Today, Zonta International is a global organization of more than 29,000 members in nearly 1,200 Zonta clubs in 63 countries. Peconic Bay Zonta celebrates Zonta's 100th anniversary in 2019 with a brief account of our own club’s history. Please read on.
The Zonta Club of Peconic Bay is named for the large bay that splits eastern Long Island into the north and south forks, jutting like arms into the Atlantic Ocean.
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 be inclusive of a broader region. For that rebirth, Zonta District 3 and the Zonta Club of Suffolk County helped by sponsoring and mentoring us. We are now based in Riverhead, NY, where the mouth of the Peconic River meets Peconic Bay.
In the club’s history, we have engaged in numerous and varied activities in support of women and girls.
Highlights:
- Fund ESL scholarships at Suffolk County Community College for returning adult women students at the eastern campus in Riverhead, a sustained effort since 2013, awarding the scholarship twice a year starting in 2014
- Support Butterfly Effect Project, a Riverhead-based nonprofit community group that works to empower girls
- Fund music scholarship for Margarita Basurto at East End Arts in Riverhead, supporting her with year-round violin lessons
- Network and collaborate with Brookhaven Women in Science at Brookhaven National Laboratory and Women in Science and Engineering at Stony Brook University
- Partner with other Area 1 clubs: in recent years, for Equal Pay Day; on the horizon, LUNAFEST
- Collaborate with Mayan Hands, a fair-trade organization that supports Mayan women artisans in Guatemala
- Sponsored a children's room at The Retreat, a shelter for victims of domestic violence
- Awarded scholarships for students invited to participate in the Dowling College Summer Aviation Scholarship Program for Young Women
- Prepared turkey dinners for Maureen's Haven Homeless Outreach Program and, more recently, hosted an Empty Bowls fundraiser and donated to Island Harvest
In the second half of the 2018-2020 Zonta International biennial, we honored Tijuana Fulford, Founder/Executive Director of the Butterfly Effect Project. The Butterfly Effect Project helps girls develop self-confidence and academic skills. “You are the author of your own book,” says Fulford, “so let’s make sure it’s something you’re proud to read aloud.”
Peconic Bay has sponsored several activities for the Butterfly girls. As part of a series of fun and educational workshops, members Betsy Kaplan, Liala Strotman, Vivian Daddino and Diane Greenberg organized an evening with younger girls to demonstrate specialized exercises to develop better concentration, relaxation, learning skills and emotional well-being.
Other notables:
- Former member Kay Jones, now living in North Carolina, served as Area 1 Director. She also was in charge of registration for the Zonta International Convention in New York City, 2004
- Isabella Sorgi, Peconic Bay Zonta's nominee for the Young Woman in Public Affairs Award, won the YWPA Award at the Zonta District 3 level.
At its peak, during the years as Eastern Suffolk, club membership was in the 20s. We have been stable since 2005 at eight to 10 members, with each member an active participant in club affairs. Our goal is 12 members (see membership plan in column to the left). This number is ideal since a group of that size can fit around a table and hear each other.
Peconic Bay Zonta has a collective knowledge of our community, and we support activities that address social justice for women and girls. While the eastern end of Long Island is noted for spectacular scenery and wealthy communities, not everyone participates. The members of Peconic Bay embrace Zonta’s mission to empower women and girls through advocacy, service and community activities.
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