International Academy of the Visual Arts Recognizes Soroptimist’s Innovative Live Your Dream Campaign and Website

June 2, 2008
Contact: Jessica Levinson, Communications Director
215-893-9000 x129, jessica@soroptimist.org

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Soroptimist International of the Americas, an international volunteer organization of business and professional women dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls, received Communicator Awards of Distinction for its Live Your Dream campaign and website LiveYourDreamCampaign.org. Soroptimist’s Live Your Dream Campaign inspires women and girls from all walks of life to live their dreams and realize their full potential. The website is the online home of the campaign, which also encourages women to pass on their good fortune to others. The campaign was launched in 2006 in conjunction with International Women’s Day.

“LiveYourDreamCampaign.org is a fun and inspirational online community where both Soroptimist members and the general public can go to celebrate women and the power of their dreams,” said Soroptimist’s Executive Director Leigh Wintz. “Whether your dream is to learn a second language or to make the world a better place for other women, Soroptimist’s Live Your Dream campaign encourages you to make your dream a reality.”

The website features an exciting webisode series that follows past Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Award recipient, Sena Kimbrell, on her quest to live her dream; monthly contests; a column by certified life coach Phyllis Mufson; a blog by Jasmeet Sidhu, a past Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award recipient who provides a fresh perspective and explores the power of youthful perseverance; inspirational stories of women who have overcome enormous obstacles to live their dreams; and a Live Your Dream store offering T-shirts, mugs, magnets, bookmarks, and tote bags.

“The Communicator Award recognized the fun and innovative nature of this inspirational campaign,” added Wintz. “We hope to build on our success and offer an online community that people will want to visit often.”

The Communicator Awards is the leading international creative awards program honoring creative excellence for communication professionals. The annual competition is judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), a 200+ member organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts. Current IAVA membership represents a "Who's Who" of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms including:  Condè Nast, Coach, Disney, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Estee Lauder, Fry Hammond Barr, HBO, Monster.com, MTV, Polo Ralph Lauren, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Victoria’s Secret, Wired, Yahoo!, and many others.  The past year’s 14th Annual Communicator Awards received over 8,500 entries from companies and agencies of all sizes, making it one of the largest awards of its kind in the world. Please visit www.communicatorawards.com for more information.

Soroptimist, a 501 c (3) organization headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., offers programs that improve social and economic conditions for women and girls. Programs include the Women’s Opportunity Awards, which provides cash grants for head-of-household women seeking to improve their lives with the help of additional education and training. Each year, more than $1 million is disbursed through this award-winning program. Visit Soroptimist’s website at www.soroptimist.org to learn more about the organization and its work on behalf of the world’s women and girls.

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