'Party in the USA'

MOSES LAKE — June 14 will be a star-spangled night in Moses Lake. “Party in the USA” will be the theme for this year’s Soroptimist auction, which falls on Flag Day.

“That could mean your fanciest presidential-type outfits all the way down to your backyard party (attire), flag T-shirt and shorts,” said Soroptimist member Katie Wilson. “Red, white and blue all over.”

The dinner and auction will be held at Pillar Rock Grill in Moses Lake, and the menu will be barbecue in keeping with the theme, Wilson said. Besides dinner and dancing, there will be raffles, a silent auction and a live auction conducted by Chuck Yarbro Auctioneers.

Auction items will include handmade barrel furniture, Wilson said, as well as several event ticket packages and a golfing package donated by Pillar Rock.

The auction is the club’s primary fundraiser, and last year’s raised more than $46,000, Wilson said. All the money is used locally to further Soroptimist projects, she said.

Soroptimist International was founded in 1921 at a time when women were barred from other service organizations, according to its website. The name comes from a mashup of the Latin words for “sister” and “best,” generally interpreted as “best for women.” Moses Lake’s chapter has been going since 1955, according to the local website. It includes 43 women from all walks of life: professionals, retirees, businesswomen and career mothers.

Soroptimist’s programs in Moses Lake are all geared toward improving women’s lives and positioning girls for success, according to the website. There was the annual Dream It Be It conference, held this year at Vanguard Academy, that allowed high school girls to explore career paths they might otherwise not consider. The club also gives college and Live Your Dream scholarships every year.

“(Live Your Dream) is a scholarship we give to a woman who’s a head of household going back to trade school or college or furthering herself in her career,” Wilson said.

The Impact program addresses “period poverty,” the struggle many young girls face in accessing menstrual products and the negative effect it has it has on their confidence and school attendance, according to SIML’s website, providing hygiene products and clothing for those who need them. Care4kids is a project that supplies backpacks filled with school supplies for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

“A counselor or a teacher from (an) elementary school can fill out a request form, and we fill a backpack for a student that is in need or just needs a little confidence boost,” Wilson said. “They get some new outfits, shoes, a hygiene kit, books to read, things to support them so that they feel a little bit more confident when they go to school … (some of them) just get overwhelmed that they get a new pair of socks.”

Tickets were still available Tuesday at bit.ly/MLSOROP25.

“Come have fun with us,” Wilson said. “It’s a pretty good time.”

Party in the USA Soroptimist auction

Moses Lake
Pillar Rock Grill
1373 Road F.2 NE
Saturday, June 14
4-10:30 p.m.

    The theme for the 2024 Soroptimist auction was “Nashville Nights,” and attendees dressed accordingly. This year’s theme is “Party in the USA,” and red, white and blue will be the order of the day.  

    Holly Thompson, the recipient of last year’s Live Your Dream award, tells the crowd at the Soroptimist auction about how the scholarship will help her finish her degree and achieve her career goals.  

    Silent auction items garner signatures at last year's Soroptimist auction.