Career Advancement Scholarship – This $1,000 scholarship is offered to a qualifying woman residing in Clinton County. The scholarship purpose is to assist women in updating their skills in a vocational school or to assist in completing their post-secondary education in a college/university/institute. Applicants must be 19 years of age or more on or before April 9, 2021 and must have been admitted to, or cleared for admission to, an academic or vocational school which is licensed or accredited by the State of Indiana. The application form with eligibility guidelines can be downloaded here.

Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship – This $500 scholarship is offered to a qualifying woman residing in Clinton County. The scholarship purpose is to encourage women to enter careers and seek leadership positions in Business in their communities and throughout the world. Women of any age, pursuing a business program with a major field of specialization in accounting, economics, finance, business management, marketing, operations management, human resource management, international business or entrepreneurship at an accredited university/college/institute, in at least the second year of an undergraduate program through the final year of a Masters program at the time the application is submitted to the Frankfort Zonta Club, is eligible to apply. Online students are also eligible to apply if enrolled at an accredited university/college/institute. The application form with eligibility guidelines can be downloaded here.

Applications for either scholarship are to be received electronically via email on or before Friday, April 9, 2021. No late applications will be eligible.

Young Women in Public Affairs Award –  A $500 Award to a qualifying high school girl aged 16-19 on April 1, 2021 who is enrolled in a secondary school and resides in Clinton County. The purpose of the Award is to encourage young women to participate in Public Affairs by recognizing the candidate’s commitment to the volunteer sector, evidence of volunteer leadership achievements, and a dedication to empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. The application form with eligibility requirements can be downloaded here

On Thursday, December 3^rd, Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets was joined by fellow members of the Zonta Club of Frankfort (President, Stephanie Buntin, and Board members, Brittany Butler and Tina Stock) as she issued a proclamation in support of the “Zonta Says No To Violence Against Women” campaign. The 16-day campaign runs from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women Day) and December 10 (Human Rights Day).

During these 16 days, all Zonta clubs and districts are encouraged to take part in the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign and to take local, national and international actions to influence the making and implementation of laws, as well as changing gender-based attitudes and behaviors to end violence against women and girls.

Violence against women and girls is a severe violation of human rights and it not only negatively affects women; it also affects their families, communities, and countries around the world.  This violence continues to be a widespread problem in the U.S. with devastating consequences:
– one in three girls is a victim of physical, verbal, or emotional abuse
– one in four women will experience domestic violence
– more than three women are murdered by their partners every day
This can be intimate partner violence, including teen dating violence, with psychological, physical, and sexual violence. Teen dating violence is a type of intimate partner violence. It occurs between two people in a close relationship and is also referred to as, “dating violence”. This can take place in person or electronically, such as repeated texting or posting sexual pictures of a partner online without consent. Unhealthy relationships can start early and last a lifetime. Teens often think some behaviors, like teasing and name-calling, are a “normal” part of a relationship—but these behaviors can become abusive and develop into serious forms of violence. Many teens do not report these behaviors as they are afraid to tell family and friends.

Symbols of the “Zonta Says NO!” campaign could be seen throughout our community with signs located in the lawns of businesses, city and county buildings, and residences and orange lighting on Old Stoney and the Frankfort Community Public Library. And year-round, buses from the Paul Phillippe Resource Center display “Zonta Says NO!” signage. As a bright and optimistic color, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls.

Zonta envisions a world in which no woman lives in fear of violence and for 100 years has contributed to help achieve a world free of violence against women and girls through service and advocacy. The Zonta Club of Frankfort has been at this same work right here in our local communities for nearly 65 years and continues in that work today. Please join us in saying “NO!”?

The morning of November 7th, found members of the Frankfort, Indy, and Lebanon clubs at the Lebanon Memorial Park for our 5th annual “Zonta Says NO!” walk. As you can see, it was a beautiful, blue sky morning,  part of the warmest November weekend in Indiana in 11 years, and a beginning to a true Indian summer weekend!

Before the walk, Ericka Lee, Senior Director of the Domestic Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (DVIPP) at the YWCA Greater Lafayette, spoke to the group about the challenges they have faced during this time of COVID and shared a couple stories of women and children they have served. Later, Ericka shared the following statistics for 2019: Helped 1872 clients; 536 women attending support groups; and 525 women served through outreach, legal, and walk-in services. The DVIPP serves six counties, including Clinton, and last year the program served residents of Clinton County with 209 calls to the crisis line; 35 attended support groups; and 231 youth and 308 adults engaged in outreach programs.

About 20 people participated in this year’s walk, including members of the Clinton Prairie and Lebanon Z Clubs, and after the walk about 16 went from the park to Arni’s in downtown Lebanon for lunch where we enjoyed great company and fellowship!

