by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
The Sanibel City Council recognized employees and honored Alzheimer’s Awareness and the Zonta Club’s activism at its meeting last week, on Nov. 4.
The council recognized Joe Gudias as Employee of the Fourth Quarter. He started in the city as a utilities maintenance mechanic, then as a Wastewater I, II, and III Plant Operator, before his promotion in 2004.
Comments from his peers in his nomination include:
• “Joe is one of those behind-the-scenes employees who make things happen.”
• “Joe has been instrumental in all phases of the sanitary sewer system expansion project, including the upgrade and remodel of the Donax Water Reclamation Facility.”
• “Joe was a key player who assisted in getting the sanitary sewer up and running following hurricanes Charley, Irma, Wilma, Ian, Helene, and Milton.”
• “Joe always has a smile and an excellent sense of humor. He is laid-back and always approachable in any situation.”
Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
The city declared November as Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and encourages all residents to participate in local programs, support caregivers, and help raise awareness.
More than 6 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, and by 2050, that number is projected to nearly double. Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s, and one in three seniors will die with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.
“The month of November is the city of Sanibel’s annual initiative encouraging all residents to educate themselves on Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and to support those living with the disease as well as their caregivers,” the city’s Proclamation read.
Zonta Club Activism
The city issued a second Proclamation encouraging all residents to support efforts to prevent gender-based violence by educating the community about its harms, advocating for survivors of gender-based violence, and acting in service of them during the 16 Days of Activism beginning Nov. 25, 2025.
During the 16 Days of Activism – Nov. 25 through Dec. 10 – the Zonta Clubs of Sanibel-Captiva, along with all Zonta clubs, are encouraged to take part in the “Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women” campaign and take local, national, and international actions to influence the making and implementation of laws as well as changing gender-based attitudes and behaviors to end violence against women.
The World Health Organization estimates that one in three (30% of women worldwide) has experienced physical and/or sexual violence. According to UNICF, “around 120 million girls under the age of 20 worldwide (about one in 10) have experienced forced intercourse or other forced sexual acts.” According to the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, “the most common form of human trafficking (79%) is sexual exploitation.”
Zonta International is a leading global organization of professionals with more than 26,000 members in 64 countries, working together to make gender equality a worldwide reality for women and girls, and has contributed to achieving a world free of violence against women and girls for more than 100 years.