Zonta Club of St. Cloud Awards Community Champions

ST. CLOUD -- In honor of the 100th year of Zonta International, the St. Cloud branch gave out 18 awards to local businesses, individuals and agencies.

The “Small but Mighty” Community Champion Awards were held by the Zonta Club of St. Cloud on Thursday night at Granite VFW Post #428.

Club President Debra Kellerman says the mission of the organization is to empower women and girls and reduce violence against them.

Some of the organizations we support annually are Anna Marie's shelter and alliance, we support Journey Home which is a residential treatment, and now the new kid on the block is Terebinth Refuge for human trafficked women and children if they have children.

She says some of the winners are fundraisers and others are on the frontline battling domestic violence and human trafficking in the area.

We had nominees coming in from our members of individuals, agencies, and businesses who support us, who like our mission, and who support our passion for the things we do in town to empower women and girls.

The club hosts two fundraisers per year and donates over 90 percent of the money to local agencies. Their 30th annual Zonta Christmas House fundraiser is coming up in November.

Zonta International was founded in 1919 in Buffalo, New York and currently has about 1,200 clubs in 63 countries. The St. Cloud club was founded in 1950.

Community Impact Winners:

Agencies:

Anna Marie’s Alliance
Journey Home
Terebinth Refuge

Businesses:

Coborn’s
Crafts Direct
Leighton Broadcasting
Southway Floral

Individuals: 

Cyn Bolstad
Sarah Hennesy
Bob Hughes
Janelle Kendall
Joanna Klinkner
Lee LaDue
Peggy LaDue
Chris Ostlund
Angela Raine
Jason & Tiffany Thompson
Christina Van Slooten