Program Description

The Violet Richardson Award is a recognition program for young women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools.

This award is administered by local participating Soroptimist clubs and is not available in all communities. Soroptimist headquarters and regions do not distribute nor accept applications. Contact your local Soroptimist club for more information.

If you live in North or South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska or Iowa, then you may request further information through this site.

Applications must be submitted prior to DECEMBER 1 of each calendar year. See below for clubs in the North Central Region who participate.

The Violet Richardson 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.

All awards are given for activities conducted on a volunteer basis. Volunteer projects can include, but are not limited to, projects that address social problems such as homelessness, violence, drug abuse, unemployment, illiteracy, discrimination, AIDS, and pollution. Projects may assist any group including the elderly, the disabled, and mentally or emotionally challenged groups.

Projects that benefit women or girls are especially valued. Topics can include, but are not limited to mentoring, sexual harassment, sexual decision-making, teen parenting, careers, finances and any other projects that specifically benefit women, young women or girls.

This award is based solely on her volunteer work. This award is an opportunity to honor a girl who might not otherwise receive recognition. She may not be the best student, the best athlete, or the most popular girl in school, but she is committed to making the world a better place.

Who is the Violet Richardson Award Winner?

• A young woman who is caring, compassionate, creative and most of all committed to making the world a better place.

• A young woman who demonstrates initiative in both identifying a problem and in trying to solve it.

• A young woman who has had significant and noteworthy accomplishments as a volunteer.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be young women 14 to 17 years of age on the date of their application.

• Applicants must be engaged in a volunteer activity.

• Soroptimists, Soroptimist employees and the immediate families of both are ineligible. Previous winners of this award are also ineligible.

An applicant must complete an application for and a 750 word narrative describing their volunteer activities.

Program Deadlines

December 1: Completed applications to the club.
January 15: Club Honoree's application due to District Director.
February 15: District Director forwards district winner to Region VRA Chair.
March 15: Region honoree's application to federation (SIA Headquarters).

The following clubs in the North Central Region participate in giving this award. You may obtain application forms by mailing the contact given below:

• Iowa
• Algona
• Cedar Rapids/Marion
• Des Moines
• Marshalltown
  Minnesota
• SI of Moorhead
• SI of Greater Minneapolis
• SI of Hibbing
• SI of Virginia
  Nebraska
• SI of Lincoln
  North Dakota
• SI of Fargo
  South Dakota
• SI of Sioux Falls
  

The North Central Region Chair may be emailed or called :Ruth at 218-236-5986 for further information about North Central participation.

For more information about programs for young women, contact the SIA program department or write:

SIA Program Department,
Two Penn Center Plaza, Suite 1000
Philadelphia, PA 19102.