$2,000 “Live Your Dream” Award

Capitola Soroptimists Seeking Applicants

CAPITOLA —Soroptimist International (SI) of Capitola-by-the-Sea is seeking qualified candidates to apply for its 2014 “Live Your Dream” Award (LYD), formerly known as the Women’s Opportunity Award.

Winners who are enrolled in an educational program are presented with a $2,000 check that can be used to meet any needs such as childcare, rent or car repairs. While it is a Capitola-based club, all women who are heads of households in Santa Cruz County are eligible to apply for the LYD award and applications will be shared with the Watsonville Soroptimist club as well as with others in the region.

To be eligible to apply for the LYD award, women applicants must be enrolled in or have been accepted into a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program, and be the primary financial support of their families.

Deadline to apply or be nominated for the award is November 15, 2014. Applications can be downloaded at the SI of Capitola-By-The-Sea website www.best4women.org. For more information, contact Mary Kashmar at sicapitola.by.the.sea@gmail.com or (831) 706-7289. Winners will be announced in January and will be honored at an annual awards dinner in March 2015.

“Soroptimist International has re-named the Women’s Opportunity Award and designed a beautiful new logo to provide a spirited and lively graphic identity that more clearly identifies the goals of the program,” explained Kristin Rohan, SI of Capitola president. “Live Your Dream” is the outcome we, as Soroptimists, hope for when we help women overcome personal difficulties and better their lives through education and skills training.”

Since 1972, the Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards, now known as the Live Your Dream Award, has disbursed more than $25 million to tens of thousands of women who have overcome poverty, domestic and sexual violence, divorce, the death of a spouse, or other life challenges.

Soroptimist, a coined Latin phrase meaning Best for Women, improves the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. For more information, or to become a member willing to work to help us help women and girls, visit the SI Capitola website at www.best4women.org or contact SI Capitola at info@best4women.org.