about us

Local chapter of international service organization that provides women and girls education and training opportunities that lead to economic empowerment. For nearly 70 years, Soroptimist International of Whitefish has worked on many levels to fulfill the Soroptimist mission of working to improve the lives of women and girls with the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. While today’s Whitefish Soroptimists use the proceeds from their Thrift Haus to fund projects that help improve the lives of women and girls, the club’s first members back in 1951 were very creative at raising money. They made their own chokecherry syrup and sold it. They invited a radio personality to town and charged admission to hear him speak. There were bake sales, rummage sales and jewelry sales, among other fundraisers. The mantra always was, “where there’s a will, there’s a way” for these early Soroptimists who created an annual scholarship to help girls study nursing and helped pay for new band uniforms, among other community-based projects. Their tenacity was recognized by a 1954 newspaper article in the Spokane, Washington, newspaper in which the Whitefish club president stated, “I don’t recall ever hearing anyone of our members say ‘I can’t.’ The only words I’ve ever heard are ‘We will.’”