17 Jul 2017, 11 a.m.

A local women's empowerment group come together to celebrate their 34th anniversary at the annual handover dinner.

LEADERSHIP: Current President of Port Pirie's Soroptimist International club Debbie Devlin. PHOTO: B'Elanna O'Dea.

The Port Pirie Soroptimist International group celebrated 34 years at their annual handover dinner at the RSL Clubrooms last month.

The groupis one of the largest womens service clubs in the world with more than75,000 members in 132 countries and territories. Port Pirie's group is one of sixcountry clubs in South Australia.

Onlocal, national and international levels, members strive to empower, educate and enablewomen and girls across the world.

At the handover dinner, the honor of Port Pirie SIgroup president was passed on from foundation member Jenny Hughes, to 17-year member Debbie Devlin.

All members have the opportunity to serve as interim president for a term or one or two years as the role provides valuable leadership skills.

During the dinner, club members Elaine Owen and Pam Ayliffe received awards and recognition for 25 years of service.

Kathryn Johnson, Port Pirie Regional Councils infrastructure director,received a Women's Achiever award for her services in building the community. She spoke about the importance of how infrastructure works as a base of unity from which a community can thrive.

Ms Devlin's personal goals for her term is tomaintain the Look Good, Feel Better program, in partnership with breast cancer nurses and professional beauticians. The schemehelps chemotherapy patients to look and feel their best.

The group also hopes, during the redevelopment of the park,to restore and move the Women'sMemorial so that it stands alongside the other similar memorials.

Through fundraising, the group also awards an annual Educational Leadership Bursaryto a female student who has shown merit and determination in her studies and school life.

This year local Soroptimist International plans to raise $600 so that it may be divided equally between the awardees from three high schools in the region,John Pirie Secondary School,Mid North Christian College and St Mark's College.

MsDevlinsays that she loves being a member of Soroptimist International because of the sense of friendship and fellowship it provides. She says she appreciates that she gets to lead adiverse group of interesting, capable and fun-to-be-around women.

All women who want to make a difference and seekreliable friends that care and support are welcome to join.

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Port Pirie's Soroptimist International group continues to empower, educate and enable women and girls - The Recorder