Santa Clarita is made up of volunteers who continuously make an effort in being at the forefront of the community, and on Saturday the Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley saluted volunteers representing 23 nonprofit organizations from throughout the valley who each nominated a woman for Zonta’s “Women Who Serve” event.
After a hiatus in the past couple of years, the event returned, being held at the Bella Vida SCV Senior Center, where the club presented the Zonta Service Impact Award to Christy Alben, vice chair of the WiSH Education Foundation.
The Zonta Service and Impact Award “shines a spotlight on an extraordinary woman from a nonprofit organization in the Santa Clarita Valley whose compassion, leadership and generosity of spirit, and selfless dedication are creating powerful, meaningful and lasting change,” the event program read. “The … award celebrates a woman whose actions are directly transforming lives, advancing opportunities and strengthening our community in profound and measurable ways.”
Event co-chairs Cathy Gundy and Jackie Howarth welcomed the esteemed guests.
“Today we gather to honor something extraordinary: the power of women who choose to serve. It is truly inspiring to see so many of you here to celebrate the women across our Santa Clarita Valley — whose passion, dedication and leadership strengthen our nonprofit and uplift our entire community. These women give their time, their talents and their hearts, often quietly and often behind the scenes, to make sure others are supported, seen and empowered,” Gundy said.
“It’s wonderful to finally reach this moment. We spent months and months meeting and planning, and today is a culmination of all that hard work. Everything has led up to this day, and we hope that you are enjoying yourselves already. Most importantly, today is about you and what you do for others,” Howarth added.
Cherise Moore, president of Zonta, discussed the mission of the organization and how the 23 nominees uphold those values.
“We’re honored… to celebrate phenomenal women who volunteer and serve and create impact. For four decades, Zonta has been lifting up, recognizing and amplifying women whose service strengthens the heart of our community,” Moore said. “There are so many women who choose to not only live and work in Santa Clarita, but give their voice and energy to make life better for others. Serving community matters — it’s different here.”
Moore went on to thank the nominees for their continuous work in making Santa Clarita a “vibrant and compassionate place.”
“We’re celebrating 23 remarkable women from our 23 remarkable nonprofits who nominated these women. That speaks volumes. Thank you for helping us shine a light on these extraordinary women — your presence really affirms the vital work that is happening in the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Moore, who’s also a member of the William S. Hart Union High School District governing board. “Santa Clarita is such a vibrant and compassionate place to call home because of the women who serve. Thank you, so very much, for giving us the chance to celebrate those women.”
Gundy and Howarth welcomed to the stage Christine Sexton, after announcing that the “Carmen Sarro Award” name would be retired and renamed the “Zonta Service and Impact Award.”
Sarro, the mother of Sexton, was SCV Woman of the Year in 1985, after volunteering for Zonta for 25 years, as well as Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, the Canyon Theatre Guild and the Boys & Girls Club.
“Thank you all for being here. Thank you Santa for honoring my mom for these past 20 years. My mom went to Cuba in 1959, pregnant with me, two sons at home, to divorce her abusive husband. Total bravery for that era — she learned to be fearless,” Sexton said. “Later she remarried, had two more sons … She was determined to give her children and husband a great life, a passion fueled by her decades-long history of volunteering. You continue the legacy of women and families, and I’m blessed to be a part of this city and serve alongside you.”
