Zonta e-Club of USA 7
Zonta District 12 has permission to form an e-Club. This club would meet via Zoom or a similar tool and would function as a regular club although members could be located anywhere. If you are interested, please contact District 12 Membership Chair, at info@nullzontadistrict12.org.
What is an e-Club?
A Zonta e-Club is a Zonta club that conducts its Zonta business and holds monthly meetings using the internet and other media as tools to manage the club and its projects. An e-Club has all rights and responsibilities of a traditional Zonta club — it is a real club that simply holds their club meetings electronically.
How do they meet?
Chat rooms, Face book, Skype, Zoom.us, Web-ex, Go to meeting, Google hangouts. Zonta e-Club of USA 7 meets using Zoom.us.
Who can be members?
As with any Zonta club, the membership of the club is limited to classified members, young professionals, Past International Presidents, and Honorary members. Zonta e-Club members can be located in the same community, geographic area, state, district, region, country or may be scattered across the globe. Members can be from non-Zonta countries, but that can be no more than 1/3 of the e-Club membership.
In the first year, it is recommended that at least 20% of the total membership is current or former Zontians. An existing Zontian desiring to be a charter member of an e-Club must resign membership in her existing Zonta club by the time the new e-Club is chartered.
How does an e-Club work?
e-Club members may meet in person as a group or independently for service or fundraising projects upon each member’s proximity to one another. All activities require club approval. Members are encouraged to have at least one face-to-face meeting per year with each other.
The e-Club members are entitled and encouraged to participate in all events and activities of the area and the District to which they belong. The e-Club members may attend other club meetings when invited or permitted.
How is District 12 starting an e-Club?
The group of Zonta members taking the initiative and willing to do the work to start a new club becomes an SOM Committee. SOM stands for Sponsoring, Organizing, and Mentoring.
The official procedure for chartering a new club is described in the Zonta International Membership Manual. The District Governor and Lt. Governor must be informed and approve the SOMing of the e-Club – which we have.
To get the ball rolling, the SOM Committee Chair submits the “Authorization Request for Organizing a new Zonta Club Form” from Zonta.org and sends it to the Governor for approval (with a copy to the Lt. Governor and Area Director). The approval to SOM the new club is valid for a period of time. Per the Club Naming Policy for e-Clubs, we became the Zonta e-Club of USA 7 — which means we will be the 7th e-Club formed in the USA. To read up on other e-Clubs in the USA, go to zonta.org.
Each e-Club belongs to a district; and the International Board may assign an e-Club to any district without regard to the geographical boundaries of that district. e-Clubs cannot be started in a new Zonta country without special permission from Zonta International.
Names of potential members come from different sources with all possible contacts used. These may be Zonta members’ families, friends, colleagues and their network; business contacts; moved and resigned members from other Zonta clubs, etc.
The steps in chartering a Zonta e-Club are the same as of a traditional club. Fifteen dues-paying members are required, along with an identified set of officers and submission of dues for all charter members.
What are the activities of an e-Club?
Fundraising – the organized activities of raising funds for the ZI Foundation, club programs and activities. Some e-Club examples include e-Club sells Zonta e-Club logo items at area/district meetings and websites or perhaps e-Club members can hold a raffle of an item that is universally popular.
Service – an act of helpful activity in a club’s community that focuses on the needs of women. E-Club examples include – Delivering personal care items to a local domestic violence shelter in the community, or members collect and deliver clothing for homeless and low-income women in need of outfits for job interviews just to name a few ideas.
Advocacy – the act or process of advocating or supporting a cause or proposal that empowers women. E-club examples include: e-Club can host an event in each members’ community by showing a film to the public. Providing business cards and racks in local businesses on how to detect domestic violence and how to get help.
Samples of e-Club Service Projects:
Zonta e-Club of Silicon Valley
Club Projects: Some local groups with whom the club has had service projects, or raised funds for in the past few years include:
Star Vista of San Mateo County: www.star-vista.org.
Tech trek summer camps at Stanford (for girls entering 8th grade)
YWCA of Silicon Valley
Volunteer at Help a Mother Out (www.helpa motherout.org)
Other service projects include presenting workshops on Financial Fitness to teen girls to increase financial literacy in young women locally.
Zonta e-Club of Uruguay -1
Club Project: Human Trafficking in Uruguay, Education Project. Uruguay is a country of origin for trafficking victims.
Objective: education through television and radio interviews, talk shows and local news, conferences and workshops for young adolescents in their schools.
Zonta e-Club of USA-1
Club Project: Marlene Fraser Irish Memorial Scholarship.
Individual Projects: the Dawn Center — volunteer one day a week using the talents to digitize records in an easily maintainable database.
Mentoring – mentor 6th – 8th grade girls interested in STEM careers. Public speaking – sharing “Servant Leadership” program developed for Rotterdam Convention.
Conclusion
A Zonta e-Club can be as committed and effective as a club that meets in person in their mission of empowering women.
Last revision date: 01-16-2021
