Cape Zonta club to honor 18 Women of Excellence in November

For this year's Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau event honoring women making a difference in the community, instead of a luncheon honoring 8 to 10 women, a virtual event in November will celebrate 18 honorees who have made a difference in 2020.

Julie Ann Palmer, who is co-chairing the event with Kristy Nordin, said that events of 2020 prompted a name change and a new approach.

"The common theme this year is, What have you overcome, or helped someone else to overcome over the past year?" Palmer said.

And the way excellence is defined was updated this year, too, Palmer said.

"Not everyone has an advanced degree and has moved up the career ladder," Palmer said. "That doesn't mean they don't have excellence in them."

From Nov. 1 through 20, Zonta's Facebook page will reveal a new nominee each day by posting a video -- one minute long -- sharing her story, Palmer said.

"We are really encouraging people to take one minute a day, every day from Nov. 1 through 20, to find out about all the amazing women who are honorees this year," Palmer said.

Honorees this year come from a wide variety of backgrounds and achievements, she added.

"These are people who are really stepping in to care for our fellow community members," Palmer said.

Planning this year's event was a long process, Palmer said. Hundreds of hours go into planning the event every year, with a role for every one of the club's 40 to 45 active members. At first, the event was delayed, but it became clear that if people would still donate, an event of some sort had to be held.

"The need is even more this year, instead of less," Palmer said. "Whether funds or volunteer hours were needed, we as Zontians decided we just couldn't not do something."

And, she said, "We decided since social media is the primary way people are communicating in this COVID time, that was our emphasis on how to get the word out."

Atomic Creative will film and edit each video, she said.

If people will watch the entire video, like, comment and share it, their name will go into a drawing for gifts donated to the event, Palmer said.

"It's a great way to encourage people to participate in what we're doing," she said.

Sponsorships are available, and a donate button is on the group's website at capezonta.org and on Facebook @capezonta.

All proceeds go toward thoroughly vetted groups, Palmer added.

"We're very thrifty figuring out how the most good can be done, and what organizations locally are already doing that," she said. "People are hurting. Excellence just looks different in 2020. We are thankful we are celebrating it in a 2020 way this year."

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