2011-2012 Local Service Projects
Our local club’s focus for this year is to work with all ages of women and girls. Our goal is to assist girls from the Grand Rapids area by helping them learn the value of volunteer service for others, to become exposed to business/professional women mentors, and be afforded support, encouragement and opportunities for learning to become productive, self-sufficient, caring adults.

Our Specific Goals Are:

  1. To mentor teen girls through the adolescent program at D.A. Blodgett-St. John’s.
  2. To work together with girls in our community on our volunteer service projects. Girls will be able to volunteer with our club in the following areas:
    1. Sewing scarves, pillows, and caps for women/girls who have cancer.
    2. Project Thrive-Days for Girls. Sewing reusable menstrual pads for girls in Africa so they are able to attend school regularly. Girls in areas of Africa use rags, newspaper, and other inadequate products that fail, causing them to miss or drop out of school.
    3. To introduce girls to Zonta Club Scholarships and other Camperships, including but not limited to:
      1. Young Women In Public Affairs. Scholarship for the pursuit of careers in public office.
      2. Inland Seas. A weekend aboard a sailboat to do science exploration on the Great Lakes.
      3. Amelia Earhart. Aerospace/Science scholarship.
      4. Camp Newaygo. Girls summer residence camp.
  3. To host a third advocacy event focusing on a current issue facing teen girls.
  4. To establish a Grand Rapids Regional Women’s Hall of Fame.
  5. To secure funds for an endowment in celebration of our club’s 90th anniversary to continue our service legacy in support of Zonta’s mission.

 

2010-2012 Biennium International Service Projects
 

As a member club of Zonta International we participate in the following international service projects through contribution of funds.

  • Prevention of Mother-toChild Transmission of HIV in Rwanda, a project in cooperation with UNICEF
  • Safe Cities for Women Project in Guatemala City, Guatemala and San Salvador, El Salvador, a project in cooperation with UNIFEM
  • Elimination of Obstetric Fistula and the Reduction of Maternal and Newborn Mortality and Morbidity in Liberia, a project in cooperation with UNFPA
  • Comprehensive Strategy to End Burns Violence Against Women in Cambodia, Nepal and Uganda, Administered by UNIFEM
  • Security and Empowerment for Women and their Families: Ensuring a Gender-Responsive Humanitarian and Early Recovery Response in Haiti, in cooperation with UN Women
  • Amelia Earhart Fellowship, Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship, Young Women in Public Affairs Award
Since 1921 the Zonta Club of Grand Rapids has donated $90000 to the local community and $17000 internationally.

LOCAL:

  1. Renovated and furnished 2 rooms at the Grand Rapids Public Library for public use $6000
  2. Recorded 1500 hours of books on tape for the blind out of a total of 2600 reported state-wide
  3. Funded $15000 in camperships and scholarships
  4. Purchased a van for YWCA’s Domestic Crisis Center to transport victims of domestic violence $15000
  5. Funded and furnished construction of a bedroom in the new Mercy Respite Center $10000
  6. Contributed toward renovation/winterization of Lange Lodge at Camp Newaygo $7500
  7. Purchased furnishings and offset the costs to the general fund at Salvation Army Family Lodge at Marywood, shelter for homeless women and children $6000
  8. Contributed toward the purchase of a van for D.A. Blodgett to transport their clients to appointments

INTERNATIONAL:

  1. Bought 3 wells through the Sri Lanka well water project with UNICEF
  2. Gave $1000 of the $6000 needed to the Yasmine Avale rescue from civil war in Somalia fund at MSU
  3. Hosted Americanization Training Programs for individuals seeking citizenship
  4. Created the booklet “Status of Women in the Common Market Countries” and distributed internationally