The Alpine Soroptimists are now taking poinsettia pre-orders at Alpine Postal Annex and through the Soroptimist International of Alpine FaceBook page for their annual fundraiser.
Soroptimist Patty Tweed said the fundraiser is one of the only ways the club is going to bring in any dollars at all this year with events postponed until next year or canceled entirely to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The poinsettia sales have been organized for this year so there is no contact required.
“Usually we have big fundraisers to bring in a lot of money but with COVID, the poinsettias are going to be our big push,” Tweed said.
The 6-inch pots are ‘all decorated with festive red pot covers and holiday ribbon’ Tweed said and can be picked up Dec. 4-6 at the Alpine Community Center.
Tweed said the club is asking for a $20 donation per plant. All profits go directly to programs for single, head-of-household women in financial need.
The club seeks out applicants each year who have overcome obstacles and are trying to get their lives back on track, build a better life for themselves and their families and lift themselves and their families out of poverty through education and skills training having overcome violence, addiction, health issues, the death of a spouse or parent, or mental health challenges while supporting dependents.
“We’re hoping to give six women financial awards this year— one at $2,000, two at $1,000 and two at $500,” Tweed said.
Ideally, the recipients will have the money in hand, Tweed said, by mid-December so they are able to pay for Spring, 2021 courses and related education expenses at local colleges to pursue their education.
Although the club’s motto is ‘Improving the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment,’ Tweed said one of the biggest challenges in 2020 has been simply connecting with people to push through with those programs in this year of distancing.
She said she personally works with a Soroptimist program aimed at high school girls.
Normally, she said, they hold monthly luncheons with guest speakers specifically chosen to inspire the young women finding their life’s passion and pursuing a career, Tweed said, and without those ongoing events in place there has been a sense of disconnect.
“I usually work directly with high school girls in Campo but they’re not in school right now. We tried Zoom but they have to study for school with Zoom and it feels too much like class,” Tweed said.
The club will be 100 years old this year, she said and “we’re working hard, trying to keep things going” but we keep wondering when distancing is going to end.
“We haven’t been able to hold any other fundraisers each year, usually we have 50 to 60 women and men but we’re not allowed to do them right now. We have the possibility of holding a rummage sale that might happen in January… maybe, if we’re lucky,” Tweed said.
In the meantime, the Poinsettia fundraiser is their only upcoming event.
Tweed said she is aware of so many people in the community feeling a sense of depression and she believes it will bring joy to hand out the plants, knowing people will have a splash of color to decorate their homes.
“Thank goodness I ordered them from the nursery in August,” Tweed said.
