Amelia Earhart was a Zontian, said E. Ignacio Neumiller of the Zonta Club of Kauai during the club’s meeting Thursday at the offices and studios of Hoike Community Television on Rice Street.
“January 11 is Amelia Earhart Day, and Zonta International celebrates the spirit of Amelia Earhart and Amelia Earhart Fellows,” Neumiller said.
“She pushed girls and women to explore the world of science and engineering. The Amelia Earhart Fellowship is awarded annually to 35 talented women pursuing Ph.D. or doctoral degrees in aerospace, science, sciences and engineering.”
While not a Ph.D. candidate in any of the AEF fields, Nik Cristobal is one of three new members inducted into the Zonta Club of Kauai by President Jeanette Bonilla with help from the club’s membership.
“I was a member previously,” said Cristobal, whose mother Laura Cristobal Andersland is a member. “I took leave during my pursuit of a doctoral degree, and as I work through the final steps toward the degree, I’m back.”
Cristobal was joined by Laycie Love, more recently known for spearheading the Rice Street mural project along with Carol Yotsuda and the Garden Island Arts Council, and Cyndy Racca, recently retired and desiring to do more for the community, as the newest members of Zonta Club of Kauai.
The trio of women join the ranks of the six other new members — Wynde Thomas, Rebecca Carnate, Regina Carvalho, Katherine Todd, Layne Beck and Robbie Melton — who were inducted during the club’s general meeting last year.
“We have been busy with recruitment,” Neumiller said. “We couldn’t balance the coordination of these efforts of recruiting, the Christmas Fund, and the Zonta International’s 16 Days of Activism that was done between Nov. 25 to Dec. 10.”
During the 16 Days of Activism project, the Zonta Club of Kauai membership amassed a collection of care packages that included makeup, toiletries and other personal-care items for the YWCA domestic violence women’s shelter.
“These are items people don’t think about when they arrive at the shelter,” said Katie Miller, shelter director, who accepted the goodwill contributions. “Often, there are more stressful events the clients are dealing with. But these are items they need, and are grateful to receive.”
The Zonta Club of Kauai was chartered on April 1, 1952, and like Zonta Club International, the Zonta Club of Kauai envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognized as human rights, and every woman is able to achieve her full potential.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
