Honoring women who make a difference

By Mary-Justine Lanyon

 

For 45 years, Soroptimist International of Rim of the World has honored women who make a difference in the lives of other women and girls with their Ruby Award.

And then 16 years ago, they added two additional awards: the Live Your Dream Award and the Violet Richardson Award.

This year, they honored three women with the Ruby Award. Shellie Mundall Boydston, Sherri Mundall and Jessica Mazakas founded HAFDRA (Humanitarian Aid for Development and Relief Agency) to serve both the local and international need for healthcare and education.

With the assistance of volunteers, HAFDRA provides free dental screenings and sealants to the elementary school children on the mountain. They take that mission to Belize with a group of volunteers each year, conducting dental and medical clinics in villages and at a primary school.

Why Belize? Sherri and Shellie were adopted as infants by a doctor who felt called to move his family to Belize where he founded a hospital known as La Loma Luz. The twin girls grew up in Belize and moved to California when they were in high school. Their parents instilled in them a passion for serving others. That passion led them to found HAFDRA with Jessica Mazakas, who teaches fourth grade at Valley of Enchantment Elementary School.

Sherri is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and Shellie is a registered dental hygienist.

“It has been such a wonderful experience to see the trip (to Belize) grow,” Sherri said. “It’s amazing to see young people work 12 to 14-hour days, sweating but never complaining.”

Mazakas had been a recipient of the Live Your Dream Award in 2011. “I followed through with my education,” she said. “My daughter watched it. HAFDRA was a natural progression for all three of us.” She noted the nonprofit is made up entirely of volunteers. “We want our services to be free; many people don’t qualify for other services.”

Shellie thanked God for “blessing our organization with patience and perseverance.” She cited their motto, which she called their guiding principle: “Together we will build and strengthen healthier communities.”

Talking about her adoptive parents, Shellie said that “they taught us the value of education and hard work. Part of our mission is to continue what they started. We are able to do what we do because we had mentors, people who pushed us to be who we are today.”

Shellie thanked one of her mentors, who was at the Soroptimist luncheon: Dr. Vijay Patel, a dentist who goes on the Belize trip each year. “I wouldn’t be here without him and his wife. They have given me amazing support.

Soroptimist President Virgie Witte presented the three women with flowers, certificates and an award.

Live Your Dream Award

This year the Soroptimists honored two women with the Live Your Dream Award. This education award is for women who supply the primary financial support to their family. It is intended to improve education, skills and employment prospects. The women can use the award for tuition, books, childcare, transportation.

Crestline resident Ana Arrubla is the single mom of a 12-year-old daughter, Katalina. She is currently an aide in a mild/moderate special day class at Lake Arrowhead Elementary School.

A letter of recommendation for Arrubla said that she has “an unwavering positive attitude. Her encouragement and positivity are contagious. She enables her students to work to the best of their capabilities.”

Arrubla is currently taking classes at Crafton Hills College with a goal of attending the occupational therapist assistant program at Santa Ana College.

“My dream,” Arrubla said, “is to be an occupational therapist and maybe one day own my own practice. My passion is helping people with disabilities. The challenges I’ve faced have made me stronger.”

She noted that, after receiving her award – which was presented at an earlier Soroptimist meeting – she was able to get her car serviced and get new tires. That gave her the means to get to class and earn an A.

Soroptimist Brigitta Pumerantz read a message that Arrubla had shared with her. It reads in part:

Energy is a mirror. Life gives back what you put into it. When you lead with kindness, it finds its way back to you.

When you show up with love, love eventually circles back around. When you give your best, the universe notices and responds in ways you don’t always expect but always need. You get what you give. Not always right away, and not always in the way you think. But the energy you put out matters.

Pumerantz presented the second Live Your Dream Award to Natanya Vidales, who also lives in Crestline. Vidales is currently working for the Rialto Unified School District, assisting students in the nurse’s office. At the same time, she is attending Cal State San Bernardino full time and parenting her 9-year-old autistic son. She is a first-generation college student.

Her letter of recommendation pointed to her greatest strengths: resilience, determination and the genuine passion she brings to her education. “She has faced more obstacles than many of her peers yet continues to move forward. She seeks out experiences that will help her succeed.”

Vidales said her goal is earn a degree in Information Technology with a focus on cybersecurity. Ultimately, she said, she wants to use technology as a tool to protect vulnerable populations.

“Balancing motherhood, work and school is not easy but it shows me how to be strong and determined. It shows me women are able to fight for better futures for themselves and their children. Opportunities like this remind me hard work and perseverance truly matter and that there are kind people in the world.

“Because of your generosity and support,” Vidales said, “women like me are able to continue pursuing their dreams. Thank you for believing in me and investing in my future.”

As Pumerantz presented the award to each woman, she told them to put it on a shelf to remind them they are worth it.

Violet Richardson Award

The Violet Richardson Award recognizes a young woman who has engaged in volunteer work in their community or school.

This year’s recipient is Nina Hidajat, a senior at Rim High who began volunteering at an early age. Soroptimist Jodie McDuffie called Nina “one of the most talented community volunteers I’ve ever known.”

At the Skilled Nursing Facility at Mountains Community Hospital, Nina spent Saturdays giving the residents manicures. “She not only held their hands,” McDuffie said, “she encouraged them, giving them love and support at the same time.”

Nina discovered HAFDRA last year and began volunteering at the dental screenings at the elementary schools. That led to her joining them on the trip to Belize this past April. There she assisted the dentists, acquiring skills she will need in her chosen career of being a pediatric dentist.

Nina founded the Ecology Club at Rim High. With her guidance, the club launched a paper recycling program and operated a school thrift store to encourage second-hand shopping.

“While I’m in college,” Nina said, “I hope to continue giving back to my community.” She will be attending UCLA in the fall.

“Thank you to all the incredible women who have helped me,” Nina added. “My grandmas in Indonesia, my Mom and my older sister who instilled really good life lessons in me.” She also thanked her teachers and mentors and gave a shoutout to “all the people in HAFDRA who are loving and gave me an outlet to help people.”

And thank you, Nina said to the Soroptimists, “for your generosity.” She received a $1,000 award to put toward her education and $250 to be donated to a charity of her choice. She chose the Nature Conservancy because “they protect the environment against climate change and global warming.”