Zonta Club of Elizabethtown members and guests are pictured holding the original Club Charter Membership Certificate.  The Club became a charter member of Zonta International on January 10, 1986 and will soon celebrate a 37-year history of advocating for equality for women.  Pictured from left are Lois Pierce, Gail Crain, Linda Funk, Ramona Jeffries, Mary Hatcher, Debbie Lewis, Kelly Roark, and Loretta Cardin.

In recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Zonta Club of Elizabethtown sponsored their 4th Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Walk on Saturday October 1st.  The Walk was held on the grounds of the Jack Henry/I Pay Industries property on Ring Road in Elizabethtown.  Zonta members and supporters are pictured holding Domestic Violence Awareness signs.

Zonta Club of Elizabethtown members volunteered at Feeding America. The agency serves Hardin County and 41 other counties in central, south central, and western Kentucky.  Pictured at Feeding America, after putting food items in backpacks for the school backpack program, are Zonta Club of Elizabethtown members from left Laura Nall, Lois Pierce, Lee Ann Caudill, Linda Funk and Ramona Jeffries.

Club members are pictured making a contribution of $250.00 to Clarity Solutions Pregnancy Center, along with donations of baby clothes, bibs, socks, diapers, wet wipes, shoes, stroller, etc. Pictured from left Gail Crain, Lois Pierce, Linda Funk, Laura Dickinson (CEO of Clarity Solutions), Kelly Graham, and Ramona Jeffries.

In response to the devastating flooding in eastern Kentucky Zonta Club members responded to the Hardin County School Eastern Kentucky Flood Victim Relief Effort with a donation of 40 gift cards amounting to a total of $1000.00.  The gift cards were delivered to school family resource centers in affected areas by Hardin County School Superintendent, Terrie Morgan on August 6th. Pictured holding the donated cards are Lois Pierce, Zonta Secretary; Terrie Morgan, HCS Superintendent; Janay Sutton, HCS Director of Health Services and Family Resource Youth Service Centers; and Linda Funk, Zonta Club President.

Zonta Club members and Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) volunteers are pictured participating in the  “Plummit Summit” game. Volunteer, Carmel Bowman developed the game that provides a fun way for a group to learn and discuss climate issues and how to take action.

The Zonta Club of Elizabethtown recently recognized Arushi Bansal as the recipient of the Young Women in Public Affairs Award (YWPA).

From Lexington Kentucky, Arushi is a junior at the Sayre Independent School. She relates, “I see myself pursuing my love for public affairs and continuing my work towards improving life for marginalized people.  I am considering a career in medicine where I believe I can have the most impact. I wish to concentrate my studies on public policy, global health, and healthcare advocacy in college.” She further states, “It pains me to see a large number of women dying related to pregnancy complications and children dying of malnutrition in the 21st century. A lot of work needs to be done to improve on these issues both legislatively and socially. I believe we can improve this by empowering women through better education. I want to work on both the national and global level to bring about this positive change.”

Some initiatives Arushi is involved with include having been elected as a Youth Governor of Kentucky through the Kentucky Youth Assembly where she advocated for disaster relief, accessible healthcare, and gender pay gap issues.  She is part of the National Youth Governors Association and will join the Kentucky YMCA Board of Directors. She was chosen to be Co-President of the Bluegrass Indo-American Civic Society Youth Board.  Arushi has organized donation drives for the Nest, a center providing support to abused women, and has participated in registration drives to urge women to vote. She is also an athlete and is passionate about defending Title 1X and protecting the rights of women in sports.

Zonta Club members are pictured presenting $500 to Arushi Bansal the recipient of the Zonta Club of Elizabethtown Young Women in Public Affairs Award (YWPA).  Pictured at Sayre Independent School in Lexington, KY. are, from left, Lois Pierce, Arushi Bansal, Linda Funk, and Gail Crain.

