Women who serve as the primary wage earners for their families and seek financial assistance to go back to school can now obtain applications for the Women's Opportunity Awards, a Soroptimist International of White Rock major service project.

Applications are available online at soroptimist.org, or by contacting Liz Aubert at 604-538-3505 or lizfizz@shaw.ca. Completed applications must be returned online to the group by Dec. 15.

Since 1972, the Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards program has provided women who serve as the primary wage earners for their families with "the financial resources to offset costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education or additional skills and training." The award can be used for tuition, books, childcare or any other education-related expense. The White Rock club will provide a $2,000 cash grant to its award recipient, who will then advance to the Soroptimist Western Region level, where one recipient will receive $5,000. The program culminates with three finalist $10,000 awards.

Soroptimist International of White Rock is a volunteer organization for business and professional women "dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world." The White Rock club, founded in 1950, is part of Soroptimist International of the Americas.