Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova and Gold River is now accepting applications for the Live Your Dream Award (formerly known as the Women’s Opportunity Award) and the Ruby Award. Application forms are available at http://www.soroptimistranchocordova.org/awardapplications/.

The Live Your Dream Award provides women, who serve as the primary wage earners for their families, with the financial resources to offset costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education or additional skills and training. This cash award can be used for tuition, books, childcare, transportation, food, electricity bills, or any other education-related expense. This program, which begins on the club level, was created in 1972 to help women improve their ability to provide for their families. Live Your Dream applications and reference forms must be signed no later than November 15th, 2015, and must be received by December 5th, 2015.

The Ruby Award honors women who are making extraordinary differences in the lives of other women either as a volunteer, paid employee, or leader of an organization. Examples would be a woman who helps to establish a domestic violence shelter, a woman who starts a mentoring program for at-risk girls, or a woman who lobbies her company to provide on-site child care. This program will give the club and the entire organization the opportunity to say thank you and encourage others to explore ways to assist women. Past recipients include the Executive Director of A Community for Peace and Executive Director of the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. An individual may nominate themselves or someone may nominate them. The application deadline is November 15th, 2015. Applicants need not reside within Rancho Cordova or Gold River city limits. However, applicants can submit an application to only one club. Please email Sheryl Longsworth at [email protected] or call (916) 833-1218 for more information.

The name Soroptimist, means “best for women,” and that’s what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are women at their best, working to help other women to be their best. If you would like more information about Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova and Gold River, including how to become a member, please visit the club’s website at http://www.soroptimistranchocordova.org or email [email protected]. If you aren’t ready to become a member but would like to volunteer for future projects, please email [email protected] and sign up at www.LiveYourDream.org.