DESERT COAST REGION
REGION HISTORY
In early 1921 Stuart Morrow was in the San Francisco Bay area to recruit members for a men's service club. While reading the local newspaper, he came upon an article stating that A. Goddard of the Parker-Goddard Secretarial School had made a sizable donation to a local hospital for a new wing. Thinking A. Goddard to be a very civic-minded man, he searched the phone directory for the Parker-Goddard Secretarial School assuming it was run by two men. When he visited the school, co-owner Adelaide Goddard promptly told him to return when women were admitted to men's service groups.
Following her suggestion, Morrow became convinced professional women would respond to an organization having similar opportunities to share service and friendship. He asked Ms. Goddard for assistance, and in turn, she introduced him to Violet Richardson Ward and Eloise Cushing. Working together, they formed the first club - the Alameda County Soroptimist Club which chartered with 81 members on October 3, 1921.
Our founders were very unique: they were professionals at a time when very few women were even working outside the home. Perhaps they recruited members to associate and work with - women in comparable professional positions. Still minorities in the workplace, they most likely felt rejection by their male counterparts. They joined together to serve their community and support each other. Indeed they were visionary as they saw beyond what they could affect and dreamed of what they along with others could do in the future. They weren't afraid to take strong positions on controversial issues involving the environment, work conditions, education and social welfare. The basic principles upon which Soroptimist was founded were very clear to our founders: they didn't waver in their beliefs or in the practical application of giving service to others.
In June 1928, the American Federation of Soroptimist Clubs was formed at the first international meeting in Washington, D.C. - there were sixteen American clubs, and eight clubs from England, Scotland, France and Holland.
Two Federations were formed: the Americas (US and Canada) and Europe (at first including Great Britain and the continent). Plans were made for the Soroptimist International Association. Conventions were to be held every four years after 1930. Additionally, the Soroptimist emblem was adopted. Anita Routs Thompson, a designer and engraver from the Southwestern Region of the Americas, was the creator of our emblem. The original casting is on display in our Federation headquarters in Philadelphia.
After years of discussion, 1978 evolved as a crucial mark for the Pacific Region, the Federation's largest region with 168 clubs. It was divided into three separate regions: Desert Coast, Golden West, and Camino Real. Desert Coast Region covered an area from the southeastern areas of Los Angeles and Orange Counties and south through San Diego stretching eastward to Yuma. Desert Coast Region is divided into 3 districts and currently consists of more than 1400 members in 47 clubs.
For 1978 - 2008 Governor
and Region Theme Listing,
click here
Click below for Listing of
Desert Coast Region Past Governors
S.T.A.R.S (Supporters, Teachers, Advocates, Resources)
Click below for Listing of
Desert Coast Region
|
