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the Zonta Club of New Orleans

The club is a member of Zonta International

It is part of District 10

http://www.zontadistrict10.org

Members of the club are Zontians.

 

 

One Year After Katrina                                                                                31 Aug 06

 

The first anniversary of Katrina is here. Our conversations are still permeated with “Well, before Katrina, ….”  or “After Katrina,….” There is a definite division between the lives we used to lead and the ones we have now. We have been meeting monthly. It is always good to see each other and catch up on news. Two members are still living out of the city, and may not return. Our Zonta camaraderie holds us together. We hope it will also draw former members back to us. We are trying hard to resume contact with them.  One of our former members very graciously cooked a wonderful meal and hosted one of our meetings in her home. She is moving to Austin, Texas soon, so we will miss her very much. 

Basic services, such as water, trash collection and phone service are intermittent. Street lights are starting to come on, but many areas are still dark at night. The mayor called on the National Guard again, because crime was getting bad in places. There are reports of drug turf wars and squatters living in houses. Families are being asked to provide grave diggers to bury loved ones because laborers are hard to find. Restaurants are reopening, but with limited menus and staffing. Often, there is a long wait. Traffic can be described as horrid. People drive like they are angry. Passing flooded cars, trash piles and abandoned, caved-in buildings can be very depressing. Try to imagine signing papers authorizing demolition of your home. Things are happening too slowly, so people are frustrated. There is a lot of apprehension about this year’s hurricane season.

But the news is not all bad. If you go into the French Quarter or the Garden District, you’d hardly know anything happened. Shops selling antiques and jewelry, etc. are open, as are the museums. The wonderful food and music New Orleans is famous for are still here. It’s a great time to visit. All sorts of deals are being offered to draw people back. Our club members are fortunate to have places to live and sources of income. Several members are still restoring their homes, but the worst part, gutting and cleaning, is mostly over. One of our members, Rebecca Altobelli, is now the chair of the Chevron Women’s Network. Another, Sandra Wilson, was elected Registrar of Voters. Helen Smith-Green is working on a project to restore city child care services, so women can return to the workforce.

The Zonta Club of New Orleans is dedicated to rebuilding the city. New Orleans is a national treasure, a very unique and special place. Historic buildings can and should be preserved, but the diverse culture of New Orleans with Mardi Gras, food, music and art is what really makes it wonderful. The spirit of New Orleans is strong and resilient..

     We can’t thank you enough for the outpouring of love and the generosity our sister Zontians have shown us during these difficult times.

 

 

Carol Knight

President

 

 

 

Update on members of the Zonta Club of New Orleans: ALL accounted for!!!

Current Members

Member e-mail Status Comments
Rebecca Altobelli RALT@chevrontexaco.com  fax: 504-391-6356 was iin Houston, then in Jefferson Parish, New Orleans, now in Metairie, LA, President of the Int. Chevron Women's Group Adm. Assistant & Chair, Women's Network, Oak Pt Plant, Chevron Oronite Co, 504-391-6112 tel
Flora Cherry (F) fcherry@bellsouth.net returned home "family is all messed up"
Mary Frances Gardner, M.D. MFGardnerMD@aol.com safe in Lafayette, staying in an apartment till her home is fixed roof with ventilation and rain; went into private practice
Helen Smith Green (F) None Finally returned to NO, home being rebuilt with help from her church working on a project to restore the city's  child care system to enable women to return to work
Mary Steve Hodge (F) None lives part time at home and in Alabama. downstairs of NO home was flooded bought new trucks to replace lost ones, busy moving people in & out of NO
Catherine Kidd none safe in Baton Rouge, waiting till home is rebuilt and services resumed in neighborhood able to retrieve things from home
Carol Knight carolren@earthlink.net she & husband sold damaged home, moved to Mississippi Club President; happy to have Internet service & not using that in the public library
Amy Prudhomme apdhomme@cox.net returned home rebuilding her counselling service
Alana Villavaso avillava@msn.com commutes bet NO & Lafayette, POB 3032, :afayette, LA, tel 504-439-9028 lost home, hired by Lafayette Arts Council, does storytelling to children in libraries in SW LA, still an artist & performer
Sandra Wilson (F) Unknown finally in NO Elected as Registrar of voters

