Soroptimist International of Fairfax County (SIFC) has selected Penny Lewis to receive the Live Your Dream Award, the club’s most prestigious award. Ms. Lewis will receive $2,000 at SIFC’s annual awards program in mid-May.
A resident of Colonial Beach, VA, Ms. Lewis is the mother of a teenage son—soon to graduate from high school–and daughter, also a high school student. She works as a bartender and server at a Colonial Beach restaurant. She lost her husband recently and their home to a fire shortly after his death.
Despite these many setbacks, Ms. Lewis powers on for her sake and that of her children. Because she believes in the value and promise of education, Ms. Lewis is working for a degree in psychology and a career in drug counseling at Ashland College. She explains, “The amount of people that are on drugs in this country is rapidly growing. I believe if people have the support and help that anyone can face and conquer their demons within.” She further states, “I think there would be no greater satisfaction in life then to be able to change someone’s life for the better by helping them overcome their demons. To know you were a part of changing or savings someone’s life is a great accomplishment and something to be proud of.”
The Live Your Dream Award, created by Soroptimist International of the Americas, honors single women, head-of-household, who are victims of abuse, poverty or other difficult life circumstances and who are trying to rebuild their lives and gain financial independence through education or skills training. SIFC presents this award annually and invites interested persons to apply online in the Fall at https://www.soroptimist.org/our-work/live-your-dream-awards/apply-for-the-live-your-dream-awards.html.
For more information about the Live Your Dream Award or SIFC, please contact Ann Mattheis at ahmattheis51@gmail.com.
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