In recognition of Child Abuse and Sexual Trauma Awareness month Zonta members visited Silverleaf Sexual Trauma and Recovery Services, and provided a meal for the women and children participating in a therapeutic support group at the Center. Pictured standing from left are Kimberly Cook-Lee, (Therapist), Jamie Wathen (Therapist/Forensic Interviewer), Mary Ellen O’Daniel (Therapist), Gail Crain (Zonta),  Ashley Smith (WKU SW Intern), Alexandra Stewart (Silverleaf Volunteer and Charity Auction Live Artist), seated from left are Eliana Funk and Lois Pierce (Zonta), and Andrea Powell (Family Advocate).

In recognition of Child Abuse and Sexual Assault awareness, the Zonta Club of Elizabethtown took part in Silverleaf’s “Chalk the Walk” street event with the message: HANDS ARE FOR HUGGING….. HELPING….. HEALING…..NOT HURTING!!! Pictured from left are Zonta Club members Kelly Roark, Debbie Lewis, Gail Crain, Lois Pierce, Ramona Jeffries, Loretta Cardin, and Linda Funk.

The Zonta Club of Elizabethtown promoted shoe donations as a service project for the Zonta Area Meeting. This was in support of WaterStep, a program which addresses water impurity and shortages in underdeveloped countries and those countries dealing with climate change challenges. Zonta has an interest in promoting the awareness for climate change and it’s impact on women. By donating new and gently used shoes, it helps fund safe drinking water projects all over the world. These projects save hundreds of thousands of lives each year as well as keep tons of waste out of landfills. Members from left, Linda Funk, Lois Pierce, Angela Brokmann (Zonta Area 2 Director) Debbie Lewis, Gail Crain, Kelly Roark, and Ramona Jeffries are pictured with totes of donated shoes.

During the February Zonta Club of Elizabethtown meeting, the Club awarded The Amelia Earhart Scholarship to Reagan Scarborough who has plans to attend Western Kentucky University in the fall with a major in Physical Therapy and Exercise Science. Reagan is currently a high school senior at Central Hardin and also is enrolled in the EC3 Academy.  Even with this busy academic schedule she is employed at PT Pros in Elizabethtown.  Pictured (left) is Reagan Scarborough, as she is awarded the Amelia Earhart Scholarship for high school girls.  Presenting the Award is Lois Pierce, Zonta Scholarship Committee member.

The Zonta Club of Elizabethtown hosted the Annual Christmas Tea and Fundraiser at the Brown Pusey House in Elizabethtown. During the event attendees enjoyed violin music played by Cathy Pryek, the company of “Mrs. Claus,” as well as great tea and goodies.

During the celebration the Club awarded a $1000.00 nontraditional scholarship to Pamela Dockery who at age 52 returned to college setting an example that it is never too late to set goals and career aspirations.  Further, gift certificates in the amount of $40.00 each were donated for each of the young mothers enrolled in the Hardin County School ExCel Program (offering support and opportunity for continued education and success to young mothers, and quality programming and care for children birth to age 4) along with a donation of diapers, formula, and wet wipes.

The program also recognized the “Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women” and everyone wore orange ribbons representative of the campaign.

Pictured (left) during the Annual Zonta Christmas Tea, as she is awarded the $1000.00 Non-Traditional Scholarship, is Pamela Dockery, Presenting the award is Zonta Club member Laura Nall.

Zonta Club members are pictured making the donation to the ExCel Program representative Sarah Banker.  From left are Joan Dale, Lois Pierce, Linda Funk, Sarah Banker, Ramona Jeffries, and Gail Crain. Barker was also guest speaker at the event.  She was a young mother who attended the ExCel program and received the encouragement she needed to graduate high school and college and get a teaching degree. She now enjoys a career as a Kindergarten teacher for the Hardin County Schools. Banker credits the ExCel Program for motivating her to reach her goals.

Following the Annual Zonta Christmas Tea event, members gathered by the tree at the Brown Pusey House in memory of founding member Ruth Ellen Stanley, who passed away in June. Pictured from left are Laura Nall, Debbie Lewis, Joan Williams, Kelly Roark, Linda Funk (holding a yellow rose), Ramona Jeffries (holding a photo of Ruth Ellen), Lee Ann Caudill, Gail Crain, Lois Pierce, and Crystal Tilton.