Leta Best
Notary Public and past International Zonta Director 

While my children were growing up, I was involved in their school lives and outside activities of Brownies, Cubs, baseball, softball, curling, and soccer. I did all the usual Mom things like baking and accompanying the children on school outings. I acted as concession mom at the ballparks and coached the girls’ softball team. I fundraised for junior curling and transported team members about. But I never thought, at that time, that I was a volunteer; I was just being a mom.

My awareness of my volunteer life began with Zonta International in 1984. Founded in 1919, Zonta International is a global service organization of executives in business and the professions working together, across political and social boundaries, to advance the status of women worldwide. One of the objects of Zonta International is to improve the legal, political, economic, educational, health, and professional status of women. Again, as when I was involved with my children, I still did not see myself as a volunteer; I saw myself as a member of an international organization that was working together on a mutual objective. 

Zonta afforded me an opportunity to hone my leadership skills and gain confidence in public speaking. I began my growth in community service as the treasurer of our local club, going through the chairs to become the club president. Continuing on in Zonta at the district and international levels, I eventually became one of seven world Directors at Large.

Previously, while serving as one of 30 world governors, another governor said I had the potential to go farther in my Zonta career but I needed more experience in public speaking. She suggested I take a Dale Carnegie course, which I did. That training was probably the most important self-improvement course I have ever taken. It taught me self-confidence and the ability to present myself and my ideas to others. I firmly believe that without the opportunities afforded to me by Zonta to learn those skills, I wouldn’t be writing this article today.

Through my more than 20 years with Zonta, I have grown from a person whose hands would perspire if asked to stand up and tell my name and what I did for a leaving, to being able to stand on a stage at the convention center in Paris, France, and address an audience of 3000.

In the late 1980s, through my affiliation with Zonta, I was appointed to the Board of Directors of the United Way of Victoria. I began to understand the true meaning of volunteering. During my term as a Board member, I started to think of myself—and still do today—as a United Way Volunteer. Then I realized just how long I been serving in that capacity!

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