News Releases

November 4, 2002:  "Thank you" from the Zonta Club of Sanibel and Captiva

October 7, 2002:  Sanibel-Captiva Zonta Club Recognized for Service

July 24, 2002:  3 Local Zontians Participate in International Conference

June 13, 2002:  Zonta Club Awards Grants

June 6, 2002:  New Officers Announced

February 25, 2002:  Peek at the Unique Tour of Homes

"THANK YOU" FROM THE ZONTA CLUB OF SANIBEL & CAPTIVA

Sanibel, Florida
November 4, 2002

The Zonta Club of Sanibel-Captiva would like to thank very much the merchants and citizens that helped to make their first fund raiser a success, netting almost $3,000.

Sandra Stillwell and Randy Post of Key Lime Bistro and Latte Da were of course magnificent as they provided great food and shared the proceeds from the bar at the grand opening of Latte Da Coffee Shop and Deli in downtown Captiva.

Our Zontians gave freely of their time with Karen Pati organizing the silent auction filled with offers such as personal dinners by Joan Good and Esther Saltzman, Linda Robison and Karen Pati; and a sailing trip with Marie Gargano on her private yacht. Our Artists from Tower Gallery Caroline Hoisington, Sheila Hoen, and Jane Hudson not only gave their own art but also procured others from the gallery. Dian Eddy of Tween Waters and West Wind Inns provided vacations at the resorts and Maggie Mullins offered several pieces of art from her collection. Mayor and Zontian Nola Theiss donated to the cause as did, Bonnie Clancy, Susan Dunn, Ellis Robinson, Dr. Linda Stevens and Judy Turner.

Local businesses also were very generous including several of the artists from Seaweed Gallery, Bloomin' Nails, Colonial Bank, Confused Chameleon and the newest artist to be showing at Treehouse Gallery: Floyd Dorrity.

And a final thank you to all the attendees who made this the success it really was.

Thank-you all very sincerely,

Doris Trowbridge, President

Zonta is a worldwide service organization of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women locally and globally. Locally, Zonta provides funds and hands-on service to assist women. Globally Zonta focuses on strategies to eradicate inequities and violence against women through education and advocacy.

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA ZONTA CLUB RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICE

Sanibel, Florida
October 7, 2002

Zonta International awarded the Sanibel-Captiva chapter with an Achievement Certificate resulting in 2nd place in the District 11 Governor's Award competition. Fifty-three clubs, from the Southeastern United States, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico compete for the award.

Achievement was based on service and contributions in the following areas:
WOMEN'S HEALTH -Partnership with Southwest Florida Transitional Living Center; Community Health and Wellness Sampler; ENVIRONMENT - Adopt A Road; Great All Island Pick-Up; EDUCATION & LITERACY - Harlem Heights Elementary School Tutoring, Sanibel Elementary Mentoring; ADVOCACY & WOMEN'S RIGHTS - Inter-city Gathering; and FUNDRAISING - Key Lime Bistro Fundraiser, Spelling Bee, Southwest Florida Cares - United We Stand. Current President Doris Trowbridge, delegates Sally Webber, Susan Dunn, and past president Joan Good were at the District 11 Conference in Sarasota to receive the award.

In addition to contributions to numerous local causes, the club pledged $1,500 to the following international projects: Zonta International Strategies to Eradicate Violence against Women and Children, the Amelia Earhart Scholarship Fund and UNICEF and UNIFEM projects. However, as Sally
noted, there is much more that can be done to 'advance the status of women'.  We look forward to a very active year with the added experiences of participation in this year's National and District Conferences.

Zonta International is a world wide service organization of executives in business and the professions, working to advance and enhance the status of women. Locally, Zonta provides funds and hands-on service to assist women. Globally Zonta focuses on strategies to eradicate inequities and violence against women through education and advocacy. Additional information is
available at www.zontasancap.com.

From left: Susan Dunn, Doris Trowbridge, Sally Webber and
Joan Good.

3 LOCAL ZONTIANS PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Sanibel/Captiva Club Sends Officers to Gothenburg, Sweden

Sanibel, Florida
July 24, 2002

From June 28th to July 4th over 2200 women, members of Zonta International, met in Gothenburg, Sweden. This Biennium conference brought together women from over 69 countries. Representing the Zonta Club of Sanibel-Captiva were Past Presidents Joan Good and Esther Saltzman and Current President Doris Trowbridge. Zonta International is a world-wide service organization working to improve the lives of women and children around the world.

