Awards

The Violet Richardson Award is a recognition program for young women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools. The award is given to young women whose volunteer activities make the community and world a better place.

The award is in honor of the president of the first Soroptimist club, Violet Richardson, a woman of action, whose indomitable spirit and sense of personal responsibility were demonstrated by her lifelong commitment to volunteering in her community.

The Women's Opportunity Award is given to help improve the lives of women by providing them with the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects. Each year the Soroptimist club assists women in overcoming personal difficulties and improving their lives through education and skills training.

The women, who provide the primary source of financial support for their families, may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, including books, childcare and transportation. Award recipients become eligible for additional cash awards at other levels of the Soroptimist organization.

Each year a Susan Faulkner College Scholarship is awarded to a female seniors from Rockwall, Heath and Royse City High Schools who excel in academics, extra curricular activity and community service.

The scholarship is named in memory of Soroptimist Susan Faulkner, who was a ten-year member of the Rockwall club. Susan was one of the wisest and wittiest members of the club. She held the position of professor and coordinator of English Department at Cedar Valley College. Susan loved teaching and inspiring the education of others.

Formerly the Soroptimist Making a Difference for Women Award, the newly-named Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women recognizes and honors the first federation president, Ruby Lee Minar. A ruby is also a deep red gemstone associated with wisdom, importance, vitality, strength, vivacity, power and love: all words embodying the strong and compassionate women who are our award recipients.

The Soroptimist Ruby Award honors women who have worked to improve the lives of women and girls through their professional and/or volunteer work. The program begins at the local-level where clubs recognize a woman in their community. Clubs submit their entry to the region-level where the region selects a woman to honor at the region conference. At the federation-level one woman is selected to receive a $5,000 donation to her favorite charitable organization.