ZONTALINES

September 2003

In this issue:

Page

1. October Finds District 3 at itsConference by the Sea

2. Meeting Information
Old Cell Phones Needed
Stop Drive-through Mastectomies!

3. President’s Corner
Zonta North American Summit

4. Calendar of Events
Zonta International Convention 2004
Art Auction Update

5. Join us on September 9

6. September Birthdays
Club Officers

October Finds District 3

at Its Conference

by the Sea!!

Excitement is building for our annual conference October 3-5, 2003, which will be held in Virginia Beach at the Sheraton Oceanfront. The venue will offer conference attendees the opportunity to take advantage of this location with several events.

There will be a District Breast Cancer/RAVE walk along the boardwalk. Proceeds from the walk will benefit one charity from each topic area.

For those who are not able to walk, we are encouraging you to collect donations and bring them to the conference. Of course, we want to have a good showing for Zonta, so bring your tennis shoes!

This year, the conference is focusing on the Zonta objective of education, with several renowned speakers from this field, as well as two of our Amelia Earhart fellows.

The workshops will help us learn the difference between lobbying and advocacy, and provide tips on self-defense and dealing the domestic violence.

There are lots of opportunities for fun and fellowship. So far the count is 11 members of our club that are planning to attend. Make your plans now to attend the District 3 conference.

- - - Connie

ZONTALINES provides information to members of the Zonta Club of Fairfax County on Club Activities.

Articles may be sent to the editor, Laura Sims at 8608 Pappas Way, Annandale, VA 22003 or via email to lnsims@cox.net

The deadline for submissions is the Friday following the board meeting, held on the third Tuesday of the month.

Meeting Information

Social time begins at 6:00 pm,and dinner is served at 6:30 pm. The address of the meeting location is :

   Marco Polo Restaurant
    245 Maple Avenue
    Vienna, VA

Call (703)281-3922 for directions

Please call the Zonta Club of Fairfax County Information line at (703) 866-7167 to ensure a reservation for guests.

Consistent with club policy, members must call either Bobbee Cardillo or the reservation line by 12:00 noon on the Monday before the meeting to cancel their standing reservation or be charged for the meal.

The Zonta club of Fairfax County meets on the first Tuesday of each month except for July and August.

Old Cell Phones Needed

In support of our initiative to prevent domestic violence, we are collecting old cell phones to be re-issued and used at local shelters. Forward your old cell phones to Cindi Dimetros. Cindi can be reached at 703-255-1248 or you may turn them in to her at the next meeting, Please include your charger.

Stop Drive-Through Mastectomies

Legislative Action

Required

· It’s time for women’s voices and choices to be heard.

· Women are being forced to go home hours after surgery still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached, and against the advice of their doctor,

· On April 30, 2003, Rep. Rosa DeLauro reintroduced the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act (H.R. 1886).requiring insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy.

· Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support.

· PLEASE! Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below and help women with breast cancer get the care they need and deserve! There is no cost or monetary pledge involved. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/bc/
pledges/bc_mast_pledge.html

Text Box: President’s Corner

September is here and those of you with children at home have bought all the school supplies and book-bags and sent your kids off to another year of school. I am sending my daughter off to kindergarten with tears in my eyes. They grow so fast and September will now have a whole new meaning to us. It’s time to gear up and start the new year with fresh perspective. We worked hard at the retreat and came up with some new ideas. At the September meeting we will discuss those plans in further detail. The Art Auction committee has been hard at work all summer and they will share all the fun things to do and see at the Auction. So it’s back to work……..See you on the 9^th.

- - - - Connie

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Zonta North American Summit -- 20-22 June 2003, St. Louis, MO

On a picture perfect weekend in June, 130 Zontians from across the US and Canada convened in St. Louis to discuss critical issues facing North American Zonta Clubs. Who was there? Zonta leaders (current and past) and concerned Zontians came together to find ways to strengthen our clubs and grow our membership. It was a very dynamic audience and while the presentations were excellent (and our own Governor Mary Lou Shippe and Lt. Governor Sue Halsey did excellent briefings too!), the real strength of the summit was the audience participation and willingness to share effective strategies and ideas.

Of utmost concern was the declining membership in many North American clubs (96 US clubs have fewer than 15 members). Jacquie Gudmundsen, the Key Note Speaker, presented startling facts about the status of US clubs, including scattered service efforts, unclear ZI global vision, and reduced donations the Zonta International Foundation (and those of you who attended the District Workshop in April heard similar comments from Donna Lane, former ZI Foundation President).

Jacquie then went on to address the situation today facing those clubs who are struggling to survive. Challenges include aging membership, struggles for effective service projects, fewer new clubs being built, ongoing membership loss, and recycled club leadership. Some causes for this include relying on friends and business associates to increase membership (versus a targeted, well-planned membership campaign), exhausting or overdoing members’ time and energy on local service and fund raising activities, etc. perceiving new clubs as a threat, etc.

