Betty Frederick has selflessly dedicated her life for over 15 years to women in the Rogue Valley seeking help to stay sober and get their lives productive.
February 9, 1988 was a day that changed her life forever. On Vilas Rd. in Central Point, a drunk driver crashed head on into Betty’s car. Heather, her fifteen month old granddaughter, was killed and Betty was put in a wheel chair not knowing if she would ever walk normally again.
Betty wanted to have an impact to prevent others from suffering the same fate. Putting people away after they harmed other people was not her idea of solving the drunk driving problem. She thought that if she could save just one family from experiencing the same tragedy, her life would have real meaning. In November 1993, after much soul searching, research, and a miraculous recovery, Betty opened Heathers Haven on 4th Street in Medford. This was the first clean and sober housing for women in the state of Oregon. Under her direction and personal hard work and sacrifice, Heathers Haven continues to serve the women of our community.
Now, over 20 years after the day that changed her and her families lives forever, hundreds of women are clean, sober and productive citizens of our community due to the existence of Heathers Haven. Betty works tirelessly to provide a safe environment and to inspire women to remain clean and sober. She takes no pay for these services, Betty and her husband have used their own funds to keep this home open
For Betty's family to see women start over and learn to live wholesome lives free from addiction has been their reward.
Sudy Storm is a midwife. In the summer of 1997 she did an internship in Kingston, Jamaica, which opened her eyes to the needs of developing nations in regards to maternal/child health and training of midwives. Upon her return, she cofounded a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving maternal/child health and maternity outcomes through education and service. She worked for the organization for 10 years and it continues to fulfill this mission.
As a child, Sudy dreamed of Africa. In 1999 she made her first trip to Africa when asked to work in a clinic training indigenous midwives. It was there that Sudy knew she'd found her calling. Back in the United States she and her midwifery partner opened Oregon’s first licensed direct entry midwifery school. She made three more trips to West Africa as coordinator and instructor for projects providing training to indigenous midwives.
Recently the Kailahun Medical District Health Management Team asked Sudy to work on a pilot program to improve their maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates. She has been assigned three Community Health Posts where she will conduct comprehensive trainings of 140+ Traditional Midwives, assist the Maternal Child Aides in developing a women’s community educational club, and research the inaccuracies of vital records reporting at the village level.
Sudy says “more important than what I do is how I do it.” Her priorities are to EMPOWER WOMEN with skills and knowledge so they are self sufficient and able to help themselves and their communities.
Medford Club 2009 Honoree
Wendy Anderson has offered a lifeline to survivors of sexual assault. A survivor of rape, Wendy found she needed “to bring something positive out of what was really bad.” So, she became a victim advocate to bring healing and hope to others in pain.
Wendy is buoyed by the benefits her advocacy brings. What she does is, quite literally, life-sustaining. As one survivor wrote her, “The day I met you, I didn’t want to be a part of this life any more. Your encouragement gave me hope. You saved a life that day, and I just thought you should know.”
Relocating to Oregon offered a chance to get involved in wider reform. Oregon’s services for sexual assault survivors were decades behind those she’d known. As a result few victims came forward, and few cases went to trial. Wendy believes that one voice raised can make a difference and decided to raise her voice.
Wendy volunteered for five years to bring the Jackson County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) into being. SART assures victims’ needs are made a priority, and victim care and evidence collection have dramatically improved. Currently a follow-up advocate, Wendy offers survivors one-on-one support during the most traumatic period of recovery. SASH (Sexual Assault Survivors’ Healing) helps those who are ready to work through their trauma safely. As Wendy explains, they have the opportunity to choose how their past affects their future by facing it – and they have a supportive team of women with them to catch them if they fall.
North Valley Club 2009 Honoree
Kathy Bryon has been pulling groups together since college to build capacity of individuals and leaders to strengthen her community.
As a biology major in college, Kathy began working in community health care and began a lifelong career in community service. She gained a masters in Public Health and was instrumental in developing a migrant farm worker’s women’s clinic in Northern California. Her work resulted in the development of an innovative California health education program to promote healthy babies among high-risk low-income women in Marin County. That innovative program became a demonstration/best practices project that is the same model used in Healthy Start programs in Oregon.
Kathy moved to Southern Oregon and utilized her leadership skills to create the Pacific Non-profit Network, a nonprofit management and leadership development organization. Her work has helped many struggling non-profits become viable and productive organizations serving our community.
Kathy is currently the Executive Director of the Gordon Elwood Foundation, a regional $9 million private foundation. Her involvement with non-profit organizations continues as she helps evaluate projects seeking funding through the foundation.
Kathy is all about values, vision and coaching. In her words, “to strengthen the capacity of the whole means so much greater the value.” Her life-long career in public service has made a huge difference in lives of women and families.
Rogue Valley Sunrise Club 2009 Honoree
Carolyn Harris has devoted her life to serving our community and improving the lives of women and girls.
As a driving force behind the local Cancer Awareness Project, Carolyn arranged the Annual CAP Walk each October and facilitated a program to supply low income breast cancer survivors with custom bras. She was instrumental in involving the Rogue Valley Soroptimist clubs to fund mammograms for women with no health insurance.
Many of us know Carolyn well, as the sponsor for over 20 women joining local Soroptimist clubs. A past member of both the Medford and Rogue Valley Sunrise clubs, Carolyn continues to devote her time to our community as a member of the Heart of Medford Association, the Pear Blossom Association, the League of Women Voters, the Human Rights Coalition, the Rogue Monarch Lions Club, and the Oregon Retired Educators Association. Carolyn also offers her support to the Southern Oregon Humane Society, Wild Life Images, Planned Parenthood, and the United Way. Carolyn knows the importance of these non-profit organizations to the vitality of our Valley and sustaining the community.
Carolyn attributes her ability to serve our community for so many years to the tremendous support of her husband, Jim, and their 6 children. As a family, they are very proud of Carolyn's commitment to helping those in need and improving so many lives.
Carolyn Harris has made a huge difference to many women and girls in our community.
2008 Winners
March 6, 2008
Soroptimists Celebrating Women
The Soroptimist Making a Difference for Women Award acknowledges women
who are working to improve the lives of women and girls through their
personal or professional activities. Their efforts help to promote the
issues that are important to the Soroptimist organization. Honorees are
women who have worked in extraordinary ways to benefit women and girls.
Examples of the type of work honored include: spearheading an effort to
open a domestic violence shelter, working to secure health services for
low-income women, starting a mentoring program for at-risk girls, or
lobbing companies to provide on-site child care. The program enables
local Soroptimist clubs and the Soroptimist organization to thank these
women and encourage others to explore ways to assist women and girls.
The program begins on the club level, where the type of recognition
varies. Award winners at the club level are eligible for additional
awards at other levels of the organization. The finalist receives a
$5,000 donation to the charitable organization of her choice.
Improving the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world.
