Amelia Earhart Fellowship
January 11 is the day that Zonta recognises as Amelia Earhart Day. On that day, Amelia, aviator and Zontian, began an 18-hour trip from Honolulu to Oakland, California, that made her the first person to fly solo across any part of the Pacific Ocean. Amelia Earhart was, and still is, one of the world’s most celebrated aviators. Her passion, dedication, and bravery in the male dominated world she lived in, demonstrated just how much women can achieve.
In 1938, a year after she disappeared, Zonta established the Amelia Earhart Fellowship in her honour. To date, a total of 1,275 fellowships have been granted, covering a staggering 76 countries. The 2022 winners were recently announced, and include an Australian, Ms Caroline Hamilton Smith from the University of Sydney. That brings the number of AE Fellow recipients in Australia to 37.
I am a past AE fellow, and am passionate about promoting women in engineering, mentoring other women, and leading by example that we can achieve whatever we put our mind to. One of my favourite Amelia Earhart sayings is “Some of us have great runways already built for us. If you have one, take off. But if you don’t have one, realise it is YOUR responsibility to grab a shovel and build one for those who will follow after you.“
That’s what the AE Fellowship is about, providing the tools and the runway for the next generation.
NEWSFLASH! NEWSFLASH! NEWSFLASH! – 85th ANNIVERSARY
This year marks the 85th anniversary of the AE Fellowship, a huge milestone in Zonta’s commitment to encourage women and girls to study in aerospace-related sciences. ZI are encouraging donations to the AE Fellowship Fund directly as individuals or from clubs. If you would like to donate or would like any information please let me know.
Several levels are suggested:
Pioneer: US$25 individual donation in commemoration of Amelia Earhart’s age when she received her pilot’s license.
Navigator: US$38 individual donation in commemoration of the year 1938, the year that Zonta International launched the Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship.
Aviator: US$85 individual donation in commemoration of the 85th Anniversary of the Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship.
Trailblazer: US$10,000 to collectively fund a Fellowship as a Zonta club or individual donor, expanding horizons for women in aerospace engineering and space sciences.
Donors who give specifically for this giving opportunity will be listed on a special Amelia Earhart 85th Anniversary Honor Roll list on the Zonta website.
Kaliope Vassilopoulos
AE Fellowship Coordinator and former AE Fellow
Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship
I have now taken over for the rest of the biennium as the District 23 Coordinator of the Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship. I am off to New Zealand from 11th February to 5th March, but I wanted to remind to start thinking about promoting the JMK Scholarship.
Do please go to the ZI link below and familiarise yourselves with the materials that are available i.e. the application form and the 2023 poster that can be used for promotional purposes. Please send it out to your networks and on all forms of your social and print media. On the poster, please put the date 26th May for the return of application forms to Clubs and the name and details of the Club’s contact.
https://www.zonta.org/Web/Programs/Education/Women_in_Business_Scholarship
On receipt, Clubs will need to check that applications are filled out correctly. Applications will need to be sent to Linda Tinning, ltinning@bigpond.net.au by 30th July.
The JMK Women in Business Scholarship is now worth US$5,000 to the District 23 winner and the scholarship is a good vehicle to promote the values of Zonta amongst young women.
Linda Tinning
Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Coordinator
Women in STEM Scholarship
 Information about and materials for the Women in STEM Scholarships are now available. This program operates at the Zonta club, district/region and international levels, with each Zonta district/region able to submit one applicant for consideration for one of 32 US$5000 international scholarships.
Materials can be found on the website via ‘Our Programs’, ‘Women in STEM Scholarship’ and include a description of the scholarship, a poster for publicising the scholarship, the application form, and forms for recommendation letters and verification of enrolment. Click here
Clubs should individualise the application form with their details for submission and also specify a date for receipt of applications to allow time for judging prior to submitting the winning club application to the district coordinator, Dr Prue Cowled, pcowled@senet.com.au, in August. The successful application at the district level must be received at ZI Headquarters by 15 September. Official announcement of the international recipients will occur in November.
Dr Prue Cowled
D23 Women in STEM Scholarship Coordinator
Young Women in Public Affairs Award
A friendly reminder!
School has returned - have you commenced or finalised your club YWPA Award applications?
Clubs that have not already chosen their winner should do so by mid-March, in order to meet the District Deadline of 1st April 2023. Applications containing all the necessary documents should be sent as a single PDF file, to jmpincombe@hotmail.com by 1st April 2023
Julie Pincombe
D23 YWPA Awards Coordinator 2022-3
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Breast Care Cushions Project
Congratulations to the Zonta Club of Adelaide Torrens on the 7NEWS Adelaide story on 25th October about the club’s involvement in Zonta breast cushion project. Many of you may have seen the Zonta breast cushion story at the time or shared on Facebook. If not, you can go to the club’s facebook to view it.
This great publicity has led to further interest in the project for an article published across Australia. Anthony Caggiano, a journalist at The Senior newspaper based in Adelaide contacted us looking to do a story for The Senior Health online newsletter November 29 issue. The newsletter is sent nationally and abroad.
 With input from myself, Judy Lovett (ZC Adelaide Torrens BC contact) and Lyn Agnew (D22 Governor), Anthony wrote a great article. Here is the link: https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/7993211/cushions-soften-post-surgery-pain/
Thank you to Judy, Lyn and Anthony for their contribution promoting our important project.
I will send the next breast cushion production stats report request for six months ended 31 December 2022 soon and will require the reports to be returned by late January.
