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Biennium Reflection and Goal Planning

District 1 Zonta Biennium Reflection and Goal Planning
A guide for District 1 Zonta Clubs in assessing service accomplishments, identifying advocacy priorities, and setting actionable goals for the upcoming biennium.

Reflect on Service Successes:
What service projects made the greatest impact?
Which projects sparked pride and engagement?
Connect Service to Advocacy
For each favorite service project, ask: Why is this service needed? Identify systemic issues that perpetuate the need for service.
Brainstorm what policy or funding changes could eliminate the need for that service.
Identify Advocacy Priorities (Core Zonta Focus Areas and Club-Specific Issues)
Zonta Says No: Domestic violence prevention
Zonta Says Now: Climate justice
Ending child marriage: Continue vigilance and support globally
What advocacy issues are unique to your community?
Use club meetings to brainstorm and vote on priorities.
Use Zonta Resources
Advocacy Video: Show ZI’s advocacy video: https://youtu.be/nHNSFPXOBpY
Read aloud ZI’s January statement on U.S. withdrawal from multilateral institutions.
Attend Canada/U.S. Advocacy Caucus virtual meetings; encourage nondelegates to drop in and learn.

Support the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
National Advocacy: Join the movement to make the ERA the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Mobilize club members to write, speak, and act in support.
Set Goals for Next Biennium
SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
Examples: Host 2 advocacy events per year; Convert 1 service project into an advocacy campaign; Attend 3 virtual caucus meetings as a club
Celebrate and Mobilize
Empowerment Message: Remind members that we are a mighty entity in an age of global uncertainty.
Frame Zonta as a continuation of the suffragist legacy.
Call to Action: Together, we can make a difference.

… Read the rest

JMK

2025 Women in Business Award

Casey McDermott from District 1 was one of the 10 exceptional applicants selected for a 2025 Zonta Women in Business Leadership International Award.

Thirty–five (35) exceptional applicants from 26 countries were considered in the selection for the 10 international awards. The recipients will receive a complimentary one-year supporting membership in Zonta International starting in the next fiscal year (1 June 2026) and US $10,000 award. A biographical description of each recipient will be posted on the Zonta International website by the end of January 2026.

Casey McDermott was the applicant from the Quaboag Club selected by the District 1 WBLA evaluation committee to have her application/materials submitted to ZI. This is exciting for our District as it represents what collaboration and communication between District 1 Clubs can result in. Casey is from Nova Scotia and at the request of the Amherst Club, an ask was made of District 1 Clubs to accept her application as the Nova Scotia Clubs were not offering the WBL award this year. The Quaboag Club stepped up and agreed to accept Casey’s application and ultimately determined they would submit her name/application to District 1.
AND here she is the recipient of one of ten awards… such an accomplishment.
The Women in Business Leadership Award honors exceptional leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, ethical conduct and significant contributions while addressing global or local issues affecting women and girls or climate change. We believe Casey McDermott’s application exemplifies her commitment to these things and that she has and is taking action to build a better world for women and girls through service and advocacy.

Read more about Casey, including her essay, on ZontaQV.org/scholarships. Scroll to the bottom of the page.… Read the rest

Advocacy

Eliminating Child Marriage – Still work to be done

Legal gaps and enduring harm: Analysing the persistence of child marriage in the United States
A new report, Legal Gaps and Enduring Harm: Analysing the Persistence of Child Marriage in the United States, produced by Unchained At Last in partnership with Equality Now, exposes how state and federal loopholes continue to enable child marriage, and what must change to finally end it.

The full report is eye-opening and worth the read: https://equalitynow.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Legal-gaps-and-enduring-harm-Analysing-the-persistence-of-child-marriage-in-the-United-States-English.pdf.

While all of the states in Zonta District 1 have voted to ban child marriage, there is still advocacy work to do here on TWO fronts. (1) Fighting for the ERA, which would solve this problem, and (2) Supporting girls transitioning out of this nightmare.

The ERA and Child Marriage
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is an amendment to the United States Constitution that guarantees equality under the law, regardless of sex or gender. Originally introduced in 1923 and passed by Congress in 1972, the ERA met all constitutional requirements to become the 28th Amendment in 2020.67 In January 2025, in the final days of his presidency, former President Biden announced that the ERA is the “law of the land.”68 If universally recognized and implemented, the ERA would provide a critical tool for challenging laws and policies that reinforce sex-based discrimination. Laws that allow or enable child marriage, at both the state and federal levels, could be struck down as unconstitutional because such laws have a disproportionately negative impact on girls, preventing them from equally enjoying their rights and participating fully in society.69 Additionally, the ERA could open the door for federal legislation that sets a national minimum age of marriage to remedy the discriminatory nature of child marriage. As the United States faces increasing scrutiny for its failure to prohibit child marriage, the ERA could serve as a transformative legal foundation to protect women and girls’ rights and meet its commitments under international law.

