Peconic Bay Zonta: Happy New Year!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Happy New Year!

Two topics were on the agenda for Peconic Bay Zonta's January 8 meeting:

- Continued sponsorship of an ESOL scholarship at Suffolk County Community College in Riverhead
- Options for a new activity, including a career day for middle-school girls and a networking event for East End women's organizations

We had a lively discussion over a dinner of chicken wings from Spicy's, a favorite BBQ spot in Riverhead. Mmm mmm good!

2 comments:

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[/url].; January 19, 2013 at 9:02 AM
RMNeilson said...: Happy New Year to the Zontians out East. This club proves that axiom/ old saw about never doubting what a small group of committed individuals can do to effect change... The Zonta members provide real value to their community, and that's awesome! I love the idea that eating spicy barbecue can inspire the club to sponsor a career day for middle-school girls.
Keep up the good work!; January 25, 2013 at 7:19 PM

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Welcome to Peconic Bay

Welcome to Peconic Bay Zonta, which is affiliated with Zonta International. The members of Peconic Bay Zonta work to improve the status of women and girls through service and advocacy.

Peconic Bay Zonta encompasses the eastern end of Long Island, New York. We are based in Riverhead, situated at the mouth of the Peconic River, where it empties into the Peconic Bay. East of Riverhead are the North and South Forks of Long Island, jutting like fingers into the Atlantic Ocean.

Eastern Long Island boasts spectacular ocean beaches, lovely bays and picturesque country roads dotted with farm stands. Indeed, the Hamptons is a well-known playground for the rich and famous.

But based on the collective knowledge of our Peconic Bay Zonta members, we know that our eastern end of the island is unique in another way: We lack affordable housing and public transportation. We see deep poverty amidst great wealth. We hear about feelings of isolation from those who live out here doing the service jobs that support the wealthy.

Peconic Bay Zonta can help.

Interested in more information?

E-mail:
mona@zontadistrictthree.org

Snail mail:
Zonta International
Peconic Bay Area
PO Box 2162
Riverhead, NY 11901

Club History

Peconic Bay Zonta was originally chartered in 1987 under the name Zonta Club of Eastern Suffolk Area. In 2005, the members decided to relocate the club’s base further west, to the Riverhead area, to be inclusive of a broader region.

The club has sponsored fundraisers to support a number of activities related to women and children. These have included:
- Scholarship at Suffolk County Community College for returning adult women students
- Scholarship for young women invited to participate in Dowling's aviation summer program
- Funded the children’s room for The Retreat, which helps victims of domestic violence
- Paid for back-to-school backpacks and sneakers for Lov'em, a homeless shelter
- Funded for winter season, purchased holiday fuel for Thursday’s Child, which provides support for HIV families
- Donated money to Southampton Town food bank.

Efforts have been geared to issues of women and children that we have embraced locally.

Peconic Bay Zonta is in District 3, Area 1. The club number is 1261.

For more information about District 3, go to:
www.zontadistrict3.org/

Zonta International

Zonta International is a worldwide service organization of executives in business and the professions dedicated to improving the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women. Nearly 33,000 members belong to more than 1,200 Zonta Clubs in 67 countries and geographic areas. Individual Zonta clubs extend membership invitations to local leaders in business and the professions. Zonta takes its name from the Lakota Sioux Indian word meaning “honest and trustworthy.” Zontians volunteer their time, talents and energy to local and international service projects that are designed to advance the status of women.

Marian de Forest (1864-1935), of Buffalo, New York, founded Zonta in 1919. She was inducted to the National Women’s Hall of Fame on 2002. She was a strong proponent of the arts. De Forest became one of the first female reporters in Western New York and rose to become a drama critic and department editor.

Visit the Zonta International site and see what they have to offer:
www.zonta.org

Membership Plan, 2012-15

OVERVIEW

At present, Peconic Bay has eight members. Our goal is to increase our membership by at least one person each year over the next three years so that by 2012, we will have 11 members..

Based in Riverhead, NY, Peconic Bay is located in a relatively rural region, and our geographical area is large, covering the entire East End of Long Island, both north and south forks. Recruiting is difficult because members sometimes have to travel long distances to monthly meetings.

The membership plan will be revisited annually.

RECRUITMENT

* Emphasize to current members the importance of their being actively involved in recruiting new members.

* Issue a news release twice per year to the local media that describes Peconic Bay Zonta and its goals and activities, with an appeal to join our local club.

* Update Peconic Bay’s website monthly.

* Hold a Zonta Informational Network Gathering, or ZING, at least once per year.

* Maintain a list of prospective members and, with their permission, send them e-mails of the club’s activities. These prospective members include those who are interested in the club’s activities but are not ready to join.

RETENTION / REJUVENATION

Non-active Members

* Reach out individually to non-active members to keep them informed of the club’s activities and to encourage them to become more active.

* Keep recent former members (those who have let membership lapse within the last year) informed of the club's activities, and encourage them to rejoin.

* Ask non-active members and recent former members if there is any activity that they would like to include in the club's agenda that would precipitate their participation.

Active Members / New Members

* Assign a “mentor” to each new member, who will welcome, inform, and encourage the individual to remain active in the club.

* Provide information about the club to new members via our website.

* Explore the possibility of an incentive to current members to bring a prospective member to program meetings.

* Conduct a membership survey at least once per year to determine areas of effectiveness and areas that need improvement.

*Keep all members informed of all meetings and plans for future activities; encourage feedback and suggestions for club activities.

MESSAGES

Peconic Bay Zonta
- The members of Peconic Bay Zonta work to improve the status of women and girls through service and advocacy.
- We are focused on projects that will benefit the East End of Long Island.
- Through Zonta International, Peconic Bay participates in activities that have national and international reach.

Zonta International
- Nearly 30,000 members belong to more than 1,200 Zonta Clubs in 63 countries and geographic areas.
- Zonta International works to:
Advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy.

Improve the legal, political, economic, health, educational and professional status of women.
Advance understanding, goodwill and peace.
Promote justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Respectfully submitted by Diane Greenberg, Vice President
Peconic Bay Zonta
April 16, 2012

Peconic Bay Zonta