Soroptimists Welcome New President

The Idyllwild Soroptimists are having a new-member reception and
installing their new president on Wednesday, June 19. Soroptimist
International’s website tells us that the group “is a global volunteer
movement with a network of just under 65,000 club members in 118
countries. Advocating for human rights and gender equality…” We spoke
with outgoing Idyllwild president Diana Kurr, and incoming president
Alex Cameron, about the event and the activities of the group. Officers
normally serve 2-year terms, but Kurr’s term was longer due to Covid.
Cameron is the only new officer being installed that evening.

Kurr listed some of the ways Soroptimist’s serve our community. They
stock a women’s cabinet at the Idyllwild Help Center, with personal
products for women and their children, items not covered by government
assistance. The budget for this started at $300 yearly, last year it was
$7,000. They also give monthly to Mountain Community Mutual Aid. “People
know MCMA runs a food distribution, but women can also order personal
products, and we pay for it.” The group also donates to a residential
rehab center in the desert. Their most important program is their
scholarship program, which gave away “about $5,000 last year.”

We also spoke to incoming president Alex Cameron, who hopes to field
worthy ideas from the community. “Idyllwild Soroptimists occasionally
fund small projects around town, we’re going to expand that, we will put
it in the paper, have people apply for whatever project they think needs
doing.”

Cameron joined the Idyllwild Soroptimists in 2021. She chaired the “Live
Your Dream,” award, “kind of our biggest thing, coordinating all those
scholarships. We review applications through Soroptimist International’s
award portal. Applications come to us and we review them and discuss
them as a board and vote on them and then give away money.”

Cameron has been living in Idyllwild full time since 2020 but used to
come up to see her parents. Her mother is Stephanie Yost, “she was here
in the mid 80’s and came back in the mid-2000s. Yost was also her
introduction to the Soroptimists, and a scholarship recipient herself,
before becoming a member. “I asked about it and loved the mission. I’m
highly involved around town in other nonprofits. I’m on the board of the
Idyllwild Community Fund, I volunteer with the Idyllwild Community
Center, I thought Soroptimists was a good fit.”

Cameron extended an invitation to prospective members for the June 19th
reception and installation, which will take place at St Hugh’s Episcopal
church on the patio, starting at 5:30. “There will be appetizers and
wine, an opportunity to meet our current members, ask questions about
all of the projects we do.” Those who wish to attend should contact
Diana Kurr, at (951) 992-9892.