Local women honored by Soroptimists of South Lake Tahoe

Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe honored three local women as winners of their annual Violet Richardson, Live Your Dream and Ruby Awards.

The Violet Richardson Award recognizes young women in middle and high school who are making a difference with their volunteer service and leadership in the community. This year the club selected Whittell High School Sophomore Sarah T. Gonzales as their recipient. The 16-year-old is new to the South Shore and was a member of Interact, made boxes to send to Third World countries during the holiday, is active in her church and participates in Trauma Intervention Program (TIP). Next year she is headed to Australia to be a part of YWAM (Youth With a Mission) and their work with victims of sex trafficking in other countries.

Aubrie Shott was the club's choice for the Live Your Dream Award, Soroptimists's main award internationally that recognizes women who are working towards achieving a better life for themselves and their families through higher education. Aubrie is a single mother who is attending Lake Tahoe Community College with a premed focus, aiming for a degree in Natural Science before heading to medical school. Her goal is to work with children and those in cancer treatment to give them hope and love.

The Ruby Award goes to Dr Kelly Shanahan this year. She was honored not only for her contributions to women in the community as an OB/GYN and surgeon, but to women and men around the country as works to increase awareness and seek funding for metastatic breast cancer. The South Lake Tahoe woman is not only a mom, wife and doctor, but as someone with metastatic breast cancer, is the medical director for MetUP. This organization lobbies Congress for funding as well as protests and demonstrates to increase awareness of the disease for which there is no cure. She is also active with Metavivor. Kelly estimates she has delivered 8-10,000 babies through her years in med school and in private practice. The Ruby Award recognizes women helping women and those working to improve the lives of others.