Club History

Interesting Facts from 1933-2019

• The Zonta Club of Everett was established on May 16, 1929, the 78th member of the Confederation of Zonta Clubs, with 18 members.
• In 1933 there were 11 members who contributed to Everett General Hospital, a Women’s Relief Shelter and traveled to Seattle to hear Amelia Earhart speak.
• In the 1940’s and 50’s Everett Zontians were continuing their support for Everett General Hospital and also supporting European foster girls. The major financial support provided milk for needy school children.
• During the 1960’s projects provided financial support to The Snohomish Center for the Handicapped, donations to the Amelia Earhart Fund, Ramallah Scholarships for Refugee girls, and sending two children to the Volunteers of America Summer Camp. Fundraising projects included rummage sales, white elephant sales, auctions and raffles.
• In the 1970’s the Zonta Club of Everett added a Cecile Spry Memorial fund for nursing students at Everett General Hospital in memory of this founding member. In the mid 1970’s the club had a major membership increase of 68% (from 29 to 50). With the introduction of banquet auctions fundraising was at an all-time high of $10,000.
• During the 1980’s the club’s membership grew to 81 professional women. The major fundraiser of this decade was the annual auction. In 1983 the club was able to purchase a van for the Luther Child Center with a Zonta logo on the side to transport children. A scholarship program to help Displaced Homemakers was established. Helen Jackson was initiated as an Honorary member in 1988. The Christmas Auction began in 1986 and continues to this day known as our annual Holiday Auction.
• The 1990’s was a time of great expansion in financial capabilities of the club with auction income ranging from $20,000 to $30,000 a year. World class speaker explorer Helen Thayer spoke at the 1991 District 8 conference hosted by the Everett club. There was an expansion of scholarships during this decade. In May of 1999 Zontians’ celebrated the 70th anniversary of the club with a party at the Monte Cristo Hotel.
• With the beginning of the Twenty First Century, the Zonta of Club Everett began making larger grants. Including ~$11,000 per year to Zonta International Foundation programs, two $3,000 Women In Transition (formerly known as the Displaced Homemakers scholarship), $2,000 Young Women in Public Affairs scholarship (for a high school student entering college/university), $2,000 Jane Klausman scholarship (for a university student in business/economics/business administration), and $20,000 to 60,000 per year to local not for profit agencies.
• The club continued having annual auctions as their major fundraiser and also ran a Beer Garden at the Evergreen Speedway in Monroe. The Zonta Club of Everett Foundation was established in 2000.
• In 2003, the first Virginia Gullikson ward was given to Betty Morrow, a retired professor from Everett Community College who began the Snohomish County Volunteer Literacy Program. Our speaker for that event was the then Washington Attorney General, Christine Gregoire.
• Long-term member Cindy Phillips was elected Governor of District 8 for the 2006-2008 biennium. In 2007 Governor Christine Gregoire signed a Proclamation acknowledging November 25th as Eliminate Violence Against Women Awareness Day. In that same year the club began holding forum’s on Women’s Legal Rights, Human Trafficking and Economic Solutions. In 2010 member Carol Dreysse was elected Governor of District 8.
• The 2015 Forum was “Equality for Women is Progress for All” featuring Kat Taylor, philanthropist, feminist and founder of the Not for Profit bank, Beneficial State.
• As of 2017 our auction evolved into an annual Gala fundraising event featuring a keynote speaker relating to Zonta’s mission. 
• On May 17, 2019 the Club celebrated their 90th anniversary with a party at the Everett Golf & Country Club.