From left are President Teresa Walden, Crystal Smotherman, Ayanna Rooks and Monica Fairbanks, president-elect and chair of the Live Your Dream Committee.
Crystal Smotherman was selected as the first place recipient. She’s a single mom who holds down two jobs and also sells Mary Kay while coaching her 10-year-old daughter’s youth sports teams. She is currently working toward her associate’s degree in accounting from Western Nevada College. She will receive an award of $1,250 and a gift certificate (worth $400) to a local law firm for basic life services (will, etc.).
Ayanna Rooks is the second place recipient. She is a single mother of a little boy and works as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) while pursuing her degree in nursing from WNC. She will also receive $1,250. The Fallon Soroptimists will also be receiving a check for $150 for its scholarship fund from Nancy Stewart, who received a Soroptimist award to attend college many years ago. Stewart said she felt that the program was important and wanted to “pay it forward.”