"A girl should be two things: Who and what she wants."
— Coco Chanel
Table of Contents
President’s Letter
Zonta Events Coming Up
Committee News
Thank you for Your Inspiration
I was asked to present an update on our Club at the recent Area 3 meeting, where we also celebrated this year’s Amelia Earhart Fellows, three young engineering students from CU Boulder. As I talked about our Club’s activities, I was struck by how much we accomplish in one ‘Zonta year’ (June 2025 to May 2026).
Our February Club meeting will be another chance to review and discuss all we do, this time hearing directly from our Committees. Last year’s fundraising success lets us start our year with big ideas. Our strategic vision for 2025-2026 was to:
Make Zonta a household name
Grow our membership
Make a larger impact on our community
Grow donors and sponsors
And we are well on our way!!
As we discuss the activities of each committee, keep those visioning goals in mind. Ask yourself: Is the Club on track towards these objectives? Do you feel engaged with these happenings and events? Where would you like to jump in and participate? One of my goals as President is to help each of our Members feel connected to our community, to our mission, and to our ongoing events. I’d love to help inspire you to feel the joy of all that we are able to accomplish in a ‘Zonta year.’
— Nancy
March Club Meeting
Thursday, March 12th. Service Project- Make rose awards for our Remarkable Women, 5:15-6:00, Dinner & Social time at 5:30, meeting begins at 6 pm.
This will be a Speaker Meeting featuring Caitlin Schneider, Colorado Fiscal Institute, to present H.R. 1 and the Feminism of Poverty, and a proposedColorado tax initiative
Meeting Location: Valmont Community Presbyterian Church, 3262 61st St, Boulder, CO 80301. (Remember, if you are coming from the north, 63rd Street is still closed, so travel from the Valmont side of the of 61st. St.)
Zonta Events Coming Up
Zing for Zonta - Thursday, March 26, 6-9:30 pm, Nissi’s Entertainment Venue and Event Center, 1455 Coal Creek Dr Unit T, Lafayette, CO 80026.
Zonta Day at the Capitol - Thursday, April 2, 7:30 am-3:00 pm. Join our Z Clubs and Golden Z Clubs. Details to follow
Club Meeting - Thursday, April 9, 5:30-7:30 pm, What is a Culture of Respect? Meet our ZClubs, Valmont Community Presbyterian Church, 3262 61st St, Boulder, CO 80301.
2026 Climate Justice Forum - Saturday, April 25th, the East Boulder Community Center. 5660 Sioux Dr, Boulder, CO 80303. Details to Come.
Club Meeting - Thursday, May 14, 5:30-7:30 pm, Scholar Celebration! Meet our Zonta Foothills Foundation past and present. We will celebrate their accomplishments.
Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County Committee News
Fundraising Committee
ZING for Zonta is HERE!!
The Fundraising Committee - Co-Chairs Colleen Farrell and Pam Malzbender, Ann Herrmann, Debbie Nasta, Kathy Israelson, Nancy Rowe
It’s hard to believe that we are just three weeks away from our biggest fundraising event of the season. A BIG thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to secure our silent auction items, sell tickets, and promote what promises to be a wonderful evening! We are off to a great start.
Event Website: Check out our event page. Here you can buy tickets, learn about our performers, and bid on the silent auction and talent voting.
Ticket Sales: We are doing really well on pre-sales. Be sure to tell your friends that Earlybird pricing will end on March 13th. Table sales are popular, and they are going fast! So if you would like a table of 8, don’t wait! These reserved seats will be reserved and close to the stage. Ticket prices are:
Earlybird Price: Table of 8 $600, Individual Ticket $75
Regular Price: Table of 8 $680, Individual Ticket $85
Sponsorships: Our community has come through. Thank you to our event sponsors, listed on our event flier and website.
At our March meeting, we will sign up volunteers for the following pre-event tasks.
Bring Silent Auction Items to the March meeting: We will be collecting all submissions at the March 12 meeting. Please bring anything that you have collected and give it to Colleen, Nancy, or Pam.
Sell Tickets: You all are our best promoters. For those of you who have never been to Zing… It’s a fun and zany evening of local talent who are volunteering their time to raise money for our foundation. So let your friends know that they will enjoy every minute!
Make Arrangements for Talent Food: We need volunteer(s) to coordinate food for our performers at a store in Nissis’ mall. This will mean a few phone calls to set up the menu, timing and other logistics.
We also need volunteers to sign up for the following event day assignments. PLEASE HELP
Coordinate talent food at the nearby restaurant from 6-6:45
Staff Club table (6-7 pm)
Set up membership raffle (secure items and set up at Club table before doors open)
Table sign set up (5:30-6:00 pm)
Takedown after show to collect all Zonta items and load in cars (9:15- done)
Club Greeter and Program Distributors (5:55-6:30)
Remember, The members who sell the most tickets will win prizes at our April meeting!
All Hands on Deck for ZING!
