Soroptimist International Hosts 16th Annual High Heels for Healing Fundraiser

Walking a mile in someone else's shoes is more than a saying for Soroptimist International of Humboldt Bay. At the Danco Center on April 1, the club turned that idea into its 16th annual High Heels for Healing fundraiser, raising money for local nonprofits serving women and girls across Humboldt County.

Proceeds from the event are awarded as grants to organizations working in domestic violence services, breast health programs and youth education. One named beneficiary is the Boys & Girls Club Dream Quest program in Willow Creek, an initiative that depends in part on Soroptimist's local grantmaking to sustain programming that state and federal dollars don't reliably cover.

Laura Middlemiss, president-elect of the Humboldt Bay club, said the event was launched 16 years ago to build a consistent, annual vehicle for the club's local grantmaking. Since its founding, High Heels for Healing has served as both a fundraiser and a public forum, drawing community members together while putting a spotlight on organizations that often operate without much visibility.

General admission was priced at $45 and included a light dinner along with beer, wine and nonalcoholic beverages. VIP tickets at $75 came with additional perks. Attendees could purchase tickets through the club's social pages or at the door, and organizers encouraged bringing cash or cards to give beyond the cost of admission.

The event reflects a broader dynamic in Humboldt County's social-service landscape, where philanthropic fundraisers fill critical gaps. Crisis services including domestic violence shelters and immediate healthcare access require flexible, unrestricted funding to operate year-round, and locally raised dollars can move faster and more freely than grant cycles typically allow.

Sixteen years in, High Heels for Healing has become one of the Humboldt Bay club's most consistent mechanisms for turning community participation into direct support for the county's most vulnerable residents.