DOWNEY - Soroptimist International of Downey was extremely busy this past holiday season, adopting families from the Exchange Club and Family Support Service Center, and fulfilling their Christmas lists.Each year, the club puts together bags filled with personal hygiene products, socks, hoodies, DVDs and homemade scarves for 105 residents at Bell Gardens Manor, an assisted living facility. Soroptimist members also sent out 35 care packages to female troops in Afghanistan in support of the Ladies of Liberty project. The club also accompanied Santa Claus on a trip to Alameda Elementary School to visit special needs students, providing them with snacks, pictures, songs of the season and an Elmo to take home. The club's holidays were completed by serving dinner and handing out fruit baskets to each resident at the Soroptimist Village in Norwalk. "We want to thank all the 36 members of (Soroptimist International of Downey) for their volunteering, and to the community for donating throughout the year to the club's fundraisers," the organization said in a statement. "At the holidays, what a person or family receives from SI Downey may be all they receive at a special time of the year." For information on joining Soroptimist International of Downey, go to soroptimistdowney.net or e-mail misssaywell@verizon.net. Soroptimist will hold its Mardi Gras Casino Night fundraiser Feb. 24 at the Rio Hondo Event Center.

********** Published: January 19, 2012 - Volume 10 - Issue 40