Zonta Club of the Pikes Peak Area June 2003 Newsletter Volume III, Issue 6

PONDERINGS FROM THE PREZ!

Hello Zonta Sisters,

I have spent the last week playing hooky from my work and my life because my sisters are in town - four of us with a rare chance to be all together. It has been wonderful reminiscing about our childhood and marveling at the differences in shared memories and the 16 different parents we had in our only mother and father. Women make such deep connections!

"Women make such deep connections!" -Pamela Sufak

I am so fortunate to have this family, and that makes me thankful for you, my Zonta family. When Kris introduced me to Zonta, I was looking for a community with people of depth and substance. I found through all of you excess of what I searched.

Thank you all for your welcome and your trust in making me your president. I am aware of my short history with this association, but I am also full of ideas to make my contribution count. I feel that we are on the brink of new growth and I am privileged to be a part of that. My goal is to lead from behind, celebrating and nurturing the strength of our community of Zonta Women.

Zonta Hugs,
Pamela

Bits from Betty

There is a retraction I need to make about last month's Mexican fish story. First of all, that was not me in the middle, it was the captain of the fishing boat! Most important of all, the lengths of the fish need to be redefined. Karen Pauley's fish was 8' 6", and Joanne Bass' fish was 7'6". I had forgotten how fish stories grow!

It is not too late to get in on the breakfast meeting I am planning at a restaurant on Thursday, June 12, at 8:00 am. It is for club members to meet Dianne Leggo, the past Zonta International Membership Chairman, who spurred us on to action with a recruitment plan. She is a charming woman and brings many stories from her home country, Australia. She will be my houseguest for a few days and I am looking forward to the visit. I'll send the name of the restaurant in a few days when I have a good idea of the number of people.

Zonta welcomes back Betty Hudson, a former president of our club (1990-1991). Betty is like most of us, she "overcommitted" and had to take a break, but now she is looking forward to making a contribution wherever she is needed. Welcome, Betty.

Betty is Executive Assistant to the Director of the Church Discipleship Ministry of the Navigators here in Colorado Springs. She has been with the Navigators since 1993. Betty enjoys gardening and reading, and enjoys learning new things and helping others. She enjoys upbeat, reflective, caring people who love their work.

To Betty, Zonta means real women in the real world working to make it a better place little by little...a place where she can use her skills and time to help other women, while gaining new skills and ideas from other Zonta members. She enjoys helping others reach their full potential. Betty says Zonta helps her broaden her horizons to develop new interests and learn about life. Her friends call her "friendly, creative, with good follow through, and dependable."

Betty wants to make her life count, to be positive and caring when helping others and to keep learning. Betty was Tennessee Young Mother of the Year in 1978, but experienced some setbacks and came to Colorado to start anew. With her grandchildren so far away, Betty and her husband of 37 years, Marvin, now have a black and tan dachsund that they give all their attentions to (i.e. spoil).

Her main influences in her life were her father, grandmother and, now, friends who live out what they say they believe. Betty, those who don't know you already look forward to getting to know you better and working with you. Welcome.

And more from Patty after a recent illness:

I thought if I could just get lunch, go to the grocery store, and get Mother's card and gift mailed for Mothers Day, that would be my first venture out of the house in almost a week. I parked the car at the curb in front of the florist and restaurant. As I stepped onto the curb, my toe caught, and I went flying forward. I remember the concrete coming closer and closer. When you are young, you look to see if anyone has seen you fall. When you are old, you look to see if anyone can help you up. There was no one, except the cars flying by. I looked down and saw my shoes in the gutter, so I had to wiggle backward to reach my shoes. I struggled up and assessed the damage. My right hand was bleeding where it had slid and my ring was scratched, my left wrist was sprained, I had leaves and dirt on my clothes, and my left knee was bleeding. But, I could walk. I resisted the urge to just get in the car and drive home. I went inside the florist, and she showed me the bathroom, where I cleaned up and got bandaids. After shopping with her, I went next door to the restaurant. I was greeted with a cheery, "And how are we today."

I wanted to say, "Shaken, not stirred."

Kudos Kolumn

Here you have the opportunity to thank and/or praise your fellow Zontians for something above and beyond. Send all contributions to the newsletter editor - nulty@money.org.

KUDOS TO:
Kate Brewster for all the hard work that goes into the fashion show. It's a success year after year thanks to her energy and enthusiasm.
and
to the outgoing Board: Kris Wells, Pamela Sufak, Helen Smithwick, Phyllis Zell, Shannon Rowan, Rita Jones.
and
to the incoming Board: Pamela Sufak, Teri Hermans, Helen Smithwick, Phyllis Zell, Shannon Rowan, Earlene Hermans.
For all their hard work running our club.
and
to the new "Zippers!" - Big Zipper, Kris Wells and Little Zipper, Teri Hermans - congratulations!

Dates to Remember . . .