The Zonta Club is an international service organization of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women. Recently, Besa Sharra, WSU alumni, founded and became president of the Dayton chapter.
This organization works to provide women around the world with the basic needs to survive, undergo surgery, achieve gender equality in employment and mentor young women.
“We live in a very crucial time in the world,” Sharra said. “Zonta helps women learn their potential and give them a new global perspective. We mentor and give scholarships to young women and hope one day they can look back and do the same.”
Established in Buffalo, New York in 1919, early members of this organization were among the first generation of college-educated women and the first generation of North American women to vote. As membership grew, Zonta shared a common vision with hundreds of women’s clubs, encouraging women’s teamwork, courage, risk-taking and self-reliance. In 1923, Zonta supported relief efforts to care for 115,000 orphaned children in Smyrna, Turkey, an event that marked the beginning of Zonta’s dedication to help women internationally.
Zonta has supported programs that increase women’s access to financial resources and generate higher wages through the establishment of all-female micro-credit programs and technical skills training.
“I was an engineer and worked in Springfield,” Sharra said. “A relative introduced me to Zonta. I was hooked and was a member for the Springfield chapter for about three and half years. I ended up moving back to Dayton and wanted to bring the club here.”
“We accept anybody from any profession to become a member,” Sharra said. “We also accept students, teachers and business leaders. Just like the international clubs, the local clubs do service projects just on a smaller scale, such as domestic violence. In October, we worked with the YWCA to provide care packages for women and had a cell phone drive.”
According to Sharra local colleges, such as Wright State, are great places to attract members because of what Zonta offers. It’s a chance for college students to join an organization, have community service experience, meet successful women and possibly become mentees.
“What I’m looking forward to in this New Year is the service programs,” Sharra said. “We will be having a service project either hands-on or a fundraiser. We currently have a membership drive going on. At every meeting we encourage people to bring a friend, normally the meal is on us and we occasionally offer wine and speakers. It’s a great networking event.”
Currently the Zonta Club of Dayton holds meetings once a month at Therapy Café. The next meeting will be Jan. 9 starting at 6:30 p.m. To become a member there is a one-time annual fee of $145. For more information and updates visit: Facebook.com/ZontaClubofDayton or contact: Besa Sharra at bsharra@gmail.com.
