New Members
We kicked off the first business meeting of the year on January 9, 2026, with inducting two new members to our club.
Kate Christenson spent her career as a teacher and was a concierge host in the Mariner’s Diamond Club. Christenson now serves as a part-time Clallam County election worker.
Mary McDermott has a degree and background in accounting and customer service. Currently McDermott is a mortgage loan originator utilizing her experiences.
Pictured from left: Lisa Dublin, club president, Deb Alwine, member and sponsor, Mary McDermott, Kate Christenson and Gwyn Callis, member and sponsor
Installation of 2025-2026 Officers
Soroptimist International of Port Angeles installed its 2025-2026 slate of officers on June 27, 2025 at Sequim’s beautiful John Wayne Marina. Members enjoyed a potluck of appetizers and salads during a lovely social. Sally Pearson provided us with our welcome and Tammy Gallagher conducted the Installation of Officers.
Lisa is an Administrative Law Judge and attended culinary school. Decorations were food
related. Her installation theme was “Mise en place”, “Everything in its place”. Referring to
preparing the utensils and ingredients prior to cooking. Lisa’s theme for the year is “Recipe for Success: Imagination Folding into Tradition”.
Pictured from left is Director Gwyn Callis, Melanie Coward (standing in for Director Lisa
Millar), President Elect Lynn Fraser, President Lisa Dublin, Treasurer Sally Pearson, Cherie
Kidd (standing in for Assistant Treasurer Lena Washke). Secretary Deb Riley is not
pictured.
President Lisa Dublin presented each of her board members a gift of a culinary tool. The
club presented President Lisa with a notebook of favorite recipes.
The club looks forward a great year benefiting women and children.
#SoroptimistsAtWork
SIPA Outgoing President and Board
On June 20, 2025 at Joshua’s Restaurant, club members thanked the 2024-2025 President and Board for their service to our club. Pili Meyer served as an emcee and Sally Pearson provided a video year in review, including activities, fund raising, social events and workshops. President Lisa Millar stepped up to the plate by serving two consecutive years as president. Board members not in picture are Lena Washke and Deb Riley. #SoroptimistsAtWork
Pictured from left: Barb Cammack, Sally Pearson, incoming President Lisa Dublin, outgoing President Lisa Millar and Pili Meyer
SCHOLARSHIPS Awards
Port Angeles, WA – Soroptimist International of Port Angeles-Noon Club selected seven Port Angeles High School students to receive $1,000 academic scholarships. Student scholarship notebooks are evaluated based upon academics, leadership, school activities, community service, awards received and student employment. The students were honored June 6, 2025, at Joshua’s Restaurant.
Zakara Braun, plans to attend The Evergreen State College majoring in agriculture.
Abigail Jones, will major in architecture/engineering at Washington State University this fall.
Kendall Mast, will be attending Washington State University majoring in human development.
Autumn Wilson-Rowland, plans to complete an AA degree at Peninsula College then transfer to Western Washington University to major in social sciences.
Josie Wood, is pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education at Peninsula College.
Kaleb Lightner, plans to earn an AAS degree in Welding Technology at Peninsula College.
Berkley Thompson, is pursing a Construction Management degree at the University of Washington and an MA in Infrastructure Management.
Community Service Awards
Five Clallam County residents received the 2025 Community Service Award on May 1, 2025, at the Port Angeles Senior and Community Center. The winners were Heidi Simpson, John and Karolyn Burdick, Sherrilyn Phillips, and Paul Forrest.
The awards, presented by the Peninsula Daily News and Soroptimist International of Port Angeles – Noon Club, recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the Clallam County community.
Eran Kennedy, Regional Publisher, Olympic Peninsula Group of the Peninsula Dailey News provided the history of the award. Cherie Kidd, Soroptimist member and former award recipient emceed the event. Club members greeted the guests and provided an array of refreshments.
Elegant Gourmet Etc. Coupon Book sale
On Friday, October 17th, we kicked off our sales season for the Elegant Gourmet Etc. Coupon Book sales. In 1984, we began this fundraiser. To date, we have raised more than $634.000 for our community. Over these years we have funded many projects and scholarships. This year’s top three sellers were Connie Panike, Margo Petersen-Pruss and Tammy Gallagher.
Our books are available from club members as well as at Sequim Shoe Repair.
NEWS RELEASE:
Soroptimists Announce Award Winners
Noon Club hosted its annual Award Luncheon on April 17, 2026, at Joshua’s Restaurant.
