July 2010 Edition The Zonta Club of Houston 2009—2010
District 10, Area 2
Chartered 1988
Zonta International is a global organization of executives and professionals working together to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy.
President: Barbara Halstead president@zontahouston.org
Newsletter Editor: newsletter@zontahouston.org
President’s Ponderings…
Life isn’t a matter of milestones but moments – Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
“Ponderings” is really an appropriate word for the president’s message to the membership. I have been “pondering” for quite a while about what I would say in my first “President’s Pondering.” And as I sometimes due to get a common thread by which to link the topics I want to talk about, I came upon the above quote and thought it apt for this first “pondering.”
So let me say, welcome to the new Zonta year! I hope together we will have many “moments” in the coming year. And who knows, we may look back on them and consider them milestones.
We have a very dedicated and supportive board serving you this year. We met this past week and came away with many good ideas and much enthusiasm. We want to share with you a few of the goals and plans you can look for this year.
Service - Service is what we are all about. So it comes as no surprise that ALL the committee chairs are on board and the service committee will be working diligently to present a proposal to the Board and membership. Chair: Robin Dickehuth
Membership - We currently have 32 members with 6 members not renewing. The board set a goal to recruit 5 new members this year, one that we feel is certainly attainable. We will continue to work on member retention which is always an important Zonta focus. We fortunate to have a very engaged Membership Committee who has already hit the ground running. Co-Chairs: Suzanne Russell and Suzan Miles.
Look for a very objective and comprehensive MEMBERSHIP SURVEY to hit your inbox over the summer. Please take time to complete it and consider seriously the questions and input asked. I always go back to the old adage, “nothing can be done about anything unless you are aware of it.” This board wants to hear from you, good, bad or indifferent. This is how we can effect change when it is addressed as a majority concern/issue.
Fundraising – We will be considering fundraising events for 2010-11. The cycling event has been tabled because we learned that we would be required to hold two separate events before we could have a sanctioned MS event. So the initial marketing aspect of the original plan was changed drastically.
Meetings – We want to offer exciting speakers that you would want to hear and invite friends and colleagues to hear. Look at this as one way to grow our membership. Speakers will be announced at least 2 months in advance so you can be sure to get the date on your calendar if you have a particular interest in the topic. If you have any suggestions for top notch speakers, please let Carole Moffat know.
Not only do we want to make the meetings interesting and noteworthy, we want to make sure that the meeting is adjourned timely. Our networking time will begin at 5:30 p.m. with dinner served promptly at 6:15 p.m.
The Budget Committee wasted no time in drafting a budget for the upcoming year. The Board approved it and we will vote on the 2010-11 Budget at the meeting on Wednesday. So please take a look at both the ZCH and the ZCHECF budgets when Dar Kurtz sends them out prior to the meeting. If you have any questions feel free to contact Dar.
When the Budget Committee met it was brought to the committee’s attention and also the board’s that the club had incurred a significant amount of credit card expense. Ultimately, we have had to budget this year for a $400 expense to cover credit card fees. One way that we can cut down on the expense is for everyone to consider paying for the meetings by check at the meeting, rather than use a credit card to pay in advance on the website. We certainly realize that there will be events where you will want to use your credit card, but if you can, consider paying by check.
In closing I want to let Linda know how much I APPRECIATE her insight and advice to make the transition a smooth one. I also want to say a great big THANK YOU to Debbie for getting the June newsletter out.
I’m excited about the upcoming year. The energy and motivation is growing. So let’s all enjoy and welcome our “Zonta moments”.
Yours in Zonta,
Barbara
June Meeting
When: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 5:30 PM until 8:30 PM
Where: Hotel Indigo
www.hotelindigo.com
5160 Hildalgo Street
Houston, TX 77056
713-621-8988
Registration: Required By Friday, June 11, 2010
Cost: $26
Cancellation Policy: Reservations and cancellations are due by 12:00 PM on FRIDAY prior to the meeting.
This Month's Menu:
- Salmon with Mozzarella Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes; or
- Mediterranean Chicken Ceasar
- Stuffed Yellow Squash with Summer Vegetables
Questions: Meeting_Reservations@zontahouston.org
Directions
From Westheimer go south on Post Oak Blvd., turn right at Hidalgo Street, Pass Houston Galleria (Nordstrom) and turn right into hotel driveway.
PLEASE NOTE: Hotel sits back from street, turn in just BEFORE the hotel sign. If you miss the turn you can turn into Embassy Suites parking lot and go towards the back where there is an entrance to the Hotel Indigo parking lot.
Program - “Open a New Chapter in Someone’s Life” by Judy McFarland of Literacy Advance of Houston
May Meeting Recap
YWPA Award Presentation - Awardee Jaclyn Nguyen.
The Zonta Club of Houston proudly announces Jaclyn Nguyen as the 2010 recipient of the YWPA award. Jaclyn is a student at Westchester Academy for International Studies, Spring Branch ISD in Houston, Texas. Pictured left to right, Suzi Feickert, Jaclyn Nguyen, and her proud parents.
2010-11 Zonta Club of Houston Board Installation
The Zonta Club of Houston Board was installed at the May meeting by Carolyn Philips. The Club members appreciate their continued service to Zonta.
President: Barbara Halstead
Vice President: Carole Moffatt
Treasurer: Darlene Kurtz
Secretary: Carol Collett
Director: Pat Gutierrez
Director: Shawna Reiner
Membership/Fellowship - Welcome new members!
