Zonta Club of Ballarat
Our Club
Our People
Board and Committees 2025/2026
Appointed Positions
Committees
Catherine Taylor
President
Carmel McCormick
Secretary
Hilary Pope
Treasurer
Loretta Kaval
Director
Raelene McPherson
Director
Val Sarah
Archivist
Hilary Pope
Webmaster
Raelene McPherson
Webmaster
Zonta Young Women in Leadership
Loretta Kaval, Hilary Pope, Carmel McCormick, Catherine Taylor
Membership
Raelene McPherson
Carmel McCormick
Breast Cushion, Toiletries
Raelene McPherson, Maria Sozanski, Helen Eyres, Carmel McCormick
Zonta Club of Ballarat Service Projects
Birthing Kits
Our Vision: A world in which all women and girls have access to a clean and safe birth.
Here in Ballarat, our Club partners with Ballarat Grammar School and the Wendouree Cricket Club to raise funds and hold an assembly day.
In December 2024, an active group of approximately 45 participants representing Ballarat Grammar School – Cuthbert Robin House, Wendouree Cricket Club and the Zonta Club of Ballarat all came together to assemble 600 Birthing Kits.
David Knight, a teacher at Ballarat Grammar School and Board member of Wendouree Cricket Club provided a welcome to Ballarat Grammar School and Sharelle Knight provided a short overview of the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia and the partnership with Zonta International’s District 23.
Through the fundraising efforts of Ballarat Grammar School students running cake stalls and raising funds through promotion at the Cuthbert Robin House family dinner, and a donation from the Wendouree Cricket Club, we were able to purchase resources to assemble 600 birthing kits. With so many eager participants at the assembly day event, the kits were successfully assembled and packed into boxes to return to the BKFA within a couple of hours.
A special shout-out to club members who willingly gave their time at the event – it was great to see our Zonta members working alongside the students from Ballarat Grammar School.
The kits have been forwarded back to BKFA headquarters in Adelaide for global distribution. We have been advised by BKFA that kits have been distributed to countries such as the Congo, South Sudan, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, and Uganda.
A wonderful afternoon’s work, a lovely collaboration across 3 groups, supporting a great initiative by BKFA, members of Zonta and the wider Community who, with the help of more than 40 international partners, have provided 3 million kits to date.
For more information or to make a donation to support this great project, email info@zontaballarat.com
Are you interested in supporting the work BKFA do?
You can pack kits with your friends or colleagues. Alternatively make a donation. Each $5 provides a woman in need with a cleaner and safer birth.
Breast Cushions
Sadly, there is a constant need for breast cushions here in Ballarat, for men and women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Each year, our club members get together to make the casings, some members and friends make some casings beforehand, then we stuff the casings, sew them together and pack them. They are then donated to the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre and St. John of God Hospitals.
Over the years, we have had some great feedback about how helpful they have been particularly when driving and sleeping. And they are washable.
If you can sew and have some spare time, we would love to hear from you at
info@zontaballarat.com
Toiletry Bags
We are most grateful for the donations of toiletries for the bags for Berry Street. Members generously contributed suitable items throughout the year and responded to requests particularly for small pocket tissues, pocket combs and individually wrapped toothbrushes. Our members coordinated the delivery of the donated items and then packed these items ready for delivery.
Each year, our Club delivers 40 Toiletry bags to Berry Street. This donation of goods continues throughout the year with small packets of tissues, face washers, shampoo and conditioner, small bottles of body wash and body lotion are currently needed to replenish our supply for the next filling of bags. If you can help, please email
info@zontaballarat.com
Zonta Club of Ballarat Meetings
Dinner Meetings
Monthly meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month and we regularly have guest speakers.
Committee Meetings
Meetings are held when necessary and the Chair will prepare a report for the Board and members.
Board Meetings
Members of the Board meet on the second Wednesday of the month to consider all matters placed before them, and make a recommend action to be taken by the Club.
Special Occasions
The
Annual General Meeting is traditionally held in April each year.
The election of Officers is held in April in an even year (2024 – 2026), at the start of the new Biennium in line with Zonta Internation and Convention. The Changeover of Office-bearers is held in May each Biennium.
Our Anniversary Dinner is held in October each year to mark our Charter Date of 24 October.
In addition, all Zontians are welcome to attend the Meetings of other Zonta Clubs locally and around the world, and participate in Area Meetings, District Conferences and International Conventions. Details of clubs around the world can be found on the Zonta International website: www.zonta.org
Our Area
District 23
For ease of management Zonta International is divided into Districts and we are in District 23.
At the 50th International Convention in Dallas in 1990, our Club began a new life as a member of a new District - District 23, which comprises the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.
It was formerly District 16 with New Zealand. It was in the mid 1960's that
Dorothy Thompson of Toronto in Canada, organised twelve clubs in what became District 16. We were fortunate to welcome Dorothy to our Charter Dinner in April 1979, and maintained regular correspondence with her, until her death in September 1998, at the age of 103.
Currently, there are 30 Clubs in our District; we keep in touch through our Annual District Directory and our Quarterly District Governor's Newsletter.
A District Conference is held every two years (alternating with the International Conventions), to determine policy and elect officers for the next Biennium.
Area 4
We belong to Area 4, which has nine clubs spread over a wide geographical area: Albury-Wodonga, Ballarat, Bendigo, Central Goldfields (Maryborough), Kyneton, Mitchell and Wangaratta.
We are represented on the District Board by our Area Director who keeps in touch through her Newsletter, and provides training in Zonta knowledge and Club management through the Area Workshop.
Area Meetings, Seminars or Weekend Training Days for Club Officers are convened at the discretion of the Area Director to promote Zonta knowledge and fellowship.