Advancing the status of women locally

Last night I attended our monthly Zonta Club meeting at the Savoy. I became a member in December 2012, and have been working ever since to make a positive contribution to the activities of the club.

Getting together once a month with women who care about advancing the status of women and girls is a special treat. Aside from the pleasant social aspects of the meeting, we get to hear reports about what our members are involved with throughout the community. My co-members are women from all professions, many life stages, and all walks of life. We have commonalities and we have differences, and they’re all celebrated when we get together. It is a wonderful reminder of the diverse group of women who call our community home.

Many people don’t know the indignities that women suffer around the world, largely because the women themselves are reticent to bring it to the public’s attention. Even in our own country, domestic violence is often a secretive occurrence, only coming to light when it becomes so egregious that the woman (and/or, heaven forbid, her children) is at risk for severe injury or death. Zonta International, our parent organization, works globally to be a voice for women who are underrepresented and oppressed. Through economic, educational, health-related, legal and political initiatives, as well as programs for youth development and against domestic violence, Zonta takes a stand on many issues pertaining to the fairer sex. Scholarships are also given, in the areas of graduate aerospace science and engineering (a fellowship award named for former Zontian Amelia Earhart), and aspiring businesswomen (the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship).

While Zonta was founded in 1919, our own club wasn’t far behind. Our chapter was 90 years old in 2012, and I am honored that women in Rome cared enough about women’s issues to form an organization that could do something about it. The Rome chapter runs the Back to Basics program for 3rd and 4th grade girls, which gives girls a safe environment to learn life skills and interact with other girls. We also support various women’s issues events regionally, including Take Back the Night (a march to raise awareness for violence against women) and the YWCA Salute to Outstanding Women. Scholarships are given each year, as well as supporting Lucy’s House and other organizations that offer help to women and girls.

For more information about Zonta International, visit their website at http://www.zonta.org. If you are interested in learning more about Zonta Club of Rome, contact our President, Laurie Fusco, and fuscolaurie@yahoo.com. You are a welcome guest by invitation at any of our monthly meetings. We hope to see you!