Celebrating women

Members of Soroptimist International of the Sierras on May 9 held their annual Women’s Awards and Spring Tea at the Oakhurst Community Center.

Ashley Griffin was the Tea Planning Committee chairwoman.

Longtime area resident, community supporter and business owner of Pak and Page in Oakhurst, Cheryce Chartier, was given the honor, “Woman of Distinction.”

Local pediatrician Dr. Janae Barker was honored with the Women Helping Women award in a moment that marks a significant bookend in the doctor’s life.

Barker was a career fair presenter and table mentor at the organization’s Dream It, Be It conference for high school girls held in Oakhurst in January of this year.

“She informed me she was once the recipient of a Live Your Dream award from Soroptimist,” said Whitcanack.

“This was many years ago, in a different city, but obviously it made an impact. After Dr. Barker moved to Oakhurst, she wanted to get involved with our local Soroptimist club. She wants to contribute to the organization that invested in her education and also wants to support the women and girls in her community. Isn’t it incredible how things come full circle sometimes?”

Yosemite Unified graduate Madeline Townsend, the fashion entrepreneur behind the Style Edit by MT curated clothing box, received a $500 scholarship award after attending Dream It, Be It.

Among the speakers at the women’s awards was Paige Gerber, the first-ever Realize Your Dream award recipient, talking about the impact the honor had on her life and education.

“Gerber was completing her associate’s degree when she received the award in 2025,” Whitcanack shared. “She just graduated with her Bachelor’s from Fresno State in 2026.

Multiple $1,500 Education Grants

Awards were giving out in the categories of Live Your Dream, Realize Your Dream and Furthering Your Dream.

The signature Soroptimist program Live Your Dream provided three individual $1,500 education grants for Elisabeth Hamilton, Kaylee Griffin and Rebecca Williams.

The Live Your Dream award was created to support single moms going to school and is available to any eligible woman who claims head of household on her tax return and who is enrolled in or accepted to college, university or vocational training.

Whitcanack said Hamilton’s application was “so moving that she was selected for an additional grant at the regional level.”

Unique to Soroptimist International of the Sierras, the Realize Your Dream award was created for any independent woman who is “doing it on their own.”

Realize Your Dream doesn’t require the eligibility criteria of Live Your Dream. It’s available to any woman who is enrolled or accepted into college, university or vocational training.

“Creating the Realize Your Dream Award is my legacy to my club and my community,” said Whitcanack. “Soroptimist’s Live your Dream program is incredible and it’s necessary, but I saw the need for another education grant.”

Whitcanack said they developed the scholarship to support women who are child free, empty-nester or in a two-income household but still struggling financially.

“I was inspired to create this award by my own college education journey and those of my wife and my two nieces. I could cry, thinking of the ripple effect it will create among the women and the families of this community.”

Statistics show that educated women are healthier, less vulnerable to trafficking and gendered violence and able to raise healthier and better educated children, Whitcanack pointed out.

This year’s recipients of $1,500 Live Your Dream awards were Mia Velasques, Savannah Dent and Camille Subia.

Also unique to the local club is the Furthering Your Dream award, created for women who have earned their bachelor’s degree and are pursuing higher education.

Amber Blalock was given the $1,500 Furthering Your Dream award.

Sponsors of the 2026 Soroptimist of the Sierras Women’s Awards and Tea included Cal Paving and Sierra Asset Management.

New board of directors

The Soroptimist year runs from July 1 through June 30 and the new board of directors for the 2026/2027 term is now in place.

The board installation was held at The Hitching Post in Ahwahnee on June 6 with the theme, “Chicks Rock!” That theme will carry the group through the coming year as a “rock and roll tribute to the passion, unity and strength” of members.

Whitcanack was primed to hand the reins over to new leadership.

“Serving as president for the past two years has been a tremendous learning experience and a rewarding one,” Whitcanack said.

“I am filled with pride in my club and my community as the sun sets on my second term as president of Soroptimist International of The Sierras. I have gotten to meet some incredible women through Soroptimist. It is a continuous blessing of membership. I am very proud to have been twice elected and I have been honored to serve.”

Raylene Trent was newly installed as president of the organization.

“Stepping out from behind the scenes to lead Soroptimist International of the Sierras is an incredible honor,” said Trent.

“I would not have taken on this leadership role without the immense encouragement of our outgoing president, Bailey Whitcanack, who provided outstanding leadership to our club over the last two years, and our incoming president-elect, Barbara Irion, who promised to stand by my side and guide me through this year. We have an absolute powerhouse of a team ready to bring that rock star energy to our mission.”

In addition to Trent and Irion, club officers for 2026-2027 include Recording Secretary Maria Manning-Chapman, Corresponding Secretary Taylor Sliffe, Treasurer Korie Miller, Treasurer-Elect Sarah Persson, One Year Director Dari Medina, Two Year Director Bailey Whitcanack, One Year Delegate Kriszti Meszaros, Two Year Delegate Jennifer Rogers and Alternate Delegate Cheryce Chartier.

“Together, we are building a strong foundation to reach new heights for the education and economic empowerment of women and girls in our community.”

Community scholarships

Soroptimists in May provided scholarships for students in the foothills at community awards events in three districts.

“We are proud to have been able to provide five grants totaling $5,000 to mountain area high school seniors,” said Sarah Persson, chair of the Soroptimists’ educational awards committee.

“In addition to the high school grants we were thrilled to present awards to students in each eighth grade class in the Bass Lake, Yosemite and Chawanakee Unified School Districts.”

Regional recognition

In other news, Soroptimist International of the Sierras was recognized as having the third highest increase in membership and membership retention at the regional conference in May. The conference was also in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the formation of Soroptimists’ Sierra Pacific Region.

Then-president Whitcanack received additional recognition for the local club’s outstanding Public Awareness campaign as seen on their website and social media.

If you are interested in supporting the Soroptimist’s mission email SISierras@ Soroptimist.net and find them online and on social media.

Mark your calendars for the Annual Chili Cookoff on November 7 at the Oakhurst Community Center where the contestants are actual chefs and the competition is hot.