World renowned speakers included the President of Latvia, H.E. Mrs. Vaiira Vike-Freiberg; Dame Margaret Anstee D.C.M.G., diplomat and former Under Secretary General of the United Nations; and Justice Margaret McMurdo, President of the court of Appeals in the Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia. Other notables included Dr. Miriam Hederman O'Brien, Chancellor of the University of Limerick; Dr. Fiona Stanley AC, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Western Australia; and Ms. Penny Wensley, Senior Australian Diplomat and High Commissioner to India.

Zontians heard insights on:

* the growing phenomenon of trafficking in women and children, an estimated 700,000 each year

* literacy for women as truly one of the world's critical needs, right along with health, freedom from abuse, and free choice

* the status of children and youth health, both physical and mental, in Australia

* issues surrounding cancer as it affects Swedes and the rest of the world

* the criticality of creating and conducting valid and reliable forms of child and female-oriented research, then to share this data and its implications with the world at large.

Successes reported by Zonta-UNICEF include a project eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus in Nepal, with immunizations to-date reaching over 1.4 M women. Zontians also learned of progress made on the Zonta-UNICEF project for the elimination of female genital circumcision (FGC) in Burkino Faso (Africa). Approximately 2 million girls undergo FGC worldwide each year. A total of $2.5 Million was spent by Zonta International supporting these two efforts around the globe.

Moving forward, Zonta is co-sponsoring two international projects: The Zonta-UNIFEM Reinventing India Project, dedicated to ending all forms of violence against women in that country and the Zonta/STAR Anti-Trafficking Project for Bosnia-Herzegovina, with an estimated 9,500 women victims at any point in time. A third project, improving women's Lives in Afghanistan focuses on the long-term improvement of the quality of life for rural Afghan women. Zonta is supporting these efforts with a total of $644,450.

Zonta also took this conference as an opportunity to celebrate and honor the 29 women who have received the Nobel prize.

Reporting back from the conference, Doris says, " I go to about 6 conferences every year and this was the most professionally organized conference I've ever attended. And run at such a high level of democracy." Esther shares her insight: "These women are passionately dedicated to the objective of raising the status of women world wide. There is a great sense of pride from being associated with such women." Adding to these observations, Joan relates: "This is my third Zonta International Convention. The sisterhood experience with women from all over the world truly united in peace, harmony and respect for one another gives hope that the world can exist peacefully when we come together united in making the world a better place for all."

Local Zontians mixing with international delegates.

Local Zontians with traditional Swedish musicians.

Left to right:  Joan Good, Doris Trowbridge, and Esther Salzman.

ZONTA CLUB AWARDS $17,000 IN GRANTS TO 18 LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

Provides ongoing support to Southwest Florida Addiction Services

Sanibel, Florida, June 13, 2002.

The Zonta Club of Sanibel Captiva will be awarding over $17,000 to 18 local non-profit groups at their program meeting June 18. Proceeds are from the community Spelling Bee, A Peek at the Unique home tour, and the Key Lime Bistro Grand Opening. President Doris Trowbridge adds: "We are grateful to our sponsors and to the community at large for their ongoing support. The club is proud to provide much needed funds to so many local charities, but we couldn't do it without the backing of the community."

The organization reviewed 35 applications requesting a total of $152,000 before selecting those who would share the $17,000 generated by the local fundraisers. Recipients include: SW Florida Addiction Services, FRESH START at ECC, Lee County High Tech Center North, Partners for Breast Cancer Care, Foster Grandparent Program, Genesis III Counseling Center, Children's Education Center of the Islands, Community Housing and Resources, Brightest Horizons Child Development Center, Community Cooperative Ministries, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Planned Parenthood of SW Florida, Migrant Education Program/LAMP, Children's Advocacy Center of SW Florida, Sanibel School, Sanibel Swim Team, J. Howard Wood Theatre, and Iglesia Rosa de Saron A/G.

Applicants were selected based on specific criteria including: support of women especially in the fields of education, health, childcare, & jobs; support of older women in housing, health care, and mental health; and young girls: troubled, pregnancy prevention, enrichment and encouragement. Additional criteria included financial statement scrutiny; other sources of funding, particularly matching grants; and specificity of the request.