A very warm welcome is extended to our newest member, Maggie Lingor, Assistant Vice President- Relationship Manager for Encore Bank, Memorial Branch. (Be sure to ask Maggie about her new granddaughter!)
We are also delighted to welcome back former members Mary Ann Collier and Carol Rainey. We missed you!
Zontians attended the Bay Area Turning Point Appreciation Breakfast.
Women of Excellence Gala
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Reception begins at 5:30pm
Join us for the FHPW’s Women of Excellence Gala honoring our own Kathy Stockton. The Gala will be held at the Hilton Post Oak, 2001 Post Oak Boulevard, Galleria area. Zonta Club of Houston is reserving a table of ten at $70 per person. Hurry to get your check in to Suzanne Russell. We already have five reservations. Checks should be made out to FHPW-EF . If we have 20 reservations, we will purchase two tables.
Individual tickets (not part of a table of ten) are $75 through August 15th. After that date individual tickets are $80 and tables of ten are $800. No reservations are accepted after September 3rd.
Our only meeting before the WOE Gala is the June 16th meeting. Get your check in before the summer!
Houston Zontian, Laurie Carrillo goes to Washington as an unpaid Lobbyist for NASA - read the Houston Chronicle story at - http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7017018.html
June Birthdays!!
6/11 Carol Rainey
6/14 Anneke Schreuder
6/22 Sherry Williams
Zonta Zelebration Golf Event
Silent Auction
Many thanks to the members of ZCH for your generous donations to our Silent Auction! The auction raised over $2100 for ZCHECF. Thanks also to the ZCH members who bought the items. We again have shown ourselves to be a club that likes to shop!
The weather was PERFECT and everyone had FUN!!!
Service/Advocacy
Literacy Advance -
There is a flurry of activity at Literacy Advance this summer. If you have been thinking about getting involved, now is the time. There will be a tutor training for Adult Basic Education (working one on one teaching someone to read) on Saturday, 6/19. The following Saturday, 6/29 there will be a tutor training for English as a Second Language. Reservations are required for the training sessions. Please contact Literacy Advance if interested.
On July 22nd Literacy Advance will be hosting Scrabble in the City. Teams of four will compete in the game of Scrabble for fun and prizes. The proceeds will benefit Literacy Advance. This event might be a fun fellowship activity for us. I’ll give you more details at the June meeting. By the way, the speaker at our June meeting will be none other than Judy McFarland from Literacy Advance.
Houston Rescue & Restore
Victims of Human Trafficking
Tel. 713-874-0290 | Fax. 713-874-0233
PO Box 541184, Houston, TX 77254
Look Beneath the Surface: National Tip and Rescue Hotline: 1-888-3737-888
Central Texas Coalition Against Human Trafficking - 6th Annual Conference - The Central Texas Coalition Against Human Trafficking will hold its 6th Annual Human Trafficking Conference August 16-17, 2010 in Austin, Texas. Dates are tentative but registration will begin in May. To keep up to date please visit: CTCAHT: http://www.ctcaht.org/
How Traveling Can Change the Future for a Victim of Human Trafficking - Flight attendants are an often overlooked resource in the fight against human trafficking. Follow the link below to the full story of how one woman is changing that: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/Flight-Attendants-Are-First-Line-of-Defense-Against-Human-Trafficking---89908202.html
You can make a difference when you travel, too, simply by changing your luggage tag! For more information, please visit: http://www.tassatag.org/orderN.html
TTV the store will be closed on July 25th to install a new wall. This means no Zonta volunteering that day.
Also, we are looking for more people to be trained as Lead Volunteers so that that the same 3 people (Suzanne, Susan, and Carolyn) don't have to do all of the Lead work.
Jane Klausman Scholarship
This year’s Jane Klausman Woman in Business scholarship winner is Petra Brannon. She is a graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in Finance and is currently in her second year at Rice University. She is pursuing an MBA in General Management at the Jones Graduate School of Business with a goal of owning and operating a personal concierge service. Petra feels that this goal is an excellent combination of her love of travel and her academic pursuits.
In addition to her studies, she is active in volunteerism and other activities including:
- Big Sisters - she is a mentor to a little sister in the Houston area
- Dress for Success
- Star of Hope Woman's Shelter
- National Black MBA Association
- Delta Sigma Theta (a service sorority), Society for Human Resource Management
We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
Zonta International News
You can now sign up for the 2010 International Convention in San Antonio, TX. Go to 2010 Convention Website for all the information you need. Many of the Zonta Club of Houston members are involved in making this Convention a success. Don't miss it. The official dates of the meeting are June 25-30, but you can come for as much or as little as you can make time for. Tentative Schedule:
Thursday June 24 - Check in starts at 1 pm
Friday June 25 -- Open Forum and Information Sharing plus District Meetings
Saturday June 26 -- Opening Ceremony plus Knibbe Ranch
Sunday June 27 -- Memorial Service, Business, Networking Lunch, Meet the Candidates
Monday June 28 -- Election, Business, Style Show
Tuesday, June 29 -- Business
Wednesday, June 30 -- Business, Closing Banquet and Installation Ceremony
PLUS there are many other optional events in the evenings. Come to beautiful San Antonio and meet Zontians from all over the world. You won't forget it.
Save these Dates!
June 25-30, 2010 International Convention -- San Antonio, TX
Sept 11, 2010 Women of Excellence Gala -- Houston, TX