YOUNG WOMEN in PUBLIC AFFAIRS AWARD: A $500 Award to one qualifying high school girl ages 16-19 on April 1, 2020 who is enrolled in a secondary school and who resides in Clinton County. The purpose of the Award is to encourage young women to participate in Public Affairs by recognizing the candidate’s commitment to the volunteer sector, evidence of volunteer leadership achievements, and a dedication to empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. The application form with eligibility requirements can be downloaded here.

Allison Beggs, President & CEO – YWCA Great Lafayette (center) with Jeni Royalty and Nancy Harshbarger, Co-Presidents – Zonta Club of Frankfort

Release Date: January 31, 2020

 YWCA Greater Lafayette receives Zonta International Centennial Grant for their Domestic Violence Program Technology for Connectivity project

YWCA Greater Lafayette was recently announced as a winner of a $4,692 grant for their project Domestic Violence Program Technology for Connectivity in partnership with the Zonta Club of Frankfort.

The project, funded through the generosity of Zonta International, provided phone lines and the technology to program multi-line digital phone to offices on the second floor, and a projector in the meeting room of a 100-year-old house made of thick plaster. The original phone line was installed in the basement and an earlier attempt to use a wireless signal to upper floors was unsuccessful. The grant has made domestic violence advocates more accessible to victim families in crisis. The projector provided by the grant allows staff to show educational safety and recovery information in a classroom setting.

YWCA Greater Lafayette has been serving women and their families since 1929. Its domestic violence program was established in 1979. For more than 50 years, the program has not only kept victims safe, but also prepared them to become self-sufficient. DVIPP’s six-county service area includes Frankfort.

The Zonta Club of Frankfort is a community service club and part of a global network committed to equal rights and a life free of violence for all women and girls.  Our mission is to empower women worldwide through service and advocacy. Zonta envisions a world where women’s rights are recognized as human rights and where every woman has access to all resources and are represented in decision-making positions on an equal basis with men.

“With our Centennial Anniversary Grants we join forces with like-minded organizations in order to accelerate action on the path to gender equality,” says Zonta International President Susanne von Bassewitz on the occasion of the grants. “We don’t want to live through another 100 years to achieve this goal.”

YWCA Greater Lafayette is proud to be one of the 62 community-based organizations in 18 countries directly benefitting from Zonta International’s Centennial Anniversary Grants, created in honor of Zonta’s 100 years of service. These one-time grants, totaling US$296,271, recognize charitable organizations partnering with a Zonta club to improve the lives of women and girls in their local communities.

Zonta International is a worldwide organization that has empowered women and girls through service and advocacy for 100 years. Founded in 1919 in Buffalo, New York, Zonta’s nearly 1,200 clubs support local and regional initiatives in 63 countries worldwide.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT SCHOLARSHIP:  A $1,000 scholarship to a qualifying woman residing in Clinton County.  The scholarship purpose is to assist women in updating their skills in a vocational school or to assist in completing their post-secondary education in a college or university.  Applicants must be 19 years of age or more at the time of application, and must have been admitted to, or cleared for admission to, an academic or vocational school which is licensed or accredited by the State of Indiana.  The application form with eligibility requirements can be downloaded here.     

JANE M. KLAUSMAN WOMEN in BUSINESS SCHOLARSHIP:  A $500 scholarship to a qualifying woman residing in Clinton County.  The scholarship purpose is to encourage women to enter careers and seek leadership positions in business in their communities and throughout the world.  Applicants must be enrolled in at least the second year of an undergraduate program through the final year of a Master’s program in business. The application form with eligibility requirements can be downloaded here or from the Zonta International website at zonta.org.

WOMEN in TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP:  A $500 scholarship to a qualifying woman residing in Clinton County.  The scholarship purpose is to encourage women to pursue roles in technology related fields.  Applicants must be enrolled full-time pursuing a technology degree or pursuing continuing education in IT. Women of any age are eligible to apply.  The application form with eligibility requirements can be downloaded here or from the Zonta International website at zonta.org. 

For any questions on these scholarships, please call Jenny Neal, 2019 scholarship chair, at 765-279-8338.

Thirty-five year Zonta member, Marvel Albitz, was presented the “2018 Frankfort Legend Award” by Mayor Chris McBarnes at our Amelia Earhart program on January 23^rd. Awarded for her community involvement over the years, the Mayor previously stated that “Marvel is a legend here in Frankfort from her work at the Presbyterian Church, to Zonta International to the Lions Clubs to her work at Abilities Services, Inc., Marvel has a heart of gold. I couldn’t think of a more deserving individual to have this honor than Marvel Albitz.”