New Soroptimist club formed in Henderson

Wednesday, July 28, 1999 | 11:31 a.m.

The Soroptimist International of Henderson/Green Valley is seeking business and professional women for its new club in the area.

As the world's largest classified service organization for executive and professional businesswomen, its mission is to make a difference for women through volunteer service to the community.

The club raises money to provide scholarships for women and holds fund-raisers for women's shelters.

The club is for executive women who want to be involved in the community and give back to the community, Maria Fleming Richardson, general manager of Belz Factory Outlet World, said. Richardson, past charter president for a Las Vegas Soroptimist International, is chartering the new club in Henderson.

"A lot of newcomers in the valley don't have a lot of opportunity to meet their peers outside of the job," she said. "This way you get to meet everybody -- doctors, lawyers and business owners.

"One thing about the Soroptimist Club is you can go anywhere in the country and call a club. One time I went to Texas and they met me at the airport."

There are four other clubs in the valley, but Henderson has grown enough to where it warrants its own club, she said.

The organization was formed in 1921 in California by a group of women who chose the name from two Latin words meaning "best for women." Today its membership exceeds 100,000 women from 115 countries.

The Henderson/Green Valley club will meet twice monthly on a day to be determined at 6:30 p.m. The first orientation meeting will be Aug. 26. Interested business or professional women may call Maria Fleming Richardson at 896-5599 or Shirley Greig at 616-2982 or e-mail Richardson at mrichardson@belz.com for the meeting's location and further information.