Archive for International Update

February 2022 Newsletter

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Hello fellow Zontians and Friends,

I hope everyone stayed safe and warm throughout January’s blizzard. I personally like one good snowstorm and now I guess I’m ready for spring.
Our Period Project is underway and I have already received some donations. I have gotten pads, tampons, a menstrual cup, and some bars of soap. I would say we still need a bit of everything but pads and tampons are always the bulk of the need. The link to the Amazon wish list is posted on our Facebook page and website. You can always go and purchase supplies and drop them off at my house if that is easier for you. Mary Knight is going to have a little get-together at her house and put together some kits on 2/12. Our February business meeting is on 2/14 and we will have speaker Theresa Nicholson, director of Homelessness Services at CHD. She will talk to us about the status of women and children living in poverty in the Quaboag Valley area during this pandemic.
Read on:

 

February 2022

June Newsletter

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Typically, the June President’s message would be focused on recapping a very successful Silent “no more!” Auction. While it saddens me to miss the opportunity to gush about our wonderful auction, I am determined to make our 2021 auction a humdinger of an event!! Stay tuned!

Many thanks to our May speaker, Jessica Hernandez, LCSW, Director of Survivor Community Support Programs and our board member, Danielle Petrangelo, Senior SAFEPLAN Advocate, SAFEPLAN Program, for engaging us in a discussion about the difficulties in helping victims of domestic violence during the pandemic. In spite of the numerous challenges facing them, the YWCA continues to provide amazing support to all victims. Since the YWCA has been unable to do any fundraising due to COVID, they are in great need of financial support. Our club members voted unanimously to make a donation of $400 to be used for emergency services for survivors. Some members are also donating the money they normally would be paying for dinner meetings every month to this important cause. Thank you, everyone!

We have quite a bit of business to take care of at our June 8th virtual meeting. We will induct our newest club member, Maria Maloney. We are very excited to have Maria join us and look forward to working with her!  We also welcome Sue Seaver, who transferred to our Quaboag Valley club from the Zonta Club of Southern Maine. We will install a new executive board for the 2020-2022 biennium. In addition, we look forward to recognizing our 2020 Young Women in Public Affairs award recipient, Jena Marie Roseman, who will join us at our meeting.

June 2020

ZI Response to Ebola in Liberia

Dear Zontians,

We are reminded daily via the news media of the magnitude of the Ebola outbreak and its devastating effects in West Africa, particularly in Liberia – the site of the Zonta-supported Liberia Fistula Project. Like you, I am concerned about the fistula survivors we are committed to helping, the medical staff caring for them, and all Liberians who are threatened by this deadly disease.

In situations like this one, our first instinct is to ask how we can help; however, we need to be mindful of our mission and limitations. Zonta International is not a relief agency. As an organization, we do not have the human or financial resources to take action when humanitarian or natural disasters occur. For that purpose, we do have an Emergency and Disaster Funds Policy, which is available for you on the Zonta International website.

We remain committed to sharing any updates on the project in Liberia as we receive them. UNFPA, our partner in Liberia shared the report – “Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak: Overview of needs and requirements”. On pages 24 and 25, you will find information specifically on Liberia. I am scheduled to speak to our contacts at UNFPA this Friday, 26th of September, and will share any additional information I receive after that call.

Maria Jose Landeira Oestergaard
President
Zonta International Foundation