The Soroptimist International (SI) of Kent awarded $4,375 to four nonprofits today at its annual community service awards luncheon. With 40 or so women looking on at Golden Steer Restaurant, community service awards chair and former president Adrienne Rockwell presented the awards following a welcome from SI president Dawn Christiansen Cuellar.

“These cash awards represent the club’s commitment to helping to improve the economic, social and educational lives of girls and women in our community,” Cuellar said.

This year’s awards went to:

YWCA Summer Camp/YWCA Children’s Domestic Violence Program – SI of Kent’s $875 award will pay for 15 boys and girls affected by domestic violence to attend summer camp. In addition to covering the cost of the camp, the donation will also cover the cost of supplies, including sleeping bags, for the children. Kellie Rogers, program manager and children’s advocate for the YWCA’s children’s domestic violence program accepted the award on behalf of the YWCA.

“This summer camp allows kids to be kids,” Rogers said.

Catholic Community Services – Katherine’s House - This program received $1,000 donation from SI of Kent. Katherine’s House is a program that provides counseling, support and transitional housing for six drug addicted, homeless women for up to two years. The program boasts an 88% success rate the first year after a woman graduates from the program (clean and sober and maintaining own housing). The program is celebrating 10 years this summer, and recently opened Rita’s House in Auburn to provide the same services.

King County Sexual Assault Resource Center – Receiving an award of $1,500 from the club’s long term domestic violence fund, this program serves sexually abused children and their non-offending parents or caregivers. It helps children and parents – typically mothers – that the abuse is never their fault as well as how and why it happens.

Pediatric Interim Care Center (PICC) – PICC, a Kent nonprofit serving drug addicted infants, received an award of $1,000 from SI of Kent today. PICC is the only center of its kind in Washington State, and it celebrates 20 years in 2011. Barbara Drennen, executive director and co-founder of the program, accepted the donation on behalf of PICC.

“We desperately need funding to continue taking care of the babies,” Drennen explained.

After the community service awards were given, SI members Dee Moschel and Judy Woods received pins from President Cuellar for 25 years of service to the club.

“Thank you both for your dedication and professionalism these last 25 years,” Cuellar said. “We couldn’t do it without you!”

According to a press release issue by the City of Kent today, Safe Havens Domestic Violence Visitation Program will have to close its doors at the end of April unless immediate funding is found. Safe Havens opened in 2005 to help keep adult and child victims of domestic violence safe while complying with court-ordered visitation and exchanges.

Initially paid for with federal funding, budget reductions and the elimination of funding sources have created a $100,000 shortfall in the program’s 2010 budget.

“City staff and program allies have been working diligently to develop a long-term sustainability plan for the Safe Havens,” said Katherin Johnson, Kent’s Housing and Human Services Manager, in the April 22 press release.

“However, if emergency funding is not found immediately, we’ll be forced to close doors as early as April 30.  Friends and allies of the program are soliciting emergency funding from various foundations and agencies as well as asking for personal donations. Checks have begun to roll in, however, much more is needed and quickly.”

Since the opening of Safe Havens, state and county funding assistance has been an annual request by the City. According to Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke, the softening economy made the need to transition the service very apparent.

“Our annual legislative agenda has included the transitioning of Safe Havens over to a state agency or non-profit organization,” Cooke said in the press release.

“We can’t deny the value of the program, but it is truly regional in its scope.  Safe Havens has provided services county-wide and beyond to Snohomish, Pierce and Thurston counties.  It should not, and cannot be funded only by the City,” she added.

To help keep the program in place, the City of Kent has established a a fund for accepting donations. Checks can be made payable to City of Kent/Safe Havens and mailed to Safe Havens Visitation Center, 220 4^th Ave S, Kent, WA 98032.  Donations via credit card can also be made online at http://www.formdesk.com/kccadv/SafeHavens.  Donations are tax deductible.

If you haven’t attended Wine, Women, Wow in the past, mark your calendar for this year’s event set for Friday, May 8, 2009 from 6 to 10 p.m. Now in its fourth year, this popular event will feature more than 50 vendors with women-friendly products and services. Enjoy some girl time, a little shopping, some pampering and a little vino!

The event is a nonprofit event which benefits the Kent Downtown Partnership (KDP) and the YWCA’s Domestic Violence Program.

Contact KDP at 253-813-6976 or visit Wine, Women, Wow online for details.

The popular, local nonprofit event Wine, Women, Wow is returning for its fourth year – this year at the ShoWare Center on Friday, May 8, 2009. This year’s event planners, Libby Seidel and Dena Whipple, are expanding on previous year’s successes by expanding the event and hosting it in the city’s newest venue. If you’re a woman over 21 who likes wine and who wants to help raise money for a good cause, visit Wine, Women, Wow online today!

Timed for Mother’s Day weekend, a ticket to WOW makes a great treat for your mom or someone else’s. Call KDP at 23-813-6976 for more info.!