Amy Gardner received the Live Your Dream Award for $2,000. The award recognizes women supporting a family while attending a higher education or technical or undergraduate degree program. Gardner supports two sons. Currently pursuing an Associates of Arts Degree with an emphasis in psychology at Peninsula College, she plans to further her education to pursue a career in Child Psychology. Gardner works at First Step Family Support Center as a coordinator in family care and diaper bank and the child passenger safety technician.
In addition to this club award, Gardner also received a $3000 regional award.
Valerie Akuna received the Live Your Dream Award in the amount of $1,500. Akuna, who possesses an Associate of Arts Degree in Addiction Studies will complete the Bachelor of Applied Science with a concentration in Applied Behavioral Health in June 2026. The single parent of three plans a career in law. Akuna was unable to attend.
Nicole Uhlenkott received the Live Your Dream Award in the amount of $1.500. Raising a foster child, Uhlenkott is enrolled in Allure Academy of Cosmetology to become an esthetician. As a cosmetologist she has worked in several nursing homes and plans to utilize her esthetician skills to aid in residents’ comfort and care.
The Ruby Award recognizes women through their personal or volunteer efforts promote the issues important to Soroptimists. While not Soroptimist members, they strive to improve the lives of women.
This year we have selected Rachel Dorcy to receive this award. Dorcy, the owner of PNWonderland, a locally owned, female-led wine shop that has quickly become an important part of the Port Angeles community. She has built a successful business; created a welcoming supportive space that uplifts and connects women. Dorcy intentionally uses her business as a platform to support other local entrepreneurs, particularly female-owned businesses.
Soroptimist International of Port Angeles established a nursing scholarship in 2019 honoring two former members, Helen Mangan and Rose Crumb. The Dr. Al Mangan family had donated a generous bequest which the club members chose to use toward a scholarship. Rose Crumb was a valued member of the SIPA as well as an incredible asset to our community.
Karissa Hayter is the seventh recipient of the $1,000 SIPA Nursing Scholarship. Hayter has been involved in a variety of emergency response roles, including Search and Rescue, Technical Rope Rescue, Wilderness First Response, Glacier and Swift Water Rescue, Firefighting and working as an OMC Emergency Department Technician and volunteers as an EMT/Firefighter with the Clallam County Fire District. In her final quarter of Peninsula College’s nursing program, Hayter plans to begin her nursing career in the emergency department.
Also in attendance were Kathy Murphy-Carey and Lucille Schmitt, the Live Your Dream Award judges.
NEWS RELEASE:
Live Your Dream Award
Port Angeles, WA – Soroptimist International of Port Angeles (Noon Club) #111116 is
seeking applicants for the Live Your Dream Award in the amount of $1,000-2,000. The cash award may be used to offset costs associated with efforts to attain higher education, including tuition, books and fees, childcare, and transportation. Recipients of the Live Your Dream Award may also be eligible to receive region-level awards that are granted through Soroptimist’s 28 geographic regions.
Soroptimist is an international volunteer organization for business and professional women who work to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and through-out the world.
Eligible female applicants must live in the Port Angeles area, must have financial need, have primary financial responsibility for supporting her family, have a 2.5 GPA or better and attend or be accepted into an undergraduate degree program or a technical skills training program. Please apply online by searching: live your dream awards.
While not mandatory, unofficial transcripts, preferred, please send to Sally Pearson at sallypearson61@gmail.com. For more information, call Pearson at (360)797-3575.
Application deadline is 9/30/2026.
Port Angeles, Washington
Port Angeles lies at the foot of the green, forested Olympic Mountains, on the shoreline of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Olympic National Park extends into the city limits along Hurricane Ridge Road and covers hundreds of thousands of acres in the mountains to the south. With 18,397 people living in its limits, it is the major seaport of the Olympic Penninsula.
On June 19, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln ordered the establishment of a lighthouse and military reserve, which brought about the settlement of Port Angeles.
Soroptimist International of Port Angeles, Noon Club
We are Soroptimist International of Port Angeles, The Noon Club (SIPA) with 35 members was chartered in February 1944. It is a club dedicated to community service and it has always accepted responsibility for its share of many civic projects with financial contributions and active support.
When women help other women, amazing things happen! Our clubs and members breathe life into education and empowerment programs and truly come together to make a difference for women and girls worldwide. We have 37 members who meet the first three Fridays of the month at Joshua’s Restaurant at noon, visitors are always welcome. We often have programs presented by leaders of the Port Angeles and Clallam County communities. These are interesting and informative and stimulate much discussion. Visitors are always welcome at our meetings.
Learn More About Us ›
SUPPORT SOROPTIMIST
Club application, an invite to lunch after they fill out inquiry type form that would go to us.
SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL LINKS
Soroptimist International Northwestern Region
Soroptimist International Of The Americas
Soroptimist International GLOBAL
