Member Spotlight: Linda Cunliffe

A member of SI/Surrey/Delta, BC (Western Canada Region), Linda Cunliffe joined Soroptimist in 1995. 

Becoming a charter member of SI/Surrey/Delta in 1995 not only became my passion, it became my purpose. It provided me with opportunities to improve the lives of women and girls in ways I could never have imagined. It made me aware of the multiple issues of gender inequality, gender violence, economic and social injustice, and the need to create our collective impact to challenge the “status-quo” and make the necessary changes to truly achieve gender equality.

Throughout my Soroptimist journey of 27 years, I have been blessed with many, many moments of inspiration, motivation, friendship, gratitude, and service. I have held leadership positions in our club (charter secretary, president and past president) and served on many region level committees as well. I produced our club’s Live Your Dream Quarantina event (Western Canada Region’s first victual fundraising event due to COVID), which can be seen on our YouTube Channel through our website at www.soroptimistsurrey-delta.org. But it is the impact of two specific experiences that have made my Soroptimist membership a true gift in my life. 

Here’s my Dream It, Be It story:

Live Your Dream Fundraising Luncheon, 2018 - This was part of my presentation to our guests at our 2018 luncheon:

Today, we celebrate the women and girls in our community who are changing their lives and working to change the lives of other women and girls. Our theme this year is “Telling Our Stories”—celebrating our successes, overcoming our challenges, and sharing our stories so that others will be inspired to share their stories. These stories are from our award recipients :Live Your Dream Awards, Violet Richardson Award and Ruby Award. Exceptional women and girls doing exceptional things!

So, I have a story—well, more of an adventure, but still a story. First, a bit of background. In 2015, we launched a new Soroptimist program called Dream It, Be It: Career Support for Girls. This annual conference provides girls with access to professional role models, career education, and the resources to live their dreams.

Since 2015, we have hosted a one-day conference for high school girls in our Surrey/Delta communities. One of the favorite features of our conference is our Career Fair, where we invite professional women from many professions and careers to share their journeys with the girls. They love to meet professional women from a variety of occupations, careers and trades – we’ve had Accountants, Lawyers, Doctors, Health Care Workers, Engineers, Authors, Politicians, Stunt Woman, Journalists, RCMP, Firefighters, Welders, Helicopter Pilots, Mechanics, Travel Consultants, Social Workers, Financial Experts, and everything in-between.

Every year, we have also been honored to have participation from our Canadian Armed Forces in our Career Fair. Lt(N). Simon Chow, the Diversity and Recruitment Officer for Pacific Region, has worked closely with us to bring us women from all three branches of CAF – army, navy and air force.

In November 2017, we were honored to have Petty Officer 2nd Class Jennifer Morgan at our Dream It, Be It Career Fair, along with two of her counterparts in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Jennifer has been in the CAF for 15 years as a Naval Communicator. Her responsibilities range from radio and visual communications, the management of cryptographic equipment and materials, to the management and maintenance of all IT onboard a ship. She has been employed on both coasts; Halifax, Nova Scotia and Esquimalt, BC, as well as inland in Quebec where she instructed Basic Military Training for 4 years. At the time, she was employed as a Recruiter at CFRC Pacific Jennifer has recently been promoted to a Commissioned Officer and now holds the rank of Sub Lieutenant.

Jennifer was one of our guests at this luncheon, and when we introduced her, she told her story of how the CAF Navy “saved” her life as she had experienced a childhood of living in the foster-care system, had experienced violence, abandonment, and abuse, and how joining the Canadian Armed Forces Navy gave her a sense of purpose and a road to a successful and fulfilling career. We are especially proud that Jennifer was so impressed with the work WE do, that she became a member of our Surrey/Delta Club!

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