100 Years of Service for SI/Long Beach, CA
Congratulations to SI/Long Beach, CA (Camino Real Region), and all its members as it celebrates the 100th anniversary of its chartering on March 28, 1924!
In the autumn months of 1923, Helena Gamble, working as the Soroptimist club organizer in California for Stuart Morrow, turned her attention to Long Beach. Previously known as a beach resort, Long Beach had grown into a business and industrial community. By early December, she had made contact with some prospective members, including Rose Maude Keeler, listed in the charter documents as the principal of an international interpretation business, who would become the temporary chair of the club through the charter process.
The first meeting of interested Long Beach business and professional women was held on December 12, 1923, at the Hotel Virginia. During that meeting, 14 women signed on for Soroptimist membership, and Gertrude White, who was the principal in a direct-by-mail advertising business, was appointed as the group’s secretary.
Flyer with 48 of the 55 charter members
On January 4, 1924, the club began its regular Friday luncheon meetings and already had 25 members. Speakers during the time of the club’s organization included the current or past presidents of the Long Beach Lions, Kiwanis and Optimist, state legislators, and peace plan supporters. In February, the club initiated more social meetings and events, including a Valentine-themed lunch and leap year dance to get acquainted with other members outside the confines of a regular business meeting during the lunch hour.
Although Helena Gamble originally set a goal of over 100 hundred charter members for the Long Beach club, in March the club petitioned to close the charter at the end of the month with far fewer members. The club held its charter ceremony with a dinner and dance on March 28 at the Hotel Virginia, and the charter closed with 55 members.
Oda Faulconer, one of 12 members attending from the neighboring Los Angeles Soroptimist club, installed the newly elected Long Beach club officers: President Florence Wightman, Vice President Helen Lockwood, Treasurer Crecy Halloway, Auditor Naomi Tompkins, Executive Secretary Gertrude White, and Recording Secretary Ina Stanley. In addition to the Los Angeles members, Sue Ballard, president of the first Soroptimist club, Alameda County, was noted as attending in a newspaper article on the chartering, as well as the Long Beach mayor and state legislators.
In the period just before and after its formal chartering, the club began to undertake community service work through a 100% subscription of all members for the Long Beach Community Chest through the local Chamber of Commerce. Within months, the club was searching for a philanthropic endeavor that was constructive for the community and not duplicative of any other activity. The club’s investigations revealed that Long Beach made no provision for a “preventorium” or camp for the care of children with malnutrition or tuberculosis and no city made any major provisions for girls with these conditions. The club’s service work resulted in a home for 12 to 20 girls at a time, known as Rockhaven; the club and its project became virtually synonymous in Long Beach for almost eight years until an earthquake damaged the home in 1933.
The club’s current service, which includes giving multiple Live Your Dream Awards each year, is a testament to the hard work of its current members and the wise decisions of members past.
Congratulations SI/Long Beach for your century of service to the women and girls your community!
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