According to President Tammy Gibbons, Zonta Club of Longview is a service Club that works closely with Zonta International and Zonta District 10 to assist “Build a Better World for Women and Girls.” Gibbons gave the history and the mission of the Club. “The Zonta Club of Longview has been in effect for over 67 years and is dedicated to helping every woman live without fear of violence, have access to resources and decision-making positions and achieve her full potential,” she stated. “Women in the local area face many difficulties including domestic violence, trafficking, poverty, homelessness and the lack of education and training.”  

By Joycelyne Fadojutimi/Staff Writer

In order to carry out their mission, the Zonta Club of Longview engages in several activities to achieve set goals. For example, the Club hosts several service opportunities and events each year including a monthly project to collect needed items to donate to community agencies. They are but not limited to:

• Birthday Boxes for the Rainbow Room supplying birthday cakes, plates, napkins, decorations, and more for children who otherwise might not have a party.
• Canned food for Longview Community Ministries.
• Christmas program at Heartisans Marketplace.
• Transportation passes, handwarmers and blankets for Newgate Mission.
• Easter Eggs for SeeSaw Children’s Place.
• Toys for “Rebecca’s Closet” for Martin House Childrens’ Advocacy Center.
• The Prom Boutique is held annually the fourth Saturday in February in which prom dresses, formals, shoes, jewelry, and accessories are given away.
• The annual April Blooms and Butterflies plant sale at Teague Park.
• The annual September Bunco event of the Pine Tree Independent School District.
• Solicitation of sundry sponsorships and donations.
• The Free the Girls project in which new and used bras are collected, packaged, and shipped worldwide for women to use in a business they have started to raise money for their families.

But wait, that is not all.

• In 2022 Zonta collaborated with VIEWpoint Community Center and Lifepoint Church to show the movie The Runners to the public free of charge.
• The Zonta Education Committee is working with the Women Center of East Texas to host a trafficking summit conference in Longview in October 2023.
• Zonta annually gives about six scholarships to high school girls and adult women returning to the workforce.
  • An annual $500 donation to Young Women in Public Affairs.
  • Two $5000 grants annually to local non-profit community service agencies.

All these awards, donations and grants are handed out at the yearly Women of Achievement luncheon, to be held this year on May 18 in the Tuttle Road Holiday Inn. There is more.

• Zonta Clubs have been established in local high schools Hallsville, Longview, Pine Tree, Spring Hill, and Trinity in order to hold fundraisers, collect bras, hold bra packing parties and volunteer at Zonta events to earn service hours.

It is important to note that Spring Hill State Bank and Texas Bank and Trust are among Zonta’s local supporters. In addition, other donations come in through Zonta-sponsored local events. Moreover, there are other sources of fundraising. Gibbons said, “Our Funding letter is in process of being sent out to many businesses throughout Longview. Funds raised will go toward Scholarships and Grants given back to our community.”

Most recently, the Club added a new fundraiser dubbed: Blooms and Butterflies. This inaugural event recently took place at Teague Park. Dr. Darla Baggett and Ms. Nita Wylie chaired the event. It was remarkably successful and the Club plans to build it up, making Bloom and Butterflies, an annual community event and fundraiser. All the funds raised at Bloom and Butterflies go toward scholarships and grants.

Bloom and Butterflies was a hit thanks to God for a beautiful weather and local plant farms for their generosity in various ways. Better yet, several vendors displayed and sold their merchandise. The beauty of it all was having two giveback vendors: Kendra Scott will be donating 20% of all sales and Out of this World HB will be donating 20%.

Besides the butterflies, the blooms, the vendors, the crisp and clear day, Pine Tree ISD children’s choirs and other ensembles brought the event together giving it an energy that only comes from music thereby setting the ambiance for a successful event with more to come in the future.

Zonta makes it clear that this is just the beginning.

For this reason, Club President Gibbons declared, “ We believe this was a very successful event and look forward to it being bigger and better next year,”

For more information on all aspects of the Zonta Club of Longview please visit http://zontalongview.clubexpress.com/.