Former Members

Paula Daniels mispaulay@cox.net   recovering from heart surgery, moving from Memphis to Austin, TX Westbanks home in OK, daughters lost homes, will build homes in same subdivision
Yvette Foucha (F)   near Atlanta, Georgia  
Kathleen Galante Katno19@yahoo.com ZC, NJ with father  
Ana Gardner (NL)   Relocated in N Carolina  
Shalome Jenkins (F) lomezexchange@yahoo.com safe with Zontians in Houston TX she does e-mail now
Mona Schindler (F) ipands@bellsouth.net safe, home  
Marlene Wade (NL) marlenewade@aol.com finished MBA, working to rebuild home home flooded

They were displaced from home, work and friends.  Seven were unaccounted for. Nine were "found".  Two were not in the original list of members.  Things are starting to look better!

Sent: 9/19/2006 11:30 AM
Subject: The Kennedy Center!

 
This is a profound thank you to all of you who are being and have been so supportive of me this past year.  As you know, starting my own business post Katrina has been challenging!  but.....and this is a big but!  It is and has been one of the most exhilirating journeys of my life.
 
Performing at the Kennedy Center was a dream! I had my own Storytelling Tent!  And three performances where my tent was always full!  The event was called "artists along the Gulf" and I felt privileged to be on the whistle stop tour aboard Amtrak.....there were dancers and Mardi Gras Indians and musicians and artists and me!  All Aboard!  We stopped in mississippi, and georgia and alabama culminating in Union Station in Washing, DC.  It was great!  I now have the wonderful credential on my resume......"Kennedy Center Performer!"   Isn't that awesome!
 
And so I am filled with gratitude....to those who supported me and believed in me.....to all of you who said "You can do it!".....who told me to keep on.....I am humbled by your love and care.  And oh, the stories I now can tell!
 
Love, love, and more love,  

alana

**********

The Zonta Club of Casa Grande Valley

Status of Women Program

15 March 2007, Thursday, 6:30 P.M.

Teen Challenge Home of Hope

1955 Casa Grande Ave. , Casa Grande, Arizona 85222, Tel: 520-836-0522

 

ALANA M. VILLAVASO (Ms Vee)

Guest Performer

 

     Alana is an active member of the Zonta Club of New Orleans.  She is a teacher, long time story teller, actress and  singer with dance training.  She appeared with Cicely Tyson in the film “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.  Last September 16, she was one of the Gulf Artists featured at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  During the National Library Week, she was one of those who performed at the Bayou Vista Branch Library.  Along with other members of her club, she lost her job, home and belongings during Hurricane Katrina.  They all managed to survive, get back on their feet, and are struggling to resume their projects in their community.  She and the members of the Zonta Club of New Orleans deserve a standing ovation.  Let us all welcome her and show our appreciation and support.  See www.zcgvaz.com/orleans.htm

 

     Alana’s program includes lessons from Katrina, cultural stories for children and excerpts from the Princess Stories to inspire women. 

 

 

Magdalena D. Guerrero, MD (dr G)  http://www.zcgvaz.com

 

Chairman

Status of Women Committee

Zonta Club of Casa Grande Valley

 

 


Please Help The      Club Of New Orleans

For information and instructions: Please contact President Carol Knight directly at this particular address:

carol@zontaneworleans.org

Make checks payable to: Zonta Club of New Orleans

Mail to: Rebecca Altobelli, Club Treasurer

3620 Kim St., Metairie, LA 70001

The Zonta Club of New Orleans is functioning.  It needs to rebuild and then resume its projects one at a time.  President Carol Knight has plans to update the original website which has been non-operational since Katrina.  The spirit lives on.  In the meantime, the club needs all the help it can get so the members can help others.

Thank you very much.



Construction Started on 10 September 2005 - Last Updated on 26 April 2007

You may send messages to me for posting on YOUR website * Fax: 520-876-9112 * guerrero@cgmailbox.com

Magdalena D. Guerrero, M.D. (dr G) - Past President,  Zonta Club of Casa Grande Valley (AZ, Dist. 9)

Zonta emblem. Rose, Objects of Zonta, Mission Statements taken from Zonta International's website