CLEARLAKE — Feathers, masks, theater capes, flapper dresses, even a dead librarian – the Soroptimist International of Clear Lake’s dinner Mystery Masquerade had it all.
The dinner was held at the Clearlake Senior Community Center, a shiny new-looking building on Bowers Avenue. Olga Martin-Steele, public relations for the Clearlake SI, began the evening telling the crowd that S-Club members [civic clubs for high school students in the community], from Clearlake high schools were to be the servers for the three course dinner. Martin-Steele, who has been a member for five years, and past president twice, introduced the characters for the story. The actors, several of whom were SI members and local thespians, were introduced later in the program.
The third annual Mystery Masquerade was the brainchild of the current president, Ami Landrum, 41. She has been a member for three and a half years and skyrocketed to the position of president this year. “We look for something fun [for the bi-yearly fundraiser] and this year we knew we wanted to do a masquerade theme. We try to pick themes that will interest people and made them want to attend.” She found the storyline online at ‘Shot in the Dark Mysteries’, a do-it-yourself mystery event.
The story of this year’s mystery was that a librarian, Leonardo Venizion, had been found murdered, in a pool of blood, in the library. Two clues were given and audience members were to ask the plays’ characters, who mostly walked around the dinner tables, drinking a glass of wine and bating each other to throw off the audience members. The characters could respond only with true answers; they couldn’t lie. But they could deflect a question with, “I have nothing to say about that.”
At one table there were two librarians from around the lake. Live ones. Anne Shirako, a librarian at Mendocino College Library in Ukiah, wearing an extravagant feather mask, laughed when she said, “Oh, the librarian killed again?” When asked if she was a SI member she said, “No, I’m not a Soroptimist but I came tonight because I believe in their causes.” Annie Garrison, a middle school librarian at Terrace Middle School in Lakeport, agreed with Shirako, that she, too, believed in the SI causes, especially ‘The Nest’ – a local maternity home for at-risk pregnant young women, 18 to 21 years-old, and their children, who have no place to go. They both supported the anti-human trafficking programs that the SI of Clear Lake have brought to the forefront in Lake County.
The crowd shouted out questions to the actors; Ravenna (Raven) Berkley, an international photographer [played by Landrum], the feisty, ditzy Belle Howard [Pollyann Johnston], a professional shopper — yes, there were plenty of jokes, Emmeline Magdalene [Ashley Chandler] a library scientist who associated with many of the city’s elite. Eli Perez [Bo Murphy], professional fitness trainer to the stars, Ray Tyler [Brock Becker] a biomedical scientist who answered too many questions from the audience with, “I have nothing to say about that.” Carl Wellington [Charles Berry] a politician — yes, there were many jokes about politicians, especially with Jim Steele [Lake County Supervisor] in the audience, which made the rest of the audience roar with laughter.
After the questions to the characters were finished, the audience voted on whodunnit. It was the “I have nothing to say about that,” Ray Tyler who dunnit. Four people who voted for Ray, received gift baskets loaded with wine donated by the Rosenthal Family at R Vineyards. After that the raffle produced more winners of gift cards to the BookMan at the Vintage Owl in Lakeport.
“Every woman who joins the club has a story,” said Martin-Steele. Landrum said hers was a desire to volunteer and help people. The Vision of SI is “Women and girls have the resources and opportunities to reach their full potential and live their dreams.” Their Mission Statement is “Soroptimist improves the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.” Just what Landrum was looking for.
Prior to joining SI, Monica Rosenthal was involved with a small group in Clearlake, Girls’s Circle, working with young girls who had challenges. “It was the steppingstone,” she said, “that led me to Soroptimist. For me, my interest was empowering young women and women in general. My personal story was that my husband and I adopted twins [boy and girl] who were 5-years-old. It gave us the opportunity to learn through them the challenges that they had in life stemming from the early years in their life and what they needed to move through and overcome. It stemmed from that.” She hesitated and began to tell of the wine that she, her husband and son offer from their vineyard, R Vineyards in Middletown. She told of the label ‘Ruby Red,’ named for their daughter and ‘Russel Rocks’ named for their son. “In 2010, my daughter,” she continued, “who was 18-years-old at the time, unfortunately committed suicide. The labels are in memory of her and this is our way of moving forward.” It was a difficult story for her to tell, especially at a Mystery Theater party, yet she did. In doing so it helps her to move through her own challenges, and empowers other women, of all ages, who have challenges and who need help.’
Sally Munger, a sparkling 84-year-old, has been a Soroptimist since 1987. She even has the Soroptimist symbol tattooed on her ear. She laughed when she told why she had it on her ear. “I have it there, because it won’t sag!” A mother of nine children, Munger was left on her own to raise them. The Altrusa International organization in Washington state gave her a scholarship that she used to become a nurse, which helped her take care of her children. Munger listed SI program after program that help women: Free mammograms to women who don’t have insurance or the means to pay for one, ‘The Nest’ in Lakeport, gift cards to survivors of the Valley Fire, an eye clinic in Bangladesh, a water project in Ecuador, fistula project in Africa, $8000 in scholarships given for women to go back to school, ‘Live Your Dreams’ gives education and training grants for women to get a hand up.” Like the hand-up she was given those many years ago. For her, being in SI is a way to pay it forward. “I get to help someone who needs help like I did. That’s why we’re here tonight.”
To find out how to join Soroptimist International of Clear Lake go to: https://www.si-founderregion.org/si-clear-lake.html
