Soroptimists present awards at banquet

President Cheryl Crow presided over the evening after a catered meal.

New member Hannah Sultz was installed by District II Director Ruth Parman. Arkansas City Soroptimist member Christine Tanner also attended.

The following awards and scholarships were presented:

• Terri Seidel presented the “Live Your Dream Award” to Zarahi Morraz, a Winfield High School graduate and a single mother attending Butler Community College in a pre-med program while working full-time as a medical records technician at the Cancer Center of Kansas. The goal of this award is to help women improve their economic status by preparing them to enter or re-enter the workplace.

• Ruth Parman presented the 2021 “Ruby Award” to Mari Wallrabenstein. This award is given annually to honor women in the community who have worked to improve the lives of women and girls through their professional or volunteer work.

Wallrabenstein is being honored for her many years of service to the local food commodities distribution, the Winfield Food Pantry and Habitat for Humanity, where she has been involved in helping many people in the community.

• Diane Williams presented two “Violet Richardson Awards” to Addison Reams and Ryanna Richert. This award is given in recognition to young women, ages 14 to 17, who are engaged in volunteer actions within their community or school.

Reams is active in Kiwanis Builders Club, StuCo in middle and elementary school, and is a volunteer at the Cowley County Humane Society.

Richert has been active in Girl Scouts, 4-H, StuCo, Kiwanis Builder’s Club, and projects working with Angel Tree and Humane Society fundraisers. She also helped with putting together “Kindness Month” to help raise people’s spirits and help others.

• Cassandra Davis presented the “Almedia Greever Continuing Education Scholarships” to Randi Hutto and Isabel Jellings. Hutto is a senior at the University of Kansas majoring in speech pathology. She was the 2018 salutatorian and was a Kansas Govenor’s Scholar, an undergraduate research award recipient, was on the KU dean’s honor roll, and received a FAS Award from the KU Speech and Hearing Department. Her goal is to work with children as a speech pathologist.

Jellings attends Southwestern College while working at William Newton Hospital. She is a Kansas Honors Scholar and her goal is to attend medical school.

Davis also presented the “Dr. Shanthi Samuel Medical scholarship” to Addison Barg. She is a 2021 WHS co-valedictorian, a Kansas Governor’s Scholar and state vice president for HOSA. She will be attending KU in the fall, majoring in molecular, cellular and developmental biology, with a goal of becoming a pediatric cardiologist.

The planning committee for the evening consisted of Harlene Hoyt-Johnson, Susan Long, Terri Seidel, Nancy Vaught, Treva Harrod and Pam Brown.