Ryman Healthcare’s suite of sponsorships bring out the very best in people.
One longstanding mutual agreement is with worldwide organisation Zonta, which has a vision to build a better world for women and girls.
The sponsorships help bring together the different strands of a community and also have the ability to bridge generations.
They range from national agreements with the likes of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Senior New Zealander of the Year as well as the likes of local bowling and cards clubs.
Ryman Dunedin Sales Advisor Kate Morgan says in essence sponsorships by Ryman enable fundraising events which in turn lead to benefits including scholarships that are offered.
President of Zonta Club of Christchurch-Canterbury Marie Kyle-Stevenson says young people are supported by Zonta, through scholarships, such as the Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship offering US$5000. That scholarship was recently won by Cantabrian Lauren Thomas – now working in property valuation.
Lauren – competing against others from around the world – late last year won the women in business scholarship. It was her early interest in property, that helped spark her application. She was very excited to learn she’d won after making the application in May and then finding out in December.
“Property has always been something I’ve been interested in from a young age...I like going though open homes, and when I was younger I would like to draw house plans,” Lauren says.
Having gone to high school in Lincoln, she later graduated with a Bachelor of Land and Property Management at Lincoln University and since being hired by property group Colliers has concentrated on property valuation in the aged care sector.
Ryman villages Kevin Hickman and Diana Isaac recently sponsored Zonta’s mid-winter Christmas trail, where nine decorated homes and units, including two Ryman show homes around Christchurch, were shown off to the public and members of Zonta. “In three of the houses we had demonstrations – making gingerbread, floral arranging, making bows, and at another one we had the mulled wine and Christmas cake. It was a great event and we sold over 200 tickets,” Marie says.
Separately Ryman is sponsoring Zonta’s national conference which is being held at Christchurch’s Town Hall and Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiahetu on September 22-24.
Dunedin's Kate Morgan has a longstanding professional relationship with the Zonta Club of Metropolitan Dunedin. She has a great working relationship with Lynette Grave, President of the Dunedin club. “I describe her as a fundraiser extraordinaire!” Kate says.
The sponsorship has helped enable enjoyable social occasions including fashion shows, jewellery events and Zonta anniversary dinners. The relationship has also helped enable the raising of funds for scholarships.
“The club has been a great fit for our sponsorship dollars. The events are very professional and aimed at the right demographic for us,” Kate says.
Lynette Grave says the Dunedin Zonta group has been very grateful for the Ryman sponsorship that has run over a dozen or so years. The relationship includes the use of Frances Hodgkins and Yvette Williams lounges for membership and fundraising events.
Village residents, particularly those in the resthome areas, had benefited on occasion. “We made flowers for the residents at Frances Hodgkins... they all got spring flowers,” Lynette says.
Zonta remains at heart an international organisation representing the interests of women, and works to improve the status of women, Lynette says. “We focus on advocacy for women, we say ‘no to violence’, (support) pay equity, but locally we support charities for women.”
One focus now for Zonta is the continued drive for new members, particularly amongst younger people, Lynette says. “Anyone can join, and you don’t have to be working... any woman can run anything really, for example if they have a family and a home,” she says.
Kate says she is now focused on the upcoming Zonta Extraordinary Fashion show due to be held in Dunedin in October. “I’m looking forward to handing out welcome drinks as attendees arrive and hosting -- a table of guests."