Advocacy Committee
Commemorating Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The first hearing for SB26-048 Bill to End Child Marriage Exceptions, the bill to end child marriage in Colorado, was held on February 17th by the Colorado Senate “State, Veterans and Military Affairs” Committee, chaired by Senator Katie Wallace, who joined us for a meeting last fall.
Our very own Zonta Foothills bill sponsor, Lisa Lesniak, testified before the committee, as did representatives from Unchained At Last, 5 child marriage survivors, and other advocates for the bill. The bill successfully passed out of committee and into the Senate Appropriations Committee. Look for an email about ways you can continue to support this bill by calling and emailing committee members and your elected representatives. Many thanks to Club members Colleen Farrell, Sharon Goodman, Jan Cheney, Sheila King, and, most of all, Lisa Lesniak for being at the hearing.
Here are some resources to help you understand this very important issue for young girls in the US.
Zonta USA Caucus Ending Child Marriage
Zonta International position on Child Marriage
Led by Elizabeth Freedman, we are also working with CU student organizations to help organize, promote, and sponsor a Take Back the Night event on the Boulder campus, currently planned for April 8th. More information to come, as well as opportunities for club members to volunteer for both this event and the FRCC Take Back the Night event on April 10th
Planning for the 2026 Climate Justice Forum is also moving along. We will be sharing more information on the panel and program in the next few weeks but please mark your calendars for Saturday, April 25th, and spread the word to your network.
US Women's Caucus and Zonta at the UN
The US Women's Caucus, along with other member organizations at the Commission on the Status of Women, have been working hard for months to prepare special programs with top-notch speakers for their upcoming conference, which runs from March 9-20 at the United Nations in New York City. The result is a full range of topics related to the CSW70 theme of "Justice for Women and Girls."
Here is information from Zonta International about CSW70 and our participation. In addition, here is the application to participate virtually and a link to a list of events that you can attend virtually.
The Advocacy Committee - Co-Chairs Sheila King and Jan Cheney, Elizabeth Freedman, Sara Gillespie, Sharon Goodman, Lisa Lesniak, Pam Malzbender, Ranelle Randles, Dana Rae Vaughn
Service Committee
The Service Committee - Co-Chairs Kathy Israelson and Carol Smoot, Sheila Cohen, Ann Hodgson, Marta Lindrose and Joan Siebenaler
The Service Committee will host this month's cClub meeting with a light dinner of make-your-own salad from MAD Greens, focaccia breadsticks, cookies, wine, and sparkling water.
In the meantime we are keeping our library shelves stocked. This important program started some ten years ago to encourage community literacy. Our hard-working service committee maintains free lending libraries at local food banks, and with our members’ support, we have contributed over 7,000 books for all ages annually. Books are available for children, teens, and adults at locations including Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA), Sister Carmen Community Center, Community Food Share, and the OUR Center. If you would like to help deliver books, reach out to Carol or Kathy. You do not need to be on the Service Committee to make an important contribution, and it only takes a little of your time to warm your heart by knowing you are making a real difference.
Our books outside of EFAA
Finance Committee
A Message From Your Treasurer About Membership Dues 2026-2027
Thank you to those who have paid their 2026-27 dues. Reminders were sent this week to those who have overdue payments.and the prefered option to pay now is through PayPal from our website. We are so thankful for your continued memebership and look forward to another year of doing great work.
The Finance Committee- Chair Nancy Rowe, Pam Malzbender, Michelle Médal, Ranelle Randles, Sheila King, Kim Prosser-Noonan
Educatez Scholarship Committee
Announcing 2025-26 Zonta Foothills Climate Justice Scholarship Winners
Graduate Winner
Under Graduate Winners
Michaela Perez is a nontraditional, first‑generation student from Boulder, Colorado, pursuing a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CU Boulder. Rooted in her home community, she brings experience in farming, horticulture, wildfire mitigation, caregiving, and community organizing. A turning point came through her relationship with Llucca, a German shepherd from Arizona who turned out to be part Mexican gray wolf. She lived to be 23, and her intelligence and nobility sparked Michaela’s commitment to conservation. She learned that at one point, there were only seven Mexican gray wolves that remained, and recovery was being attempted through binational research, genetics, policy, and long‑term management, so Michaela decided to join the effort and return to school. Her field work includes post‑wildfire fish monitoring, coyote coexistence research, bison–vegetation studies, and wildlife rehabilitation. Michaela aims for a career in wildlife biology and ecological restoration, focused on conservation approaches that connect species recovery with habitat restoration to support resilient Western ecosystems. She acknowledges that many current conservation challenges in the Americas stem from European colonization and that “long-term ecological and cultural healing will require addressing the consequences of Indigenous land displacement, predator eradication, habitat loss, and ecosystem disruptions."
Liza Sprout is a PhD candidate in Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder, studying the governance and distribution of global environmental finance for biodiversity and the net-zero transition. Using statistical and qualitative methods, she examines how financial flows and policies affect marginalized groups — namely, women and girls, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The aim of her work is to guide public and private sector safeguards in order to bring about more effective and equitable nature and climate finance.
