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Date: 8/15/2022
BELCHERTOWN – On Sept. 18, Zonta Club of the Quaboag Valley will be hosting its 28th annual golf tournament at Cold Spring Country Club to raise funds for its programing to support and empower women.
Debbie Wood, a charter member of the Zonta Club of the Quaboag Valley, said Zonta is an international organization with chapters in 65 countries across the world. The Club of the Quaboag Valley, which was founded in 1991, covers Belchertown, Monson, Palmer and Ware as well as other communities in the Quaboag Valley. The club also has members from Chicopee, Hampden, Ludlow, Westfield and Wilbraham.
“Zonta International is a global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy since 1919 – we’re over 100 years old,” Wood said.
Wood said the club helps with women advocacy and empowerment through a variety of programs.
“In the Western Mass. area, it has included raising awareness about ending child marriage, domestic violence, the trafficking of women and children, supporting suicide prevention and mentoring homeless women veterans. There’s a facility out in Leeds in Northampton that houses 16 veteran women who have been homeless, so we generally do something with them once a month in a mentoring fashion,” she said.
One way the club helps women in need is by collecting menstrual products for its Period Project.
“We put together these kits that are donated to local shelters and places because none of the products are covered by SNAP,” Wood said. “We have also donated to many other various causes locally – food pantries and particularly those organizations where the clients are female or young girls.”
Along with the golf tournament, Wood said the club hosts two other fundraisers each year including a lottery calendar sale and a poinsettia fundraiser.
“The income from that – one third of it we donate it to international and they have projects that are worldwide in any one of the 65 countries where we have clubs. Then the rest of it is used locally for the projects we do,” she said.
Wood also detailed what golfers can expect from the tournament.
“They get a cart, we provide some fluids for them to keep hydrated, it also includes a raffle, and they have a great opportunity to win over 50 prizes. They get 18 holes, and they get a good day of golf for a good cause,” she said.
Wood added that the golf tournament did not face any interruptions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The one thing we introduced is versus having a buffet or sit-down meal afterwards we started offering boxed lunches that come with a beverage too,” she said. “We found that people like that because they can consume it on the course, and they don’t have to hang out a lot of time afterwards standing in line.”
During COVID-19, Wood said people were able to travel in golf carts alone if they felt more comfortable.
Even with COVID-19, Wood said there is a steady improvement in the number of players each year and there were over 100 players during the 2021 tournament.
Tickets for the tournament are $100 per person and can be purchased online at zontaqv.org/golf/. While the release on the website said tickets must be purchased by Sept. 1, tickets can be purchased until the day of the tournament.
“We usually try to collect in advance to save having to deal with cash or checks, anything that day. But we’re more than happy to take registration right up to the deadline,” Wood said.
Wood added that she is excited for the event to return this year.
“We’re looking forward to a great turnout for a good cause and continuing this tradition that we’ve done. A lot of the same players have been supporting us all of the 28 years which is really nice,” she said. “We just look forward to another profitable and fun day.”