Tickets remain for Calistoga Soroptimists’ crab feed to support women's education
Tickets remain for Calistoga Soroptimists’ crab feed to support women's education
By Dave Stoneberg
CALISTOGA, Calif. — Since 1956 Soroptimist International of Calistoga has supported projects and scholarships dedicated to improving the lives of girls and women in the community, and this 68th year is no different. In order to raise funds that keep their programs moving forward, the club will hold its annual “Crab Feed & Auction FUNdraising Event” on Saturday, March 2, at the Boys & Girls Club of Calistoga, 1401 N. Oak St.
The event will include silent and live auctions, a dessert auction and a raffle. The dinner menu features Dungeness crab, Caesar salad, dinner rolls and cookies. The dinner service includes wine, and beer and cocktails will be available for purchase.
The deadline to make reservations is Sunday, Feb. 18. Tickets are $125 per person, and guests must be 21 or over to attend. The agenda for the evening is as follows:
-5 p.m., doors open with registration, silent auction, drink and raffle ticket sales
-7 p.m., dinner service with wine
-7:30 p.m., silent auction tables close
-9:45 p.m., winning raffle ticket drawn
For more information, tickets, wine raffle tickets or sponsorship opportunities click here.
Hundreds of people have attended the Soroptimists’ Crab Feed event in years past, although the 2024 event is the first in several years because of COVID-19 restrictions. The money raised enables the dreams of many young women to come true.
Last May 10, Soroptimists hosted an awards night for its scholarship and award winners. Over the past five years, club members have given more than $75,000 to women and girls to support their educational dreams. Its mission statement reads: “We are a local group of dynamic women endeavoring to improve the lives of women and girls through our outreach, funding and community events.”
Live Your Dream
The Soroptimists awarded Live Your Dream scholarships to three young women at Calistoga Junior/Senior High School — sisters Flor and Daniela Clavel, who will both be attending UC Davis, and their cousin, Alexa Clavel, who will continuing her studies at UC San Diego. According to the club, “These three brilliant, resilient and beautiful women are stellar examples of what determination and persistence can bring about. In addition to their remarkable academic achievements, together they co-created the Calistoga Green Team, a project designed for environmental conservation in our community. We have great faith that these powerful women were all destined to do greater things.”
Other awards
The Soroptimists honored Andrea Blum with the Ruby Award, which honors a woman in the community who is making a difference in the lives of other women. Blum runs the Calistoga Cares Food Pantry, which meets the needs of the ever-growing number of families with food insecurity.
The Live Your Dream Award, a signature Soroptimist program, was given to Brenda Fernandez. This award honors a woman who provides the primary financial support for her family and wants to continue her education to improve her employment opportunities. Fernandez is pursuing a career in early childhood education.
The Soroptimists also honored six Read Aloud Partners Program readers with 10-plus years of experience. They are Jeanette Squire, Mary Ellen Hester, Ramona Asmus, Marlene Gallwitz, Connie Johnson and Leslie Wilkes.
Current president MaryAnn Salinger, who joined Soroptimist International Calistoga in 2016, explained why the group was important to her.
“My father-in-law (Herb Salinger), was the first male member of Soroptimist Calistoga and knew it was time for him to step down as he was slowing down considerably. Herb felt by encouraging me to join he could still be contributing.”
As of 2023, Salinger has served two and a half terms as president as well as being fundraising director. Her outstanding leadership abilities are the result of having spent 32 years in Napa Valley education as teacher, principal and administrator.
Soroptimist was formed in 1921 in Oakland at a time when women were not permitted to join service organizations. Its name, loosely translated from the Latin, means “best for women.” Today there are more than 25,000 members and supporters in countries across North America, Latin America and the Pacific Rim. Calistoga is in one of five federations that make up Soroptimist International, which has clubs in more than 120 countries throughout the world.
If today's story captured your interest, explore these related articles:
Dave Stoneberg is an editor and journalist who has worked for newspapers in both Lake and Napa counties.