Soroptimist International of Lodi

We’re looking forward to holding our Dream It, Be It Career Conference on February 20! The Parental Consent and Release Form for the conference can be found on our website at http://www.lodisoroptimist.org/dream-it-be-it.php

It is almost a year since our paint party. I hope there can be another one sometime.

Due to Coronavirus stay at home orders in Lodi, SI Lodi had to postpone their Awards night. We will be sending LYD and Achievement awards to our recipients. We will be sending gift cards for food to last years recipients. We will also be making donations to local non-profits to help them through this difficult time. We challenge other SI groups to also remember those in need.

https://www.facebook.com/13610770/posts/10222926286249923/

Emily Ballus, Executive Director of the Mary Graham Children’s Foundation was the speaker at a recent Meeting.

Our paint project

SI Lodi paint party held Feb 29,2020. Thanks to Laura and her committee for their hard work.

Paint Party at new location. Village Coffee Shop, 700 E. Victor Road

Candy Cane Park plaque has been installed. Children enjoying the new park.

You are invited to attend our paint party. Call if you want a ticket. Or message me. Bev Lacy.

Candy Cane Park, 1324 Holly Drive, Lodi Rededication of the Candy Cane Park was held Nov 16th. This was a nice article in the Lodi News Sentinel. Myrna Wetzel participated in the Ribbon cutting. Soroptimist members also attended. There was a large turnout. "Nothing as sweet as remodel of Candy Cane Park"... By Oula Miqbel/News-sentinel Staff Writer Lodi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday morning at Candy Cane Park. The ribbon-cutting celebrates the new playground equipment that has been installed at the park. It’s been three years since there was a jungle gym there, Lodi resident Myrna Wetzel said. The kids will be so excited to have a park to play at. The 0.2-acre park on Holly Drive was built in the late 1950s by Soroptimist International of Lodi, who also donated a new play structure for the park in 1991. The playground received minor updates again in 1997, in order to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, the play structure was removed in 2017 after it began deteriorating. In 2016, the parks department set aside $55,000 for playground upgrades for Candy Cane Park, in the hopes that Measure R, a sales tax measure, would be passed by voters. It was not, and with the failure of Measubre R, the parks department got approval from council to redirect that funding to needed roof repairs at Salas Park instead. After losing the funding and the park structure, Wetzel began picketing in front of the park every day. She marched with a sign daily for 56 weeks, accompanied by her dog Blessing. People would stop and tell her stories about the park and how integral it was to their childhood, she said. Every day, someone would stop me and tell me about how their parents brought them to the park and how much it meant to them, Wetzel said. Once Measure L passed a half-cent sales tax increase that goes into Lodi’s general fund Candy Cane Park was at the top of the list of parks slated to receive funding for restoration projects. Candy Cane Park received a new ADA-compliant playground structure, benches, picnic tables, swings, a new drinking fountain, concrete sidewalks and a new park sign. There was supposed to be a fence around the park, but they didn’t put one in, which I am not too happy about, Wetzel said. If kids are playing ball and the ball rolls out in the street and they go running for it, God forbid something should happen. Wetzel is excited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and is watch as children play at the new playground, she said. See more

Original Tot Lot was donated by Soroptimist International of Lodi in 1959. It was changed to Candy Cane Park. The park was renovated in 1992 by SI Lodi and again in 2019 by City of Lodi. The park was dedicated on Nov. 26, 2019.

Deb and Bev pick location for Soroptimist plaque at Candy Cane Park.

President Liz Kass Karger and District Director Beth Stoekl. District Director Beth visited SI Lodi meeting on Nov 14, 2019

Candy Cane Park photos. The plaque will be installed later

We are excited for the reopening of Candy Cane Park, an original project of SI Lodi in 1959 and again in 1992. Article in Lodi News Sentinal today. "Nothing as sweet as remodel of Candy Cane Park" By Oula Miqbel/News-sentinel Staff Writer Lodi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday morning at Candy Cane Park. The ribbon-cutting celebrates the new playground equipment that has been installed at the park.... It’s been three years since there was a jungle gym there, Lodi resident Myrna Wetzel said. The kids will be so excited to have a park to play at. The 0.2-acre park on Holly Drive was built in the late 1950s by Soroptimist International of Lodi, who also donated a new play structure for the park in 1991. The playground received minor updates again in 1997, in order to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, the play structure was removed in 2017 after it began deteriorating. In 2016, the parks department set aside $55,000 for playground upgrades for Candy Cane Park, in the hopes that Measure R, a sales tax measure, would be passed by voters. It was not, and with the failure of Measure R, the parks department got approval from council to redirect that funding to needed roof repairs at Salas Park instead. After losing the funding and the park structure, Wetzel began picketing in front of the park every day. She marched with a sign daily for 56 weeks, accompanied by her dog Blessing. People would stop and tell her stories about the park and how integral it was to their childhood, she said. Every day, someone would stop me and tell me about how their parents brought them to the park and how much it meant to them, Wetzel said. Once Measure L passed a half-cent sales tax increase that goes into Lodi’s general fund Candy Cane Park was at the top of the list of parks slated to receive funding for restoration projects. Candy Cane Park received a new ADA-compliant playground structure, benches, picnic tables, swings, a new drinking fountain, concrete sidewalks and a new park sign. There was supposed to be a fence around the park, but they didn’t put one in, which I am not too happy about, Wetzel said. If kids are playing ball and the ball rolls out in the street and they go running for it, God forbid something should happen. Wetzel is excited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and is watch as children play at the new playground, she said. IF YOU GO When: 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 Where: Candy Cane Park, 1324 Holly Drive, Lodi This is a free event open to the public. See more