The club has also 'adopted' Southwest Florida Addiction Services' Transitional Living Center as an ongoing service project. On June 10th the activity was mock interviews, the culmination of several weeks of life skills training for the job market. The interviewers were Zontians Darla Letourneau, Linda Logan and Karen Pati, Zontian husband Mike Vargo, and Vicky Madden and Denise Rachalski from Alliance Financial Group (the business of Zontian husband Bill Traum). FGCU interns videotaped the interviews for private review by the residents. Feedback from the residents was very positive and rewarding. "I didn't expect this to be very useful, but after participating, I realized I'd learned a lot. I didn't realize how many factors go into a successful interview." The project will be repeated with new residents approximately 3 times a year. The life skills' training is critical to successful treatment as Director Randy Bixler states "Abstinence alone does not equal recovery."

Zonta is a worldwide service organization of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women locally and globally.

Zonta Club of Sanibel Captiva, 2002 Grant recipients.

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ZONTA CLUB INSTALLS NEW OFFICERS FOR 2002-03

Sanibel, Florida, June 6, 2002.

The Zonta Club of Sanibel Captiva is entering it's 2002-03 fiscal year with a recently installed new board of directors. The new officers, inducted May 21st include: Doris Trowbridge, President; Susan Dunn, President-Elect; Linda Robison, Recording Secretary; Debbie Friedlund, Corresponding Secretary; and Sally Weber, Treasurer. Board Members-At-Large include Janine Boardman, Caroline Hoisington and Dee Congress.

Committee Chairs include: Linda Robison and Linda Uhler, Finance Co-chairs; Barbara Traum and Caroline Hoisington, Status of Women Co-chairs; Eleanor Horowitz and Lenore Ventura, Membership Co-chairs; and Karen Pati and Linda Logan, Public Relations Co-chairs.

Doris' acceptance speech echoed the club's responsibility to further the Zonta International mission statement: "..to care for each other and help advance the status of women in our community and beyond." She also took the opportunity to recognize outgoing president Esther Saltzman, "Esther has proven repeatedly to be invaluable to me and indeed our whole club when it comes to her leadership abilities and organizational qualities." Under Esther's leadership the local chapter has grown to 56 members. Zonta International has over 34,000 members in more than 1,230 clubs in 70 countries. Zonta is a worldwide service organization of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women locally and globally.

From left to right: Debbie Friedlund, Susan Dunn, Sally Weber, Doris Trowbridge; missing is Linda Robison.

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Contact:
Susan Dunn
John Naumann & Associates
(941) 472-3121  

ZONTA’S PEEK AT THE UNIQUE
Tour of Homes to Benefit Women and Children   

     SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. (Feb. 25, 2002) – Ever had the desire to see where the rich and famous live?  Imagine having the chance to tour homes you’d never receive an invitation to visit.  This once in a lifetime opportunity is now possible.

     On Saturday, March 16, the Zonta Club of Sanibel-Captiva has been given the keys to four distinctive homes for their inaugural Peek at the Unique fundraiser.

     The four homes – an historic structure, a refurbished cottage, an artist’s haven and a big toy box – capture the eclectic, creative essence of the islands.

     Tours are scheduled throughout the day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  To set the mood, a glass of champagne will be served at check-in.  Mini-buses will transport participants to the featured homes located throughout Sanibel and Captiva islands.  Refreshments will be served at the culmination of the tour.

The four unique homes are:

·    Suncatcher – Recently renovated, a white, two-bedroom/two-bath cottage on Captiva with breathtaking views of Pine Island Sound;

·    Bougainvillea – The oldest structure on Captiva is a cute two-story gingerbread home with a blue roof and pink exterior;

·    Wehmann House - Located on Dinkins Bayou on Sanibel, this home is a mini art museum;

·    Taylor House - In Heron’s Landing on Sanibel, this home is filled with antique toys. 

     Priced at $35 per person, tickets are limited so advanced reservations are strongly recommended by calling 936-5290. 

     Proceeds will benefit several women and children’s charities in Lee County.  John Naumann & Associates is sponsor for the Suncatcher and George Parker Inc. is sponsoring the 1912 cottage, Bougainvillea.  In 2001, the Zonta Club of Sanibel-Captiva donated over $15,000 to area organizations.

     Zonta is a worldwide service organization of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women.  There are over 34,000 members in more than 1,230 clubs in 70 countries.

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