Soroptimist Pledge
I pledge allegiance to Soroptimist
and to the ideals for which it stands.
The Sincerity of Friendship,
The Joy of Achievement,
The Dignity of Service,
The Integrity of Profession,
The Love of Country.
I will put forth my greatest effort
to Promote, Uphold, and Defend these
Ideals, for a Larger Fellowship in Home,
in Society, In Business,
for Country and for God.
and to the ideals for which it stands.
The Sincerity of Friendship,
The Joy of Achievement,
The Dignity of Service,
The Integrity of Profession,
The Love of Country.
I will put forth my greatest effort
to Promote, Uphold, and Defend these
Ideals, for a Larger Fellowship in Home,
in Society, In Business,
for Country and for God.
History of our pledge
The search for a Soroptimist ‘creed’ began six months prior to the 1930 convention. The delegates chose to defer making a decision for another six months so that each club could receive copies of the proposed creeds to make an informed decision. Ethel Knight Pollard, director of Midwestern/South Atlantic regions, noted “we want a creed that we can use and work by and live by, not one that will simply be printed and stuck away to get dusty and have no use to us.”
Six months later the federation chose as its creed a pledge that simply stated the ideals of the organization. The pledge was written in 1927 by Candis Nelson, a charter member of the Seattle, WA club. The pledge was set to music in 1947 by Dorothy Miller Dunlap, a member of Huntington Beach, CA club. The setting was adopted as the official musical arrangement of the pledge at the 1950 convention in Seattle, WA- the city of the Soroptimist Pledge’s birth.
Six months later the federation chose as its creed a pledge that simply stated the ideals of the organization. The pledge was written in 1927 by Candis Nelson, a charter member of the Seattle, WA club. The pledge was set to music in 1947 by Dorothy Miller Dunlap, a member of Huntington Beach, CA club. The setting was adopted as the official musical arrangement of the pledge at the 1950 convention in Seattle, WA- the city of the Soroptimist Pledge’s birth.
Soroptimist Grace
For the bread upon the board,
make us truly thankful Lord.
For each person meeting here,
whom our hearts hold close and dear.
For this day, O Lord above,
now accept our grateful love.
make us truly thankful Lord.
For each person meeting here,
whom our hearts hold close and dear.
For this day, O Lord above,
now accept our grateful love.
Soroptimist Symphony
Words and music by Dorothy Vale Kissinger (Soroptimist Club of Mesa, Arizona)
If I can serve another’s need;
If I can be a friend in deed;
If I can lessen someone’s pain;
Always be glad to share my gain;
Then I will know joy’s meaning true;
Found in achieving work to do;
And I will know the reason why,
Soroptimist am I.
If I can answer freedom’s call;
Striving to be a friend to all;
If I have love for my own land;
Yet to far shores hold out my hand;
Then fellowship I’ll truly share;
When for the whole wide world I care;
And I will know it’s fine and free,
Soroptimist to be.
If all the best I will de fend;
Yet to the needy courage lend;
If I will bless my home with love,
And grateful be to God above;
Then life’s true meaning I will know;
In understanding I will grow;
And in humility I’ll pray,
Soroptimist to stay.
If I can serve another’s need;
If I can be a friend in deed;
If I can lessen someone’s pain;
Always be glad to share my gain;
Then I will know joy’s meaning true;
Found in achieving work to do;
And I will know the reason why,
Soroptimist am I.
If I can answer freedom’s call;
Striving to be a friend to all;
If I have love for my own land;
Yet to far shores hold out my hand;
Then fellowship I’ll truly share;
When for the whole wide world I care;
And I will know it’s fine and free,
Soroptimist to be.
If all the best I will de fend;
Yet to the needy courage lend;
If I will bless my home with love,
And grateful be to God above;
Then life’s true meaning I will know;
In understanding I will grow;
And in humility I’ll pray,
Soroptimist to stay.