to save lives and change lives.”
“Domestic violence is a very large problem we continue to help chip away at bit by bit,” said Kroon.
Brand said, “It makes me proud to see such a small club in a small town give so much” financial support to the community. Soroptimist International of Santa Paula donations over the past year include the SPHS Grad Nite Party, Isbell Middle School Washington, D.C. trip, Blanchard Community Library Summer Reading Program, FLAIR Spelling Bee, Rotary Christmas Baskets, Little Cards Basketball Team, Santa Paula Girls Softball Team and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley, among others.
The Women’s Opportunity Award and the Violet Richardson Award are annual SISP grants respectively celebrating women brushing up on professional skills to reenter the workplace or brushing up on job skills, and young women who show a devotion to community service.
Kroon thanked Past SISP President Peggy Higgins for inviting her to join SISP, and noted the “Club is in its 78th year and still going strong.”
The past year, said Brand, has “been very busy for Barbara as captain of the ‘Yellow Submarine” and president of Soroptimist International of Santa Paula,” and Brand thanked those who continued serving the organization, which “has the power to do better for the world. Barbara will continue to represent to the community the spirit and quality of Soroptimist International of Santa Paula.”
Being alert to changing needs of the community as well as Soroptimist issues worldwide will continue to be priorities, and Brand said with the president’s gavel “Barbara will remember to tap lightly and be gentle and kind.... Last year and this year her theme has been ‘All You Need is Love’,” demonstrated by all Soroptimists including those she thanked for again serving as board directors.
“You did a wonderful job for a club at risk” due to a declining membership, and Brand noted that Kroon vowed, the Club “’is not going to go down on my watch...’” and it didn’t, and four new members were welcomed to the organization.
Kroon noted that SISP “definitely had a challenge” to keep its charter while it boosted membership. “I’m so proud of all of us in our small and mighty club... our community partnership is something we’re very proud of,” and devoting many of its efforts to same, said Kroon, will remain SISP’s “main focus.... And in the end,” she quoted from the famous Beatles’ song, “the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