Liza has collaborated with the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the Grantham Research Institute (GRI) on projects examining climate finance, gendered vulnerability to climate change, climate adaptation, and policy effectiveness. She has also worked in civil society, advising policies to strengthen banks’ environmental safeguards, as well as in the private renewable energy sector.
Leanna Johnson third year of environmental engineering, focusing on climate justice through practical, community-centered solutions in water, waste, and urban sustainability. She has worked on green chemistry in campus labs, water conservation policy research for Southwestern cities, and watershed and urban heat studies and cares deeply about making science accessible to the people most affected by environmental change. Leanne is committed to building solutions that are accessible in everyday life.
Our graduate student winner received a $5,000 award, and we also awarded $2,000 and $1,000 awards to two undergraduate students. BIG thanks to our members who helped us choose our winners. You can read about this year's winners here.
Now we are accepting applications for the Zonta International Young Women in Leadership Award. This award (formerly the Young Women in Public Affairs Award) recognizes young women, ages 16-19, for demonstrating leadership skills and commitment to public service and civic causes, and encourages them to continue their participation in public and political life.
The deadline to apply to our club is March 13th. We invite members who want to read applications to let us know! We need to select our winner (who will receive a $5,000 scholarship) by April 4th. Our winner will then be sent to the District 12 YWLA Chair (our very own Michelle Médal) to be considered for the honor of being named the D12 winner and another $1,000 scholarship. The D12 winner is then sent to Zonta International for the chance to bring home an additional $5,000. The young woman who wins at all levels will be awarded a total of $11,000! Just like our2025 winner, Natalie Cappelletti, who accomplished the amazing feat of taking home this jackpot!
Please email Michelle or Nancy if you want to join the fun of choosing an incredible young woman.
The EducateZ Scholarship Committee - Co-Chairs Nancy Rowe and Michelle Médal, Kristi Celico, Ann Herrmann, Kay Meyer, Amanda Eisnes
Zonta Educatez Committee
Z Club Spring is Here!
Golden Z Club “Play” Empathy Game
The Boulder High Pantherz ZClub continues to work with Growing Up Boulder on naming phase 2 of the civic area (in front of the Boulder bandshell). They will celebrate their final time with GUB on March 10th with a pizza party and certificates for participating. ZClub worked with the City of Boulder and Landscape design architects to pick potential names for the area.
Our Watershed Z Club is busy too. are hosting a prom-themed clothing swap so that students can swap their dress from a previous year to provide a sustainable and free way to get prom attire.
At our March meeting, Claudia facilitated The Empathy Board Game with our Flatirons Golden Z Club. An interactive board game designed to spark meaningful conversations and raise awareness about socio-economic challenges. This engaging experience helps participants explore the complexities of poverty and understand how socio-economic status shapes an individual's life experiences, opportunities, and decisions.Thank you Sheila K. and Ranelle for joining us!
Zonta Educatez Committee - Co-Chairs Gaby Lopez & Claudia Ibarra, Tommie Atanasoff, Michelle Carpenter, Kay James, Marta Lindrose, Pam Malzbender
Growing Up Boulder session with Pantherz
Golden Z Club Empathy Game Fun
Governance and Engagement Committee
March is the month to celebrate women!
Sunday, March 8th, is International Women’s Day, but all month long, our Club will be celebrating one another and the women in our lives who matter! So who are the women in your life who make a difference? It may be the neighbor who always lends a helping hand, the woman who delivers your mail with a smile, the one who cares for your pets, your daughter who inspires you with her courage, or your boss who believes in your potential. These women show up with kindness, strength, and dedication, making our days easier and our lives richer.
Let’s say THANK YOU! As mentioned at our last Club meeting and in last month’s Flash ( I hope you read it! If you didn't, don’t tell me…just check it out NOW. https://zontafoothills.org/february-2026-flash), we are going to honor these women in our lives who are making a difference. At our March Club meeting, we will put cards and ribbons on yellow roses, and you can either take them with you after the meeting to deliver them personally to your honorees, or you can provide the name and address of the women you are honoring, and we will deliver them for you.
To prepare everything, we need to know how many roses to get and how many cards to print.
SO WE NEED INPUT FROM YOU NOW.
The Governance and Engagement Committee - Co-Chairs Colleen Farrell and Pam Malzbender, Sarah Gillespie, Claudia Ibarra, Nancy Rowe
Community Outreach Committee
Committee - Co-Chairs Sheila Cohen and Pam Malzbender, Kathy Hundman, Debbie Nasta, Michelle Medal, Joan Siebenaler,
We are working hard on promotion for Zing for Zonta! Getting postings on media event calendars, reaching out to local radio and newspapers, and emails. Fingers crossed that we get some good publicity for Zing.
Another important project is our Zonta promotional video. We will be unvailing it at Zing.
We are keeping our Club website up to date, and we have also worked with Fundraising to get all of the information into to the Zing for Zonta Ticket website.
Preliminary work is underway to start with promoting our upcoming Climate Justice Forum. We will be
Finally, the Outreach Committee will help to coordinate our Club table at Zing. If you can help us by putting in a few minutes at the table, it would be very much appreciated.