Building a Better World for Women and Girls

Welcome to the Zonta Club of South County Rhode Island. 

We are a small non-profit, service organization of individuals working together to improve the lives of women and girls locally and worldwide.  We meet monthly to hear from compelling guest speakers and work on our service projects, fundraising, and scholarship programs. 

We are an affiliate of Zonta International, a global organization founded in 1919 that has granted more than $32.5 million to empower women and expand their access to education, health care, economic opportunities, and safe living conditions.  We are part of Zonta District 1, which includes all New England states and Nova Scotia Canada. 

 

News

Donation to the WARM Center

Our Club recently donated $1,000 to the Westerly-based WARM Center, which serves South County, Southern Rhode Island and Southeastern Connecticut. WARM stands for Westerly Area Rest Meals. The center is a comprehensive social service agency that provides emergency shelter, a community soup kitchen and transitional and supportive housing programs. Our donation supports the recently expanded services for women.

Zoom Meeting with the Zonta Club of Wangaratta, Australia

Several board members had an informative and fun call with members of the Australian Zonta Club based in Wangaratta Australia as part of the organization’s Twinning Initiative. We were paired with this 38-year-old club to share ideas and experiences about fundraisers, service projects, and community relations. All are looking forward to continuing talks.

Zonta Celebrates Amelia Earhart in January

Each January, Zonta celebrates Amelia Earhart Month in honor of Zontian Amelia Earhart, whose legacy as a trailblazing aviator and advocate for women continues to inspire curiosity, courage and ambition. Our Club celebrated Amelia Earhart with a fun quiz testing our knowledge of her life and contributions.

Gift Wrapping was a Successful Fundraiser

Our club had a great deal of fun in December, wrapping holiday gifts at our local mall.  More importantly, we raised over $500 for our service and advocacy projects.

Zonta Club Annual Holiday Dinner

In lieu of a December business meeting, our club gathered at a local restaurant to enjoy a great dinner and celebrate our friendships and 2025 accomplishments. It was a wonderful evening.

Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women: 16 Days of Activism

In support of the worldwide efforts of Zonta International and the United Nations, our club members have been wearing orange ‘Zonta Says No to Violence against Women’ ribbons to prompt discussions with friends and neighbors. We also placed baskets of orange ribbons at select local businesses along with an explanatory poster. And finally, we submitted an editorial piece to our local newspapers, The Independent and The Westerly Sun. According to the RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 46.7% of Rhode Island women have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence and/or staking victimization by an intimate partner during their lifetime. We joined […]

Second Annual Poinsettia Sale

Once again, our club sold poinsettia plants in the community to raise funds for our service and advocacy programs.  These beautiful plants proved popular again and netted us over $1,000.

Nadine Salley Elected

Nadine Salley, Zonta Club of South County’s Current President Elected to District 1 Area 2 Director For the 2026-2028 term, Nadine will act as a liaison between the clubs in our area and the district board, support and visit clubs, and help them meet their objectives. Key duties include attending district conferences, planning area meetings, and keeping the governor informed of our area’s activities. She will also assist with leadership training and the development of new clubs. Congratulations, Nadine!