The Zonta Club of Bowling Green announced its scholarship recipients and officers for the coming year
during the organization’s year-end meeting held June 2 at DiBenedetto’s Downtown.
Zonta is an organization of professional and business women working together to advance the status of
women locally and worldwide through service and advocacy. The local club awarded two scholarships this
year.
2009 Zonta Club of Bowling Green Area scholarship recipients are Tammy Elling and Deborah Hendricks, both
of Bowling Green. Each was awarded $1,250 to continue their education at Bowling Green State University.
Scholarship chairperson Pam Heringhaus welcomed Hendricks, who was in attendance at the meeting. Elling,
the second scholarship recipient, could not attend but will join the group at a future meeting.
Elling intends to complete a Master of Rehabilitation Counseling at BGSU in August. She has completed her
undergraduate and graduate degrees while juggling her role as a wife and mother to two children in
addition to maintaining a full-time job. Elling has worked at the Wood County Juvenile Probation
Department and at Behavioral Connections.
According to one of her references, "Tammy has devoted her adult career to working with women with
multiple needs." It is her desire to continue to address the needs of these women, including
substance abuse, and to help them become more resilient. She hopes to organize an empowerment group for
women and to publish her research on the debilitating effects of shame on women. She is active in her
church and is proud to be part of the first generation in her family to earn a college degree.
Hendricks is pursuing her degree in the human development and family studies program at BGSU. She has
maintained a 4.0 grade point average while supporting her family in a new community. As a single mother
and student, she has been able to teach her children the importance of higher education. Her children
have now set new goals so that they can also attend college.
While balancing these responsibilities, Hendricks has also been involved in the Bowling Green community,
particularly with Global Connection. Her work there has allowed her to assist migrant workers who
suffered from a house fire and to help spouses of international students learn English and the customs
of the United States.
Both scholarship winners represent the qualities that are supported by Zonta International, noted Jayne
Roth, one of the local club’s co-directors. "They are providing a positive role model for their
daughters, they are promoting the advancement of women through their study and work, and they are
volunteering their time to affect the lives of many individuals."
Founded in 1919, Zonta International is a global service organization of female executives working
together, across political and social boundaries.
The Bowling Green club, founded in 1999, provides at least one scholarship annually, to a woman age 25
years or older. The award recipient must be a resident of Wood County, show financial need, have a high
school diploma or GED, and be eligible to enroll or already be enrolled in a post-secondary program of
study.
New Zonta Club of BG officers were also installed at the June 2 meeting for the 2009-2010 year. They are:
President, Tina Bradley; vice president, Melinda Slusser; treasurer, Linda Koehler; secretary, Catharine
Harned; and directors Molly Mack, Shelly Turpening, Michelle Grigore, Deborah Wooldridge and Jayne Roth.
The officers were installed by District 5 Governor Amy Grubbe from Sandusky, who offered greetings from
the district board.
Announcements included an update on the Zonta Summer Solstice Wine Tasting on June 18 at the W.W. Knight
Preserve and the upcoming Zonta Summer Retreat on July 22, which will run from noon to 3 p.m.
The club’s next meeting will be held on Aug. 4 at the Bowling Green Country Club.
More information about Zonta of BG Area and the application for next year’s scholarship is available at
www.bgzonta.org
