History:

In 1995 founding member Pat Hansen brought together a group of San Juan Island women with a vision for a service organization that focused on the needs of women to form a Soroptimist chapter in Friday Harbor. With the sponsorship of Soroptimist International of Anacortes, SI Friday Harbor was chartered May 11, 1996. We began with 44 members signing the charter. Our original officers and still members today included Pat Hansen as President, Phyllis Davis as Treasurer and Nancy Hanson as Secretary.

We had a busy first year and haven't stopped! In 1996 Soroptimist of Friday Harbor members helped paint and decorate a respite room at Islands Convalescent Center, known as the "Soroptimist Room". SI Friday Harbor helped with the Stop Grant for Domestic Violence which brought $130,000 to San Juan County for domestic violence and assault services. We also hosted a public forum on domestic violence to educate the public to the problem. We participated in the San Juan Island Children's Festival and the Knowledge Bowl and still do annually. We helped beyond our borders by sending funds and supplies to Alaska Disaster Relief, Croatia and the President's Appeal to help rid Angola of land mines. It was also the first year of our biggest fund-raiser, the Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner.