SOROPTIMIST MEMBER ANGELA HEISS (LEFT) IS PICTURED WITH VIOLET RICHARDSON AWARD RECIPIENT SYDNIE EDWARDS. The recipient of Soroptimist International of Mariposa’s 2010 Violet Richardson Award is Sydnie Edwards, a MCHS student heading the Triangle 4-H Million Trees project. Soroptimist members are committed to improving the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world. The Violet Richardson Award scholarship program is a way to recognize young women between the ages of 14 and 17 for their volunteer service to their communities.

The program is named after Violet Richardson Ward, the first president of the first Soroptimist club. Edwards is recognized by Soroptimist for her leadership in a local effort to unite with 4-Hers across the country to plant a million trees by 2011. Triangle 4-H’s original goal was to plant 200 trees. To date Triangle 4-H has planted over 1,700 trees.

Recently, much of the club’s efforts focus on replanting trees where the Telegraph Fire occurred. For more information about Soroptimist International of Mariposa call Gwen Nitta at 742-6332.