January 2025

Dear District 1 Fellow Zontians & Friends:

Here we are, ready to start a new year. If you are like me (and the US government) there were things on your 2024 list that didn’t get done. It’s time to decide whether to move them over to the 2025 calendar or to abandon them as either irrelevant now or impossible to achieve. 

For District 1, we found that starting a club in CT right now was not going to work. However, our wonderful Hartford founding member moved over to the e-Club, so it was still a win! We have two clubs in formation that are inches away from chartering. But we lost our Medford club. When we reflect on any year, there are always highs and always lows. But even the lows are full of lessons. Building membership is still a priority for us. Each of our clubs has its own goals in that endeavor, and district leadership wants to help. Please reach out to your Area Director with specific requests. I hope your new year starts off recognizing the blessings of your 2024, even though there may have been disappointments, just as there have been some of each for the district.

Speaking of the new year, we are very close to cementing the details of our Fall Conference. I don’t want to jinx it before the ink on the contract is dry, but here’s a hint…Area 2 won’t have far to drive, and our international liaison will find it most convenient. Mark your calendars for OCTOBER 24-26, 2025. We haven’t had a full district conference in a long time, so we are very motivated to make this one a weekend to remember! We welcome suggestions, too.

A huge thank you to all of you for making our Pampered Chef fundraiser so successful. It’s still going on, so if your kitchen needs any supplies between now and summer, you know where you can find them and help us to make increasing membership easier for clubs at the same time. USA link | Canadian link to Pampered Chef pages.

Thank you for all you have done this year to make our District so wonderful. And thank you for giving me the privilege of being your District Governor.

In the Zonta spirit,

Donna Raycraft

All Things Amelia Earhart Message from Jane House, District 1 AE Chair

Greetings Zonta Sisters,

The Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowships were established in 1938 in honor of Amelia Earhart, a famed pilot and member of the Zonta Clubs of Boston and New York. The fellowships are awarded annually to women pursuing Ph.D./doctoral degrees in aerospace engineering or space sciences. Zonta International offers the Amelia Earhart Fellowship to ensure women have equal opportunities to pursue education, careers, and leadership positions in aerospace engineering and space sciences.  

Zonta District 1 is very excited that 5 of the 30 Amelia Earhart winners in 2024 are from our District. Four are from MIT (MA): Mennatallah Hussein – Egypt, Hannah Tomio – United States, Madelyn Hoying – United States, and Shion Andrew – United States; one of the winners is from Brown (RI): Kierra Wilk – United States. These women will be honored with the awarding of their $10,000 Fellowship, certificate, honorary Zonta membership, and “wings” at a ceremony on January 16th in Revere MA sponsored by the Malden Club – details and bios for all AE Fellows can be found at the Zonta District 1 Event page.  

The Zonta Clubs of Quaboag Valley and South County Rhode Island are also sponsoring AE Fellows at their local meetings this month. And, we have learned of another resource: Margaret Arnold is available as a speaker. Dr. Arnold, currently at Suffolk University, has researched Amelia Earhart for years and has been involved with projects directly related to her life and legacy. She would welcome the opportunity to share her knowledge with Zontians.

Zonta International invites you to a panel with three former Amelia Earhart Fellows to hear how their work in medicine, weather, wildfires, reduction of pollutants, and fluid flow in nature impacts our daily lives. Following the discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an open Q&A.

Aerospace Advancements in Your Daily Life.  Thursday, 16 January. 3:00 pm EST Visit www.ZontaDistrict1.org for more information and click HERE for Free registration.

Zonta Foundation for Women

Mary Ann Rubis, ZD01

Foundation Ambassador and Endowment Specialist

District 1 was lauded by Zonta International for doubling the amount of donations supporting the Foundation’s Projects and Programs as of November, 2024 compared to the same biennial time period in November, 2022! For that same time period, four clubs and 20 individuals donated, compared to one club and 10 individuals in 2022. The total amount donated as of November, 2024 by District 1 members and clubs for Projects and Programs is $5,940; $6,489 including the Endowment Funds.  

We are on our way towards reaching our biennial goals: raise at least $45,000, have 100% of our clubs donate and at least 45 of our members.

Thanks to the generosity of Zontians from around the world, November’s Every Member Every November Campaign raised $229,372.

Thank you one and all for supporting the Zonta Foundation for Women. Your donations also fund scholarship awards for women and girls in our own district. All donations of any amount are welcome and life-changing.

I look forward to meeting you and sharing information about the Foundation at upcoming club, area and district events this year. If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out! Happy New Year and continued success with all of your Zonta endeavors.

The International Zonta Says NOW Working Group has developed two new Fact Sheets showing Why We Need Gender-Equal Climate Justice and describing Women’s Economic Opportunities in the Context of Climate Change. (A Fact Sheet on women in decision-making is under development). The Fact Sheets are colorful, with photos, facts, links and practical ideas to show you how to take gender-equal climate action. 

Due to systemic gender inequality, women often have fewer economic resources, less access to decision-making spaces, and more unpaid caregiving responsibilities, making them especially vulnerable during crises. It is harder for women to ‘bounce back’ after a disaster.Yet women are not just victims of climate change—they are key to a sustainable, equitable future. When there are more women in boardrooms and in high-level positions in institutions, you get decisions that are wiser and longer term. Across the globe, women are leading grassroots efforts, championing renewable energy solutions, advocating for inclusive policies, and fostering resilience within their communities. 

ZontaDistrict1.org/news-events

Please send the District Webmaster a short write-up of upcoming events, news about a program, service or advocacy initiative your club is working on, a member who is doing something special that should be recognized, etc. We will share the news and events on the District website for all members and allies to view and share.

What would you like to see included in the monthly District 1 #Shorts? Send comments/suggestions to info@zontadistrict1.org