Jasmine Koch
D23 Breast Cushion Project Coordinator
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Lesley Sweetman is continuing as the D23 Advocacy Committee Chair for this biennium, having only served for part of the last biennium. As previously, she will be supported by Advocacy reps in each of the areas, who will work with their local clubs.
ZI president Ute Scholz has emphasised the importance of an advocacy presence around International Women’s Day (also Zonta Rose Day).
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Debbie Schmidt : D23 Membership Chair / Lieutenant Governor
I am delighted to see Clubs recruiting new members and watching them come through to the District. Zonta International has recently announced a new incentive for Clubs – the 2023 Add Your Voice Membership Campaign. Basically, this means recruit new Zontians to your club, register and pay for them online between 1 April — 31 May 2023 and their membership will extend to 31 May 2024. This is exciting for new members but also Clubs.
 Materials to help you prepare for the 2023 campaign, including posters, social media images and campaign guidelines, have been updated online at www.zonta.org/AddYourVoice. Membership Chairs, please check out the materials on offer.
Depending on size, clubs are allocated into Tiers. The top recruiting 30 clubs in each tier will receive recognition from Zonta International with the top three clubs receiving additional awards, gifts and recognition.
Club Nominating Committees will be hard at work at the moment. This is always a challenging time, particularly for smaller clubs. There has been a change to the term of office for Club Boards from ZI. Please familiarise yourself with these changes as directors can now hold office for four consecutive years. The clip below also shows minimum requirements for a Board.
From the Zonta International Club Manual, June 2022 edition.
I know that some Clubs are currently planning their International Women’s Day events in conjunction with Zonta Rose Day. This is the perfect time to promote Zonta membership to your visitors and guests. Best wishes for all events and for all attending. I look forward to hearing about and seeing photos of the events on social media.
Debbie Schmidt
Lt. Governor and Membership Chair 2022-2024
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Register for the NGO CSW67 Forum on 5-17 March 2023!
 CSW67 is fast approaching and I have been attending a variety of preparatory meetings. It is so exciting that I can now do this at no cost, attend online and still contribute effectively!
At a Zonta UN Chair meeting recently, we were asked to nominate one area of concern for our District that I will focus on and then report back on to the UN Chair group after CSW67. Following a brief consult with District 23 Governor, Kay I have committed to Gender Based Violence as our focus area. However, I acknowledge that each topic is not a stand-alone, so I will be aware of the interrelationship between GBV, education, climate change, access to technology and leadership.
I was impressed to learn that ZONTA International is presenting two parallel events this year: one on the Madagascar Education program and one on Women in Leadership in partnership with Soroptimist International. How good is that?
Our President Ute Scholz also impressed me with her comments that, whilst we love doing our local projects, we must never forget that we are an International organisation. When compared to other such organisations, we are totally unique because of the work we do with the UN. An important message for our clubs!
Alwyn Friedersdorff
UN Committee Chair
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18 March: Areas 1 & 4 – hosted by ZC Melbourne on Yarra Inc.
25 March: Area 5 – hosted by ZC Hobart Derwent
29 April – Area 3 – hosted by ZC Perth Inc.
6 May: Area 2 – hosted by ZC Adelaide Hills
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 District Conference, Bunbury, Sept 1-3 2023
Have you started planning to join your Zonta friends in Bunbury for the District 23 Conference? The Conference Committee is busy organising inspiring speakers with a focus on youth and how they will lead us to a better future. The program will offer three fun filled few days in the southwest of WA.
Conference Newsletter #2, with updates, travel and accommodation options, will arrive in your inbox in March.
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International Convention - 27 June – 1 July 2024
Brisbane Convention Centre QLD
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Have you heard of the Zonta Spirit? This concept was introduced by ZI President Ute Scholz at the 2022 Convention. It is described in the biennial Goals as ‘Our Heart and Soul’ and aims to promote friendships and lasting connections in Zonta, both locally and internationally. The Chair of the Zonta Spirit International Committee is Lynne Foley, District 22. Lynne has requested a liaison from each of the districts, and I have appointed Bronwen Haywood from ZC Central Goldfields. Her role will be to distribute material developed by the committee for the use of clubs. To learn more, visit the ZI website via My Zonta, Tools, Zonta Spirit.
participants develop future mindset attitudes and skills, connectedness, ideas, and solutions for concrete professional and/or private challenges. The Committee has sought out 100 women with diverse cultural, social, and professional backgrounds and of different generations from all six member continents, 50 Zontians as mentors and 50 Young Professionals, Golden Z Club members and education awardees. If you have questions, please write to 
Exciting news! Dr Joy O’Hazy, ZC Adelaide Hills, was awarded an OAM for services to the community and to medicine. Joy is Deputy Chair and inaugural director of the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia (BKFA) and a co-founder of the Zonta Birthing Kit Project.
On Sunday 29 January, the ZCs of Ballarat and Melbourne’s West jointly hosted an Amelia Earhart celebration at the Ballarat Aviation Museum. Attended by members of the District Board – Governor Kay Stewart, Lt Governor Debbie Schmidt, and past Governor Sandra Burns – as well as many Zontians with family and friends, it was a unique experience to be amongst lots of planes and aviation memorabilia while celebrating our Fellow Zontian, Amelia Earhart.
After a quick welcome from the President of the ZC of Ballarat, Caroline Nolan,we had a short introduction to the Aviation Museum from Bob, the Museum Coordinator. Louise from the Ballarat Aero Club was also there in support.
Over the next hour, with lunch available, we had the opportunity to scour through the museum looking for answers to 12 questions as part of a Scavenger Hunt. All the questions were based on information within the museum displays, and using Google was not helpful! 
