Soroptimist International of Sequim

06/07/2026

In 2025, Soroptimist International of Sequim allocated funds to the Boys and Girls Club in Sequim for the Great Futures Preschool, with the aim of providing scholarships to assist parents. This past week, our President, Roxann Harr, attended the preschool graduation, where numerous parents expressed their sincere appreciation for the support provided for their children. Pictured (left to right) are President Roxann Harr, parent Alexandria Souza, her preschool-aged son Carson, and her older son Caleb

06/02/2026

Each month, Soroptimist International of Sequim proudly recognizes one of our long-standing members alongside a newer member. This new tradition highlights the remarkable achievements of our members and emphasizes the impact of their contributions. Join us in celebrating these inspiring individuals!

This month, we are excited to introduce Kelli Ward, a member of the Soroptimist organization since 2024. Kelli became familiar with Soroptimist through her work as the Holiday Joy coordinator. Holiday Joy is a program that supports families receiving services from Healthy Families of Clallam County. Through her experience with Healthy Families, Kelli discovered how actively involved Soroptimist is in the community and decided it was a place she wanted to be.
Kelli has expressed that her greatest pride comes from being a mother to her two wonderful children. She has had the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom, but she has now decided to venture out and start her own business. Recently, she completed a training program to become a Health and Wellness Coach and is excited to apply her training to her new venture. In addition to being a member of Soroptimist, a busy mom, and launching her business, Kelli will continue to serve as the coordinator of the Healthy Families Holiday Joy program.

06/02/2026

Each month, Soroptimist International of Sequim proudly recognizes one of our long-standing members alongside a newer member. This new tradition highlights the remarkable achievements of our members and emphasizes the impact of their contributions. Join us in celebrating these inspiring individuals!

This month, we invite you to get to know Shawn Dredla, a Soroptimist member since 2001. She joined the organization while living in Corona, California, and upon retiring, transferred her membership to the Soroptimist organization in Sequim.
Shawn retired after an impressive 30 years of dedicated service as a police officer. Her journey began in 1982 as a police cadet and dispatcher, leading her to the police academy in 1984. After graduating, she earned promotions to corporal, then detective, and eventually rose to sergeant, retiring as a lieutenant. Alongside her remarkable law enforcement career, Shawn holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. She is dedicated to helping first responders and emergency workers heal from trauma and to offering compassionate Christian counseling.

Shawn takes great pride in being a wife and mother to two children, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in law enforcement, and successfully passing her licensing exam on the first attempt. Shawn believes her involvement with Soroptimist aligns perfectly with her values because of the programs we offer. She particularly enjoys serving on the Awards and Scholarship Committee and the Live Your Dream initiative.

05/26/2026

Today, Soroptimist hosted three incredible visitors. As part of the program meeting, Sara Nichols, Executive Director of the Sequim Free Clinic, shared the clinic's incredible work for the community. Sara shared that ½ of the families living in Clallam County are without funds or insurance for medical care. Each month, 70-75 professional volunteers, along with community physicians, give up one night a week to treat patients. Services include, but are not limited to, lab, x-ray, chronic care, and a free food pantry. The free clinic was started 25 years ago by Mary Griffith, with 18,000 visits since its founding and over $7 million in medical care provided.

Cobilynn Rogers, a potential member, passionately shared the vital importance of play in our lives. She highlighted that play is not just a luxury but a biological necessity essential for maintaining our mental health. Without it, depression can easily emerge. Cobilynn pointed out that our current culture often prioritizes optimizing work over incorporating play, which ultimately leads to dissatisfaction and unhappiness. Remarkably, just thirty minutes of play can rejuvenate our spirits and enhance our productivity. As the writer, I eagerly anticipate Cobilynn's insights on how we can weave more joy into our endeavors to uplift women and girls in our communities.

Last but certainly not least, we heard from Sophia Rhynes, who was recognized as our March Girl of the Month. Sophia is a powerhouse! She is a straight-A student with honors, has earned letters in basketball, and aspires to become a nurse. She plans to attend Western Washington University before transferring to the University of Tennessee.

05/17/2026

After a year of planning, Soroptimist International of Sequim successfully presented its inaugural Dream It Be It program, which welcomed 25 girls aged 13-18 from across Clallam County. This one-day event aimed to provide resources and tools to support these young women as they navigate to graduation.