Aiding Children Who have been Trapped
In states where child marriage is completely banned, girls under 18 can access a variety of confidential services through specialized organizations, runaway and homeless youth shelters, and legal aid groups. Because these states legally recognize minors as adults in marriage-related cases, girls attempting to leave a forced marriage are no longer subject to the same restrictions as runaways and are entitled to specific legal protections. States that have banned child marriage:

Specialized anti-forced marriage organizations
National and regional non-profits specialize in assisting girls escaping forced or child marriages.

Unchained At Last: This organization provides free legal services, social services, and shelter to survivors of forced marriages. They have led the national movement to ban child marriage and can help minors navigate the specific protections offered in their state.
Tahirih Justice Center: Through its Forced Marriage Initiative, Tahirih offers a confidential helpline, legal expertise, and case-by-case assistance. They can connect individuals with local resources and guide them through legal options like annulment or an order of protection.

Youth and runaway shelters
For immediate safety, youth shelters offer a confidential and secure place to stay, along with resources to help establish independence.… Read the rest

Fall Conference

Club Roles

Each of the clubs attending the Fall Conference has volunteered member time and effort to make it a successful event. In addition to donating items to the Online Auction to benefit the Zonta International Foundation for Women or to District 1, and bringing items for the Service Project and for the Marketplace, all the participating clubs have stepped up to take a specific role in the weekend event. Heartfelt thanks to all!

… Read the rest

Fall Conference

Online Auction

Online Auction to benefit ZI Foundation or District 1

The online 32Auctions to benefit the ZI Foundation for Women or District 1 was available to EVERYONE…members (whether they were attending the Fall Conference or not), co-workers, friends and family! Sincere appreciation for the auction items donated by clubs and members – thanks to them 100% of the proceeds will go to either the ZI Foundation or District 1.

… Read the rest

Fall Conference

Service Project

Service Project – Emergency Preparedness Bags for Individuals and Families

The Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley will introduce a project to educate women/families about the importance of planning for an emergency evacuation that no one wants to think about. With the help of all clubs in the District – conference attendees will attempt to create 50 ’Go Bags” filled with a few important items and an educational pamphlet that provides insightful tips. Clubs will take home a few bags each as templates to use as appropriate in their communities.
Bags and printed educational pamphlets have already been donated. Each club is asked to collect items to include in the bags. To minimize the expense, the intent is to get donations of items (with or without logos) from local businesses and like-minded organizations, and ask students to help us collect/advertise for donations. All who contribute will be named as PARTNERS for this project..

CALL TO ACTION: We have template solicitation letter and an Amazon Wish List below to help jumpstart collections. Please reach out to your networks and bring items in person or have them sent prior to Conference start date. Be sure to send the names of contributors to info@zontadistric1.org so they can be recognized. WHEN YOU HAVE SECURED DONATIONS – PLEASE NOTIFY SECRETARY MARY KNIGHT. A MESSAGE WILL BE ADDED ON THIS PAGE TO AVOID DUPLICATIONS.
So far we have 50 Educational Pamphlets, 50 KN95 masks, 50 boxes of matches, 50 whistles, 50 8-oz hand sanitizer bottles, 50 can openers, 50 toothbrushes and toothpaste, 100 emergency blankets, 50 Bic lighters, 48 small first aid kits. 50 Fireproof document bags.

Educational Pamphlet PDF

Invitation to Sponsor Emergency Preparedness GoBags Google Doc

Amazon Wish List… Read the rest

YWPA

2025 YW in Leadership Award

… Read the rest

Fall Conference

Fall Conference Presenters

Jillian James, EnROADS Climate Ambassador
Title: The Power of Interactive Climate Education: From Global Insight to Local Impact

At first glance, a global model like the En-ROADS Simulator might seem too broad to inform local decisions. In practice, it’s a powerful way to ground conversations in science, reveal insights, and test strategies leaders can act on. You’ll hear insights and tips from Jillian, who is using the simulator to inform local policy discussions, build momentum for regional climate action, and engage leaders.

