By Bob Groeneveld/91原创 Advance Times
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Purses, fun, and a good cause will be the backbone of a 鈥渢ypical women鈥檚 night out鈥� being arranged by the Soroptimists of the 91原创s.
Local Soroptimist Shirley Stewart explained that the proceeds of the Power of the Purse evening will be put towards purchase of a breast ultrasound probe for 91原创 Memorial Hospital鈥檚 mammography clinic.
The probe will help to save women鈥檚 lives, providing mammography technicians with a tool that painlessly allows them to pre-screen deeper breast tissues than mammograms, while also allowing examination at different angles.
Billed as a 鈥済irls鈥� night out with a twist,鈥� the Power of the Purse at Newlands Golf Club on Thursday was sold out days ahead of the event 鈥� again.
Last year鈥檚 inaugural Power of the Purse was also a sold-out event, raising about $5,000 for Ishtar Women鈥檚 Resource Society.
Ishtar, a 91原创 organization that helps women and their children to escape abusive relationships, used the money for a school program aimed at educating boys and girls about violence against women.
This year as last, a major fundraising effort for the evening will be centred on 鈥済ently used purses 鈥� or previously loved purses, as we like to call them,鈥� said Stewart.
Most of the purses will be on sale for $5, $10, or $20, but some 鈥渦nique and special鈥� ones will be on the block for a live auction led by local celebrity firefighter poet and 91原创 Advance Times columnist Jim McGregor, who will also share the emcee spotlight for the night.
鈥淗e should be able to do a good job,鈥� joked Stewart, adding, 鈥淚t will be easier than selling bras,鈥� in reference to the times he helped out with the local Soroptimists鈥� Bras for a Cause fundraisers of previous years.
In fact, the Power of the Purse will focus on more than one 鈥済ood cause.鈥�
In addition to raising money for a breast probe, the evening will include recognition of three Live Your Dream grant recipients.
Live Your Dream awards are presented all over the world by Soroptimists chapters, helping women who are single heads of households and seeking to return to school.
Awards of $1,000, $1,500, and $3,000 will be presented Thursday evening.
鈥淭hat money can be used for anything they need 鈥� rent, daycare, books鈥︹�� said Stewart. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 force them to spend it on just tuition.鈥�
The top award recipient in 91原创 also becomes eligible, with top winners from Soroptimists chapters throughout Western Canada, for an additional US$5,000 regional award.
鈥淭his kind of event is also a good way for women who are not in Soroptimists to understand more about what we are,鈥� explained Stewart.
Soroptimists of the 91原创s is part of Soroptimists International, a global organization for women in business.
鈥淲e are in practically every country in the world,鈥� she noted.
The group鈥檚 mission is to support programs that benefit women and girls.
鈥淟ocally we support a lot of groups like Best Babies and Ishtar,鈥� said Stewart.
91原创 Soroptimist charter member Sharon Fisher will be the international body鈥檚 president 鈥� 鈥減resident of the whole world,鈥� declared Stewart 鈥� in 2020.