The 2026 program was a collaboration between Olympic Angels and the Sequim School District. The morning session focused on financial literacy, support, and well-being techniques, along with guidance on attending Peninsula College, whether for a two-year program, vocational training, or eventually transferring to a four-year university. Participants also learned about the College’s Running Start Program and concluded with lunch and a nutrition presentation.

In the afternoon session, the girls received training on how to apply for jobs online and learned what potential employers seek in candidates for both summer and long-term employment. The program concluded with a discussion on staying emotionally healthy and a presentation from 7 Cedars regarding potential job opportunities.

Soroptimist International of Sequim would like to extend a big thank you to Tyrone Beatty with 1st Security Bank, Dr. Suzy Ames of Peninsula College, Tasha Fitzgerald and Shelly Mills of Olympic Angels, Emily Grubbs of Maurices, Kelly Iriye of Northwest Bras, and Heather Rawlings from Rainshadow Café, Walmart, 7 Cedars Hotel and Casino, Peninsula Bottling, Sally Beauty Supply and Costco. This community effort supports the success of young women.

05/13/2026

05/02/2026

Each month, Soroptimist International of Sequim proudly recognizes one of our long-standing members alongside a newer member. This new tradition highlights the remarkable achievements of our members and emphasizes the impact of their contributions. Join us in celebrating these inspiring individuals!

This month, we are excited to introduce Denise Bayer, a new member of the Soroptimist organization since 2025. Denise has dedicated 35 years to her career as a Registered Nurse, beginning as a staff nurse on a medical-surgical unit and ultimately discovering her passion for emergency nursing. She served as the Emergency Department Director for 13 years and later worked as a consultant, focusing on Emergency Department operations and management.

Denise takes great pride in her service and presidency with the Emergency Nursing Association, her role as a United States Navy Nurse, where she achieved the rank of Lt. Commander, and her experience lecturing on various Emergency Nursing topics. Additionally, she has contributed to the field by writing several chapters in emergency nursing textbooks.

In her retirement, Denise enjoys volunteering with the Soroptimist Medical Loan Closet and the Pathways committee. She is particularly enthusiastic about Pathways' collaboration with the Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness Clinic, which resonates with her professional background.

05/02/2026

Each month, Soroptimist International of Sequim proudly recognizes one of our long-standing members alongside a newer member. This new tradition highlights the remarkable achievements of our members and emphasizes the impact of their contributions. Join us in celebrating these inspiring individuals!

This month, we invite you to get to know Patricia (Pat) Willis, a member since 2012. Pat has a profound interest in English literature, as demonstrated by her Ph.D. in the subject. Before retiring, she served as the curator of American Literature at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University for 21 years. Pat takes great pride in her work as a curator, particularly in acquiring archives of American authors for Yale, in bringing the Rosebach Library into the digital age, and in editing The Complete Prose of Marianne C. Moore.

Pat joined Soroptimist to empower women, and she has been dedicated to this cause for 14 years. Her passion shines through as she shares valuable information about the organization at the Soroptimist table during the Garden Show, inspiring others to get involved and make a difference.

04/29/2026

Soroptimist International of Sequim welcomed Wendy Bonham (pictured) to their May program meeting to share the merits, accomplishments, and wonderful benefits of Special Olympics in Clallam County. The Clallam County Orcas provides a variety of sports for individuals with developmental disabilities. Participants can choose bowling, basketball, softball, golf, bocce, swimming, and track and field. All sports activities have levels to meet participants' needs. The Orcas are supported by local community efforts, including fundraising events like the Law Enforcement Torch Run. Donors can support the organization by making contributions to Special Olympics Washington and designating the donation to Clallam County Orcas.

04/27/2026

Soroptimist International of Sequim is proud to recognize Emerson Jacobs as its May Girl of the Month. Jacobs is an Eagle Scout from Troop 7498, holds a 4.0 GPA, and is a member of the Gold Honor Roll. She achieved her Eagle Scout status by volunteering over 75 hours with Olympic Theater Arts. Additionally, she participated in two seasons of the All-State Choir and is currently a member of the vocal ensemble. Emerson has a keen interest in neuroscience, with plans to focus on pre-med in college, ultimately aiming to become a doctor.