Zonta has 27 clubs throughout New Zealand and their goal is to build a better world for women and girls, locally, nationally and worldwide, through service and advocacy.
Rowena Hutton, Club President said that the national conference provided an opportunity for women to network and learn and the members who attended found it immensely invigorating and inspirational.
An unexpected bonus was the announcement that Ōamaru won the Biennial Cherry Raymond award. Zonta clubs are invited to showcase a project they have worked on that is considered by the district 16 Board to epitomize the Zonta mission of empowering women.
The Zonta Club of Oamaru also won this award in 2018 at the Brisbane Zonta Conference which a large contingent of Oamaru members attended. That winning project for distributing free period products to schools throughout the North Otago area, preceded the Government funding these products to schools throughout New Zealand.
Christchurch conference guest speaker Matt Brown an internationally acclaimed barber, author and survivor of family and childhood sexual abuse had the audience spellbound as he shared his story.
His success in helping hundreds of men share their stories has enabled men to ‘open up’ and heal.
His message leads nicely into The Zonta Club of Oamaru launching once again its 16 days of activism, using the colour orange - raising awareness that ‘Zonta says no to violence against women’ from 25th November 2023 with community wide projects.
Watch out for the Oamaru Opera House to be lit up orange, members hosting a BBQ in orange vests and other activities.