It was a very thought provoking briefing and stimulated lots of conversation in the audience. Some clever membership ideas were shared from other Zontains too such as targeting potential members who are 10 years younger then you, using a candle ceremony to welcome new members (and really make them feel special!), provisional membership options, targeting 6 potential members and mail them personal letters followed up by phone calls, and much, much more. If you would like to discuss these in more detail, please contact me or Sue.

It was time well spend and we can’t wait for the next Summit (hopefully to be held in 2005, the year following our International Convention). Meanwhile, more details of the Summit will be sent along to Area Presidents and used as part of the Area 4 Leadership Meetings scheduled throughout the next year.

Sue Halsey delivered an effective Membership Cookbook presentation with two great handouts (the cookbook contained concrete strategies for growing members) as well as a thoughtful handout about the cost of being a Zontian (dues, service and fund raising hours, etc.).

Some clever membership ideas were shared from other Zontians, too, such as targeting potential members who are 10 years younger then you, using a candle ceremony to welcome new members (and really make them feel special!), provisional membership options, targeting six potential members and mailing them personal letters, followed up by phone calls, and much, much more. If you would like to discuss these in more detail, please contact me or Sue.

Our next Leadership Team meeting is Saturday, 20 September, at the Fairlington Community Center in Arlington (right off Route 395). The topic will be “Best Practices” and all board members are invited to attend. Please let me know if you wish to join us.

- - Jo Manson, Area 4 Director

Text Box: Don’t forget! Our next meeting will be on Sept 9 – not Sept 2!

Calendar of Events

September

Business meeting, 6:00 PM, Marco Polo Restaurant, Vienna, VA

Board meeting, 6:30 PM, 4084 University Drive, Suite 202, Fairfax, VA (Bonnie Halstead’s office)

October

Business meeting, 6:00 PM, Marco Polo Restaurant, Vienna, VA

Board meeting, 6:30 PM, 4084 University Drive, Suite 202, Fairfax, VA (Bonnie Halstead’s office)

November

Art Auction, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus, from 6:00 pm until . . .

Business meeting, 6:00 PM, Marco Polo Restaurant, Vienna, VA

Board meeting, 6:30 PM, 4084 University Drive, Suite 202, Fairfax, VA (Bonnie Halstead’s office

Zonta International Convention

July 4, 2004

Celebrate the Fourth of July, America’s birthday, at Conference 2004 in New York City.

From July 4^th through 8^thyou will participate in a highly professional, insightful and valuable International Convention that will feature charismatic speakers, crystallize Zonta’s goals and inspire members to use their energy and ingenuity to advance the status of women. Our Convention will focus on women’s issues and conditions and how we can use advocacy to bring about improvements in the lives of women in need.

From the bright lights of Broadway to Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the United Nations, Columbia University, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Statue of Liberty; New York City offers a vast selection of landmarks to pique every interest. New York is the center of America’s fashion industry, the top media market, and home to restaurants offering cuisine representing every Zonta nation.

Because of the richness of offerings in New York City, Convention 2004 will be planned to allow time for sightseeing, Broadway plays, museums; and that traditional pastime of Zontians worldwide; shopping.

District 3; which spans the east coast of the United States from the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, DC, through Virginia; is very proud to host Zontians in our largest and most exciting city. Our upbeat and enthusiastic members will do everything we can to make your stay at our magnificent Marriott Marquis hotel in the heart of the theatre district and Times Square. Mark your calendars for Convention 2004 in New York City, an experience and event that will raise our awareness, fuel our imaginations and expand our cultural horizons.

Don’t’ forget International Convention is the time when goals for the coming biennium are voted on and endorsed by delegates.

Art Auction Update

Fall has arrived and it’s time to gear up for the Art Auction on November 1^st at Northern Virginia Community College. The first push is for advertisements for the program. It’s up to all of us to go out and sell a few ads…..ask the shop that cuts your hair or the local florist that you buy your fresh flowers from. The ad prices are as follows:

Business card size ads (Zonta Club members) $25, Non-members $35. One quarter (1/4) page ad $50, one half (1/2) page ad $100 and two (2) complimentary tickets and full page ad is $200 and four (4) complimentary tickets. Kim Perdos and Danielle Janson have introductory letters to give to your local businesses to assist in the selling process. Just let them know!!

This year we are again offering Patron Packages for tickets sales. Any member selling a patron package will have their name printed in the program.

The Silver level is 4 tickets for $25, Gold is 10 tickets for $60 and the Platinum level is 20 tickets for $100. Individual tickets are $10 apiece or 2 for $15. So get all your friends and neighbors to attend. It’s always a great night!!

September is a time for fresh starts – back to school, back to work,etc

Summer is almost over – remember Fall starts on September 21!

Please , please join us on September 9 to hear about Zonta Fairfax’s fresh start for the coming year.

And remember, we’re meeting on September 9 – not September 2!