POULSBO — Soroptimist International of Greater North Kitsap may be small in number, but its members came up big on Wednesday, donating $4,200 to charities around the globe.

“We had a huge arts and crafts show this year at President’s Hall at the Fairgrounds, which made it possible for us to reach out to the community,” commented Club President Louise Lightfoot.

The show was the first for the club and because of its success, plans have already been set for next year, Lightfoot explained.

One of the beneficiaries from the event is a young woman in Nairobi, Kenya, who the club has sponsored for the past four years, she said.

“She’s been going to high school and taking technical classes as well,” she announced. “She’s going to graduate this year and we’re so proud of her.”

Locally, North Kitsap Fishline and the Central Kitsap Food Bank benefitted from the club’s fund-raising efforts as well.

“We’ve contributed to Fishline for the last several years and we really appreciate what you do for the community,” Lightfoot told Fishline Executive Director Sharon Kirkpatrick at the Soroptimists’ meeting.

While the food bank always appreciates donations from community groups, items are particularly needed as summer approaches, Kirkpatrick said.

“During the summer, there aren’t as many food drives as there are during the rest of the year but the need is still there,” she explained.

The funding will help the food bank as it continues finding different ways to serve its clients, Kirkpatrick said.

Another beneficiary of the club’s efforts was the therapeutic riding program at Blue Heron Farms in Poulsbo.

“We sponsored a horse last year and it’s a wonderful program that really helps children,” Lightfoot commented. “We’ve decided to do it again this year.”

The program is headed by Ruel Johnson, who is also a horsemanship instructor with the Poulsbo Parks and Recreation Department.

“The kids really benefit from the program and they form a bond with the horses,” said Linda Ayriss, who accepted the check for Johnson.

Some of the children in the program are autistic and virtually unable to speak, but through the program some of them have been able to say the word “horse,” Ayriss told the group.

The Soroptimists also lent their support to the Wing Point Play for the Cure golf tournament, which has a special meaning to the club’s members, Lightfoot said.

“We have a breast cancer survivor with us, so it’s a very important issue to us as a woman’s group,” she explained.