March 6, 2024 3:30 a.m.

Zonta Club of Roseburg will celebrate International Women’s Day and Rose Day on Friday.

Local Zonta clubs recognize women groups or individuals who have worked unselfishly to improve their community and empower women. Oregon Department of Human Services Community Partnership Coordinator Kathryn Garland and her brainchild “First Thursday” are this year’s Rose Day recipients for the Zonta Club of Roseburg.

A Zonta release said First Thursday creates a monthly all-in-one event that showcases a myriad of resources available by various local agencies and community partners. Garland said a vast array of people are served by the event including women, children, seniors, veterans, minorities, disabled, those escaping violence and people with various addiction issues. Over 60 percent of those served are women.

Thanks to over 30 ODHS staff from a variety of programs, First Thursday has grown to an event that provides a hot meal, clothing and technical expertise to attendees. In addition, local food banks provide food boxes, Adapt Integrated Health Care provides a shower trailer, and nearly 40 other community partners provide information on resources to help improve one’s quality of life.

The concept from the event sprouted from Feeding Umpqua approaching Garland during the summer of 2022 to see if there was a way to distribute produce to those in need. Every two weeks Garland hosted a free produce day at ODHS that attracted hundreds. When fall came and extra produce was no longer available, Garland still wanted to maintain the momentum of offering a day of help. That led to a monthly event which eventually became First Thursday.

From June of 2023 to February of this year, the event attracted over 1,700 clients and 80 different partners with an average of 37 partners showcasing their resources each month. Currently, the First Thursday event is held in the gymnasium of Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church on West Stanton Street from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. In May, the event will return to the ODHS parking lot for the summer.

Zonta’s Rose Day Award will be presented to Garland during the March 7th First Thursday event at 12:00 p.m.