Zonta Women of Achievement Luncheon to feature Judith Farris

The upcoming third annual Zonta Women of Achievement Luncheon will honor women from the Cape Girardeau area for their community and professional contributions and raise money for local and international service projects and scholarships.

The luncheon takes place Nov. 3 at the Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

The club will recognize six nominees for its Women of Achievement Award. There will be one award winner based on her professional achievements, community involvement, awards and recognitions and a brief essay.

This year's featured award recipient is renowned opera singer Judith Farris, a Cape Girardeau native and graduate of Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University.

Farris began her career at the Santa Fe Opera, has performed all over the country and Europe and helped develop a voice studio in New York City. The award will recognize Farris' accomplishments in music and honors her return to her Cape roots, by joining the faculty at Southeast Missouri State University as a vocal instructor and artist in residence in the Department of Theatre and Dance.

The Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau also will recognize the recipients of two scholarships that the club awards annually: one to a nontraditional student at Southeast Missouri State University and another to a woman studying in a health-related field at the Career and Technology Center.

Zonta sponsors several service projects, including literacy efforts, the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence and the Safe House for Women.

Proceeds from the luncheon will be used for community service projects.

Seats must be reserved in advance for the 11:30 a.m. luncheon and will be available through Friday.

For more information, call 339-5500.