If you go
What: Zing for Zonta: Boulder’s Got Talent
When: 5:30 p.m. today
Where: eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder
Cost: $49.99
More info: zontafoothills.org
The Boulder’s Got Talent competition won’t feature ventriloquists, dancing dogs or death-defying magic acts — but there’s no need for extravagance when the goal of the event shines just as bright as its six homegrown performances: to provide education and healthcare to at-risk women and girls in Boulder County.
Local acts will vie for a top spot during the annual Zing for Zonta: Boulder’s Got Talent at 5:30 p.m. today at eTown Hall in Boulder. All proceeds will support Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County’s education programs and the evening will kick off with silent and live auctions.
“Our mission is to provide education and to ensure safety for women and girls,” said Pamela Malzbender, president of Zonta Foothills. “It’s great to support these values we hold close to us through an entertaining show at a beautiful local venue. Guests can be assured to know that they’re really doing something to help just by attending.”
Zonta Foothills is a local chapter of Zonta International, a service organization that works to advance the status of women. The women-run, all-volunteer Boulder County chapter, which focuses on the education aspect of the parent organization’s mission, has been providing local service, scholarships and advocacy for 30 years. Malzbender said that in the past decade, the local chapter has raised $100,000 for women and girls in Boulder County.
“We want to make sure young women are able to continue their education regardless of economic status,” said Malzbender.
Malzbender said Zonta also works with violence prevention, and it often partners with area high schools and nonviolence groups like Safehouse and Moving to End Sexual Assault. Zonta is in the midst of offering educational panels for parents to learn how to handle and prevent sexting among their children.
“We’ve taken it to the local level to help cultivate a culture of respect for kids in schools,” said Malzbender. “We tie everything back to our core of promoting education and empowering women.”
In 2012 Zonta Foothills launched Zonta EducateZ to support at-risk women and girls, working closely with Boulder Valley Schools to provide advocacy and mentoring to students who want to help close the achievement gap through literacy, college preparedness and basic life skills.
Zing for Zonta began as an a cappella group competition in 2010, but has since expanded the talent pool to any performer. The featured performer, apart from the competition, will be singer-songwriter Patty Johnson, and the emcees will be Ellen Burnes and her sidekick pug, Elliott, who has earned votes in the past, but doesn’t plan on winning, said Burnes.
“He is charming, engaging, funny and has worked hard to learn his skills,” said Burnes, who emceed the event last year, too. She said the mentoring, scholarships and computers Zonta EducateZ offers is a great program to ensure the success of young women.
“As a professor, I see the impact that support and resources has on young people,” said Burnes, who teaches at Colorado State University.
The community can vote for contestants at zontafoothills.org, with all proceeds of each vote, a $5 minimum donation, benefiting Zonta’s scholarships and programs.
The talent
Celebrity judges: Dan King, owner of Dannik’s Gunbarrel Corner Bar and co-founder of Otis Taylor’s Trance Blues Festival; Harvey Hine, an architect with HMH Architecture + Interiors and occasional ski instructor at Eldora; and KGNU radio personality Shiquita Yarbrough, an advocate for single parents.
Rebecca Abraxas: The solo singer-songwriter from Lafayette has been performing “positive message” music for 20 years. Abraxas’ “contemporary folk meets new-thought Americana” aims to spread positivity alongside her wellness and empowerment coaching.
“The music I like to write is all about being your best self, finding your unique brilliance and having a voice,” Abraxas said, noting that Zonta EducateZ “is in alignment with the mission I base my music and life around. I believe in women’s and girls’ potential and I believe in the opportunities that Zonta gives them to shine their best selves.”
CU Mile 21: The 13-member co-ed a cappella student group at the University of Colorado was founded in 2004. The group, consisting of Payton Meyer, Vidushi Goyal, Cian Kinderman, Bonnie Evans, Kyle McCall, Sydney Hines, Sydney Yeargers, Eddie Altman, Sarah Doyle, Matt Genelin, Kiley Kimble, Justin Gill and Paul Rastrelli, uses vocal instruments to put a unique spin on popular music. Meyer said the group is a “huge proponent of women’s empowerment and advancement in today’s world,” and the members are excited to support Zonta’s programs.
“Since we are a collegiate group, our members and repertoire are constantly growing and changing,” said Meyer. “The two songs we will be singing at the event were brand new to us at the beginning of this semester, and this will be our first time performing them for a public audience.”
Adam Farrell: A native Coloradan has been performing stand-up comedy for the past couple years, making numerous appearances at Denver’s Comedy Works and its New Faces Contest. Farrell said he’s long enjoyed making people laugh, so “I finally gave it a try and I think I am talented at finding the humor in life.”
Farrell said he has three sisters, five nieces and “the most wonderful mom anyone could ask for,” so supporting Zonta was a no-brainer for him.
“It is a pleasure to perform for an organization that helps women in need,” said Farrell. “When my nieces do grow up I want them to live in a world where they have the opportunity to do whatever they want and are treated fairly and equally.”
Girl Power Marimba Band: A group of Boulder-area young women who make Zimbabwean marimba music as part of two different bands, Shamwari Tamba! and Takapenga, under the umbrella of the organization Moon Stars Foundation/Kutandara, will join forces as one band for Boulder’s Got Talent. Kutandara provides opportunities for people of all ages to learn African music and culture.
“The members of Girl Power came together especially for Zing for Zonta to be a unified voice through music for women around the world,” a release states.
Sarobi Diamond Rockwell and Essie Curtis-Rockwell: A mother-daughter duo from Thornton “have very powerful voices anointed to reach your very core and uplift you,” through gospel music, said Essie Curtis-Rockwell. Her daughter Sarobi, a senior in high school, has been singing on stage since age 4. Essie said the pair knows first-hand how girls suffer from bullying and low self-esteem, so it’s important for them to support Zonta’s efforts.
“They endeavor to rescue young ladies,” said Sarobi Diamond Rockwell. “Some live in fear that they’ll never amount to anything, they don’t feel valued and they are lonely. We are glad to take part in an organization that has a proven track record to equip and give the necessary tools to empower young ladies.”
Robin Lyn Band: An abbreviated version of the full Boulder-area band will feature singer-songwriter Robin Lyn, lead guitarist Rick Gabler (whose background includes stints with members of ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughn), and rhythm guitarist 17-year-old Karli Thompson (who, Lyn said, won eTown’s Handmade Songs competition).
Lyn said Zonta’s goal of raising the status of women through education is “incredible.” Lyn, a psychotherapist by day, said she works with women with childhood sexual trauma, and body image and eating issues, so Zing for Zonta is important to her.
“Personally, I am a single mom of a 6-year-old girl I adopted from China,” Lyn said. “I daily struggle with teaching her self-respect and self-worth after her experience of abandonment by a culture that disregards women. I know that education will help her individual empowerment as well as right the balance of the sexes both locally and internationally.”
Christy Fantz: 303-473-1107, fantz@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/fantzypants