District 6 News

The highlight of the end of the Zonta year is the Area Workshops. This year the theme was Relevant Voices/Relevant Clubs. All 5 Workshops focused on the use of Social Media and interacting with the Millennial Generation. There was a heavy emphasis on interactive sessions on the several different types of popular social media with time to get set up with sites such as Facebook and Instagram. Younger Zontians, often Millennials themselves, guided us through which site is most popular with which age group and helped with hands on training and answered questions. Many of us set up new accounts particularly with Facebook during these sessions. I even plunged into Instagram.

Here is some advice from Ashley Conard, daughter of incoming Area 4 AD Lisa Conard, who attended and actively participated in the Area 4 Workshop.

1) Facebook and Twitter accounts are a great place to start using only a few social media platforms. LinkedIN is a powerful platform to attract business women. Track the stats for your accounts.
2) Set up Skype for your Club so that members can attend meetings when away OR so that others can host a meeting from afar.
3) Your Webpage should have a list of members and what they do professionally. It should include a list of like-minded organizations that share our vision. Post your upcoming events with QUALITY Pictures. Add a page where a few of your members share their WHY Zonta and reasons why someone should join Zonta (leadership training, skills development etc.). Add buzzwords to get individuals attention like a link to UN WOMEN.
4) Don’t forget the low-tech approach. Make a list of whom you want to recruit and reach out to them personally, invite them to events or a meal. Young people come for food and interesting conversation about issues.

Submitted by
Tamara Hagen
D6 Governor.

The Annual Fall Conference convened in Madison Wisconsin over the weekend of October 13-15, 2017. There were 119 Zontians and 6 guests in attendance. President Elect Susanne von Bassewitz represented Zonta International at Conference. Attendees appreciated interacting with her throughout the weekend.

As the business meeting for the biennium, your delegates approved the 2018-2020 Biennial budget and elected the incoming leadership team of: Elaine Rynders – Governor, Anna Weselak – Lt. Governor, Cheryl Trudeau – Treasurer, Susan Bruzan – AD1, Donna Ambrose – AD2, Marsha Bennett – AD3, Lisa Conard – AD4, and Janice Corrigan – AD5. The Nominating Committee members are Tamara Hagen, Chair, Christina Plotzke, and Dorothy Suther. Board/Committee reports and a review of our District Goals updated us on the status of the District.

Woven throughout the Conference was an emphasis on the Centennial Anniversary Celebration (CAC). This kicked off with a presentation by President Elect Susanne von Bassewitz and CAC Endowment Committee Chair Jackie Beaudry on Friday evening and ended with District CAC Chair Yvonne Chalfant presenting an interactive session Sunday morning to stimulate ideas for Club and District activities centered around the 100 year Anniversary. This Celebration will culminate at the 2020 Convention hosted by District 6 in Chicago.

Zonta International Foundation was highlighted at Conference with Denim Day donations promoted on Saturday. Zonta International Development Chair Sally Bean presented her visit to Madagascar with President Sonja Honig Schough for a project site visit last summer. The members were inspired and the weekend donation to ZIF was a record $11,000!

Matching or Conference theme of “Empowering Our Voice”, the Saturday Key Note speaker and workshop moderator, Veronica Ruekert, discussed how women are perceived as they speak. She noted that women speak less in discussions and decision-making conversations even at the level of Congress or the Supreme Court. Her workshop focused on effectively using our voice to speak assertively.

This year our District had 4 AE Fellows, two from Purdue and two from U of I – Urbana-Champaign, and 3 were able to attend and speak at Conference. These women were awesome and inspiring. They stayed for the whole Conference and many members were able to interact with them. No less awesome were our Scholarship and Award winners, the District AND International YWPA recipient and the District JMK recipient. It was a pleasure to have their families attend and see the Award Ceremony.

A new feature at Conference this year was a service activity, The Period Project. Members were asked to bring or send donations of feminine hygiene products and underwear. During Hospitality Friday evening, these supplies were packaged into 150 Period Packs. The outpouring of donations was overwhelming! We not only made the Packs but had enough supplies left over to fill a pickup truck. The Period Pack and all the supplies will be donated to a Madison homeless shelter for families, The Road Home.

In spite it being the weekend of Friday the 13th with several incidents (2 rear end crashes- no one seriously injured, 1 AE Fellows car dying, and a speeding ticket), the Conference was a success with a lot of energy, engagement and fellowship.
Save the Date now for next year’s Conference hosted by Area 3 in Fairview Heights Illinois the weekend of October 5-7th.

Submitted by
Tamara Hagen
Governor

Macy’s Charity Challenge
We are participating in the Macy’s Shop for a Cause Charity Challenge, a friendly fundraising competition raising money for causes like ours. Help the Zonta International Foundation win the grand prize of $100,000 by donating, through 1:59:59 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, 9 August.

https://www.crowdrise.com/zonta-international-foundation/fundraiser/zontainternationalfo

DISTRICT 6 FALL CONFERENCE
OCT. 13-15, 2017
Hosted by Area 2

MADISON WISCONSIN

RADISSON HOTEL MADISON
517 Grand Canyon Drive
608 833-0100

It’s a football weekend, so Reserve Early!
Room Rate: $139 Standard Double – includes 2 breakfast per room

    Over the weekend of June 2-4, twelve District 6 Zontians joined over 200 other Zontians from across North America for the North American Inter-District (NAIDM) meeting in McLean Virginia. This was the best-attended NAIDM to date and included the ZI/ZIF Board and all North American Governors.
    The weekend started on Friday with a group Advocacy event. Over 160 Zontians braved the Washington DC Metro system to meet with their elected representatives on Capitol Hill. With sore feet but a sense of satisfaction, all returned to the hotel without one lost Zontian! Sally Bean said: “The NAIDM venue near Washington DC allowed an incredible opportunity for Zontians to advocate for Zonta issues on Capitol Hill.”
    Friday evening found the attendees at a Zonta “Speed Dating” event. Over 2 hours, they rotated through Round Table discussions on “All things Zonta” including topics on Service/Advocacy, Membership, Awards, and the Centennial Anniversary.
    Saturday was opened with an address by ZI President Sonja Honig Schough covering the Biennial Goals and her Project review trip to Madagascar. The rest of Saturday and Sunday was filled with interactive workshops focusing on the areas of Service, Advocacy, Membership and Leadership. These practical workshops were led by fellow Zontian and were very informative. Sally Bean offers: “The NAIDM connected me with over 200 Zontians to advance our mission & re-energize through workshops and inspiring keynote speakers”.
    Over meals we heard a keynote speaker discuss Women’s Suffragette Movement and an effort to build a memorial to those women. Carol Braford said: “ Voting is a privilege we enjoy because 5 million of our sisters worked for 72 years to gain the right”
    Sophia Kruz, a documentary filmmaker, presented her film, “Little Stone” focusing on 4 women using their art to raise awareness of women’s issues. She is offering the use of this film to Zonta Clubs for free public screening. There is also a tool kit available to help with public education. Investigate this Advocacy opportunity at: https://www.littlestones.org or contact Sophia at sophia@driftseed.org.
    Overall, it was a whirlwind weekend filled with Advocacy, Education, Networking and a lot of Zonta fun. I’m looking forward to the next NAIDM in Dallas TX in 2019 and I invite you to join me.

Amy LaFine & Yvonne Chalfant, Zonta Club of Kankakee