Soroptimist club installs 2019 QHS S-Club officers
Members of Soroptimist International of Quincy (SIQ) have installed this year’s S-Club officers, welcoming a hardworking group of students whose service projects will benefit their community over the next several months.
Sworn in were Quincy Junior-Senior High School students Joan Frank as S-Club president; Tristan McMichael, vice president; Natalie Davis, treasurer; Gaia Nelson, secretary; and Olivia Chaffin who will be in charge of public relations.
The students describe their involvement as a universally positive experience, one they appreciate for a variety of reasons.
“I’m in S-Club because I love to serve others and I like making others happy through my service,” said S-Club President Frank. “And the value for us (of participating) is obviously service but also giving back to the community after all they gave us.”
Her club vice president agreed. “Being in the S-Club is an amazing experience, seeing how you can affect others in your community,” McMichael said. “Students who are part of this organization are working together to do good for others.”
SIQ members Sue Gutierrez and Holly Patton share committee duties to oversee sponsorship of the popular student service group. Quincy’s Soroptimist organization has sponsored an S-Club for ninth through 12th-graders since the late 1990s and there are 22 members this year.
On campus, two teachers advise the S-Club students and help them stay organized: Dana Luddington and Dr. Lisa Kelly.
The students have a busy year ahead of them with several community projects on the drawing board, including volunteering with the Quincy-area blood drive, SIQ’s evening of service at the Community Supper and this month’s safe trick-or-treat celebration downtown.
In November, the S-Club will host its own Thanksgiving dinner at Quincy High on Main Street, a free event that is open to all. They also do fundraising throughout the year.
Come December, the students will work with local sponsors to hold a toy drive and put the presents into stockings for a visit from Santa to area preschoolers.
In the spring, S-Club students traditionally help out with the Soroptimist-sponsored Easter egg hunt at the Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds. That event is anticipated by families throughout the area and serves about 200 children, so you can bet the S-Club volunteers hide a whole lot of colorful eggs filled with treats and prizes.
“The stockings for preschoolers is by far my favorite project because it is amazing to see how the school brings toys in and the preschoolers are affected,” McMichael said. “I like how our community comes to us for help and we follow through to the best of our abilities. I am an officer because I want to help even more.”
Frank echoed those thoughts. “The best part of being an officer,” she said, “is leading the group and having a major role in all of the planning that goes into our projects.
I love the Thanksgiving supper we put on as a club. This is a great one because it brings food and fellowship together for all community members and gets us involved directly with the community.”
SIQ member Gutierrez taught at Quincy High for over 20 years and she enjoys encouraging students to be part of the S-Club for a number of reasons.
“These young people experience the value of interacting with their own community when they join the S-Club,” Gutierrez said. “They are active in a lot of projects and this volunteer work builds self-esteem as well as a positive experience of working with many local people in different ways. It’s also an excellent service to list on their college applications.”
SIQ member Patton agreed. “Being in the S-Club helps students develop leadership through community service,” she said, explaining public service is a valuable skill that will last a lifetime.