Jillian became an En-ROADS Climate Ambassador in 2020, sharing insights from a science-based simulator that makes impacts of climate-related policies more accessible. She earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from MIT, specializing in spacecraft systems. For a decade, she contributed to national security space systems at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, where she led satellite development as Chief Systems Engineer. After initiating a project aimed at supporting hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico, she began focusing on ways to positively influence our climate through systems change. Today, as Director of Sustainability at NETSCOUT, she is dedicated to creating a more sustainable and inclusive digital future.
Watch a short demonstration of its operation and features below.

Sherri Y. Simmons-Horton, Associate Professor
Title: The World Turned Upside Down: The Urgency of our Activism

These are turbulent and confusing times that call for an urgent and collective response. This presentation will underscore the state of civil and human rights being threatened with erasure. The aim is to inform, inspire, and energize participants on the imperative of persistent, strategic, courageous, and unapologetic activist engagement. Key takeaways:

The importance of collective (not individual) movement building to interrupt and call out injustices.
The danger in participating in “oppression Olympics,” and the importance of fighting for all causes.
The places and spaces of activism, and how we engage in effective activism and collective building.

Sherri Simmons, PhD, MSW, is an Assistant Professor in the Social Work department at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). She also serves as a Core Faculty member in the Women and Gender Studies at UNH. Simmons-Horton has over 25 years of practice experience in the child welfare system in the state of Texas, with a focus on addressing racism and racial disparities present for Black children, youth, and families. Simmons-Horton’s research focuses on crossover youth (adolescents with involvement in the juvenile justice and foster care systems, structural intersectional inequities across both systems and the empowerment of system-involved Black youth and families through an anti-oppressive lens. Simmons-Horton serves as the 2nd Vice President of the Black Administrators in Child Welfare and she is a staunch child, family, and youth advocate, with a strong interest in practice and policy strategies to dismantle oppressive practices in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

Mary Ann Rubis – Zonta Foundation Ambassador

Mary Ann Rubis is an optometrist, specializing in the treatment of ocular disease and contact lenses. A member of Zonta since 1997, Mary Ann is grateful for the amazing friendships and opportunities that membership has provided.… Read the rest

Uncategorized

Fall Conference FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (so far)

Can I get reimbursed for the registration fee if I cannot attend?

Cancellation Policy –
Cancellations directed to info@zontadistrict1.org before 9/15, will receive a full refund, minus the Square fee, if paid online.
Between 9/15 and 10/23, refunds will be subject to a 50% cancellation fee.
After 10/23, the registration fee will not be refundable.

What meals are included with Registration?

Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday is included with hotel reservations
Saturday lunch
Saturday evening banquet
Beverages and snacks will be available.

If I am on the fence about attending, what else should I consider?

You will learn more about Zonta’s mission and programs: the passion of speakers, Zonta International Director Vivienne Shen, former Zonta International President Mary Ellen Bittner, and other attendees will inspire and motivate you to take action on issues of gender equality. You will learn and grow as an individual and as a Zontian. In-person events deepen connections within our diverse but like-minded community and help you to see beyond your club. The informal chats that occur between sessions often lead to ideas that can be used to infuse the Zonta Spirit in your club. We will celebrate first-timers who attend by keeping the cost to $99, making it even more affordable. Fall Conference is fun! Social events, networking, celebrating the power of women, sharing stories, visiting a great city on the sea and enjoying all it has to offer. You deserve some fun.

As Delegates are voting online before the actual conference, are they required to attend?
No. While we of course want ALL members to attend if at all possible, delegates will not be voting at Conference and are not required to attend.

Who should attend Friday night? The formal conference starts on Saturday.

Friday evening, starting at 6, will be informal. Those who arrive by 6 will go through registration and get all the conference materials. They will have an opportunity to meet folks from the District, learn about how the weekend will play out, enjoy some entertainment, and camaraderie. Everyone who is able is encouraged to attend to get the full experience of a Zonta Conference.
The formal program starts bright and early Saturday morning.

I do not have a roommate and don’t want to pay full price for a suite. Can anyone help?
Contact Mary Knight at info@zontadistrict1.org. We will do everything we can to help.

What is the dress code for Saturday banquet?
Thank you for asking! NOT DRESSY, BUT PARTY-WEAR IS APPROPRIATE.
Get ready to dance and have fun after sitting all day listening to speakers!!

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Fall Conference

Marketplace

Most of the clubs attending reserved a table to sell items or chances for a raffle basket in the Zonta Store. Some members sold items as well and donated a portion of the sales to the District.