Dear Sister Zontians and Friends,

I hope that all of you have had a relaxing and rejuvenating summer and are as excited as I am to begin our monthly meetings!

I was delighted to see many of you at the June campfire with the Soldier On women . Thanks to Debbie for hosting this fun evening complete with gourmet s’mores!  It was a very enjoyable evening and I was able to get some “inside scoop” from the SoldierOn women who provided me with a list of suggestions for monthly activities. We will discuss this further at our September meeting.  I was also happy to host a “warm and cozy” get together in August. For those of you who missed this evening, my air conditioning unit broke down and it was quite toasty in my home!   It was so nice to catch up with you and hear about your summer activities.

Our Golf Committee has been very busy putting the finishing touches on our upcoming golf fundraiser on September 8th. Marge—If you haven’t already done so, please put in your request for beautiful weather! Rain or shine, this is always a fun event and I hope to see many of you there.  Read more.

Dear ZQV Members and Friends:
Heartfelt thanks go out to donors and guests who made the 10th Silent “no more!” Auction on May 7th a resounding success.  The auction raised awareness and over $7000 funds this year for projects aimed at stopping violence against women and children; enhancing programming for young mothers at Roca Inc.; and preserving dignity and quality of life for women veterans. Please show support to donor businesses for their generosity: zontaqv.org/silent-nomore-auction-heroes.  Congratulations to the winners of over 100 auction items. Be proud of the difference all of you are making locally and globally by supporting this annual event.   read on…

June2018

On April 9th we will have a regular business meeting, choose a delegate for Convention in Japan, and elect officers for the next biennium (see slate of officers on page 2). We will also get to meet the recipient of our latest donation award—Regina Sanderson of the Womanhood Program. She and Dr. Aline Gubrium will be on hand to share info about digital storytelling they are implementing at the program. See the RSVP information on the left—we need an accurate count for the Ludlow Country Club!
On the FIRST Monday of May, we will sponsor our 10th annual Silent “no more!” Auction—a festive and amazing fundraiser to benefit Zonta International Foundation, Solder On Women Veterans and this year’s local organization: Roca Young Mother’s Program. Invitations should go out NOW. Use the flyer in this newsletter or invite your guests to visit our website: zontaqv.org/silent-no-more for all the details and payment info. Start gathering those themed baskets and gift certificates, too. Each Auction item must be accompanied by a form—see page 6 of this newsletter. Remember, we are not looking for quantity, but rather quality. If you have some really nice SMALL gift items, bring them to the April 9th meeting and we will come up with ideas for a basket someone can make up. We are also looking for members and friends who have a knack for gift wrapping those baskets to meet on a day prior to the Auction for a basket making party!

Thanks to the generous response from our Valley community, on Feb. 12 the Zonta clubs of Northampton, Springfield and Quaboag Valley assembled more than 1,000 packets of feminine hygiene supplies for area women who are homeless or living in poverty. On our website, zontaqv.org/period/, please see the many local shops, stores and spas that enthusiastically became drop-off locations for supplies and donated money. We were encouraged by financial gifts and volunteer energy from people who read about our project in area newspapers.

So, to our friends: Because of your generosity, many women will be able to care for themselves with dignity during the coming months. Our packets, and boxes of extra supplies, will be distributed through the tireless organizations who serve women in Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden counties.
Thanks to all of you who stand with us in support of women.

On March 12th, we will travel back in time to experience societal norms with Lucy Stone, who was born in West Brookfield MA in 1818. Actress and historical interpreter, Judith Kalaora, will perform her one-woman play as suffragist Lucy Stone. Invite friends and family and talk up this event in your networks!  If you would like to ensure that students and others without means can experience this timely educational performance, we invite you to send a donation (in any amount) to Zonta Quaboag Valley with a note in the memo: “Lucy Stone Free Admission.”  We will take care of the rest!  Please note the buffet will start at 5:45, we will have a short meeting and the program begins at 6:40.  Advance tickets for guests are $20—check or online (see zontaqv.org/lucystone) and $25 at the door with reservations NLT 3/7. Call or text Trish to confirm.

On the FIRST Monday of May, we will sponsor our 9th annual Silent “no more!” Auction—a festive and amazing fundraiser to benefit Zonta International Foundation, Solder On Women Veterans and one more deserving nonprofit to be determined. Let us know your thoughts on the third recipient and start gathering those themed baskets and gift certificates.

Thank you as always for your dedication and service!

Mary Knight
President

Dear Sister Zontians and Friends:

Where has time gone?  Our meeting in June starts the new Zonta year and ends our meetings for the summer break!  As is our tradition, we have a Year-end Report in this issue of the Zonta Bog. We few have accomplished an awful lot of good work together!  Please take some time to review each summary. Questions and ideas are encouraged!

Our Silent “no more!” Auction in May was another great success.  Trish does an excellent job of summarizing highlights in her report on page 4. Kudos to all!  I know Marge was with us in spirit!

The June meeting will be a full one.