Are you a young woman between the ages of 14 and 17 who volunteers in your community or school? Who sees challenges instead of obstacles? Hope instead of despair? If you are a young woman who believes in the power of volunteer action, then you may be eligible to win a Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award.
The Violet Richardson Award recognizes young women who make the community and world a better place through volunteer efforts such as: fighting drugs, crime and violence; cleaning up the environment; and working to end discrimination and poverty. Volunteer actions that benefit women or girls are especially valued.
Soroptimist is an organization of women whose members volunteer in their communities, often working on the same problems that you do. Although we realize that volunteering is its own reward, we also know it feels good to be recognized for your actions. And that’s why we sponsor this award.
To apply, please download and fill out the form, and then upload it below.
January 1, 2024
Eligible applicants are young women who:
Violet Richardson Award Winner 2014 Jaskirat Sahni is a first-year undergraduate student at UBC and is passionate about taking on various leadership roles both in her local and global communities to contribute to a positive change in the lives of those around her. She is the founder of a youth-led organization called Girls Empowered, which strives to motivate, support and strengthen girls and women in society to become independent and self-supporting, through a variety of community events. She has continually been a part of programs such as IDEAS 36, a district-wide leadership council and the Gifted and Talented Program at her school. She also served as a student leader of clubs including Free the Children and G-Force Environmental Club, and was a committed member of Student Council for the her five years in high school. Jaskirat feels it is her moral responsibility to give back to a community which has provided her with so many resources and opportunities to make her the person she is today, and hopes to continue her philanthropic endeavors alongside her career in health care in the future. She is very grateful to organizations such as Semiahmoo Rotary Club, White Rock Rotary Club, the Surrey Firefighters association, and most importantly Soroptimist International of Surrey/Delta for encouraging her to continue her passion through the humbling recognition she has received through the Violet Richardson Award. Jaskirat is thrilled to have her organization partner with Soroptimist International of Surrey/Delta to organize a Dream It Be It Conference for high school girls in the Fall of 2015.
Jaskirat is a recent UBC graduate with her B.A. in Science. She continues to be our partnering organizer for Dream It, Be It Girls Conference.
Tavisha, aged 15, from Surrey, British Columbia has been recognized with the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts – The Diana Award.
Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Award is given out by the charity of the same name and has the support of both her sons, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex.
Tavisha first felt the spark of civic duty when she was 11 years old. Devastated to learn of people being forced from their homes by wildfires in British Columbia, Tavisha wanted to reach out and help in whatever way she could. She soon began decorating found objects (recyclable material to repurpose for better use) to sell and raise funds to help the causes she was so passionate about. Since then, Tavisha has donated $850 to the Canadian Red Cross, $3,000 to local hospitals and the Make-a-Wish foundation, and $5,140 to hospitals during the pandemic and the Australian wildfire relief at the beginning of 2020.
Says Tavisha: “Being told you’re appreciated is one of the simplest and most uplifting things you can hear. I want to thank @The Diana Award for presenting this award to me. I am truly honored to receive this award. It is an even greater honor to be placed in such distinguished ranks as those of my fellow honorees, all of whom have made important contributions to the society. My self-belief is improved by this award. It gives me more duties to improve my work and strengthens my belief to work for uplifting of the society.”
Tavisha Kochhar has been busy doing interviews for her amazing community work. She is so deserving of this recognition – we are so proud of you, Tavisha! We are also proud to welcome Tavisha’s Mom, Dr Poonam Kochhar, as our newest member of our Soroptimist Surrey/Delta team of amazing and inspiring women.
Diana awards website: https://diana-award.org.uk/about/
2021 Diana Awards YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwihxbOapJM
Western Canada Region Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wcsoroptimist.org/
Spice Podcast – https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/DB5nUvM2gGR3jfot9
BC Roundup Interview – https://fb.watch/v/I2YyKYKx/
The Navjot Dhillon Show (in Hindi/Punjabi and English) – https://youtu.be/W7inQ5_FaYc
Visit Tavisha’s Helping Hands site at https://www.tavishahelpinghands.com/
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