Soroptimist Celebrates
On Tuesday, June 9, members of Soroptimist International of Raleigh gathered at Craft Public House in Cary to celebrate the close of another impactful year and to welcome new leadership. With 31 members and guests in attendance, the evening was full of connection, recognition, and a little friendly competition.
The night kicked off with a “Getting to Know You” Bingo icebreaker, giving members a fun way to mingle before settling in for dinner. MC Cindy Hopkins welcomed everyone and kept the evening moving smoothly.
After dinner, the evening turned to club business. Suzanne Blanke shared a recap of the year’s accomplishments, highlighting all that the club achieved together. Under Julie Waller’s leadership, the Service committee did a fantastic job of refocusing holiday angels, and added Big Goal Accelerator projects, like Period Power. With these added initiatives, we supported 2.5 times the number of women and girls this club year over last year. Julie was also commended for her work facilitating the EmpowerHer project this year. In addition, committee chairs shared examples of the excellent work accomplished this year with our Dream Programs.
With the year’s achievements celebrated, it was time to look ahead to what’s next. From there, Elizabeth Perry led the installation of the 2026–2027 Board of Directors, officially welcoming:
- Suzanne Blanke — Co-President
- Sue Whitehouse — Co-President
- Julie Waller — President-Elect
- Jennifer Prevatt — Treasurer
- Denise Seroka — Secretary
- Cindy Hopkins — Member-at-Large
The evening also marked the induction of three new members: Gina Avila, Barbara Deaton, and Deb Oronzio. Jackie Schroeder led the induction ceremony, officially welcoming them into the club.
Cindy closed out the evening with heartfelt thanks to all club members for their dedication and hard work throughout the year. Special recognition was given to the outgoing board members: Mary Woodard, Elizabeth Perry, and Lashonda White for their leadership and service during their board tenure. Mary Woodard, outgoing president, was unable to attend, but was thanked for her tireless work.
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate, and to the team at Craft Public House for hosting us. Here’s to another great year ahead!