Published Mar. 7, 2010<\/SPAN> Eighteen Mid-Columbia women — including a mother and daughter — were honored by three Tri-City chapters of Soroptimist International on Thursday.<\/P> This was the first time awards were presented to a mother and daughter on the same evening since the Pasco-Kennewick club, the oldest in the area, was chartered in 1948.<\/P> All the women were recognized for their volunteer service or educational pursuits by Soroptimist International of Mid-Columbia, Soroptimist International Pasco-Kennewick and Soroptimist International Three Rivers. <\/P> The award ceremony emphasized the Live Your Dream campaign, designed to inspire women and girls to live their dreams and pass on their good fortune to others.<\/P> “This is just the second year that all three clubs have had a combined program,” said Marilyn Heasely, a member of the Three Rivers club.<\/P> Three teens, ages 14 and 17, received the Violet Richardson Award for commitment to making the world a better place through their accomplishments as volunteers. They were Lauren Goetz of Kennewick, Desiree Westfall of Kennewick and Katerina Howard of Pasco. Howard is the daughter of Ruby Award winner Kim Keltch.<\/P> Winners of the Women’s Opportunity Award — for women who often have made a significant life change and returned to school — were Julie Savard of Richland, who is working on her nursing degree at Washington State University Tri-Cities; Celinda Parrish-Shaftoe of Kennewick, who is enrolled in the ultrasound program at Columbia Basin College; and Diana Young of Prosser, who is working on a bachelor’s in social sciences at Washington State University.<\/P> Renee Suwalski of Kennewick, who attends Yakima Valley Community College and is pursing accreditation as a pharmacy technician, won second place.<\/P> The Three Rivers club also presented a Women’s Opportunity Award as a memorial to Luella Bixby, a former member of the Pasco-Kennewick club and charter member of the Three Rivers club. The award went to Shannon Allen of Kennewick, who’s working on a nursing degree at Columbia Basin College.<\/P> The Ruby Award is a service award that honors a woman who works to improve the lives of other women and who inspires and encourages them. The winners were Bonnie Roseberry of Pasco, director of the “Don’t Quit” program at Columbia Basin College; Kim Keltch of Pasco, domestic violence services coordinator for the Pasco Police Department; and Barb Puigh of Richland, acting director of Elijah Family Homes.<\/P> Other awards were:<\/P> Soroptimists work through service projects to improve lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world.<\/P>
By Loretto J. Hulse, Tri-City Herald staff writer <\/P>