Zonta Club of Olean Honors Local Women and Community Service on International Women’s Day
Zonta Club of Olean Honors Local Women and Community Service on International Women’s Day
Founded on a mission to advance women’s rights and leadership, the Zonta Club of Olean celebrates Rose Day by recognizing women making a difference across the community.
Our region is incredibly blessed to have the quiet yet powerful support of so many excellent service organizations who respond to our community needs. The Zonta Club of Olean is one such service organization. Zonta was founded on November 8, 1919 by Buffalo, NY journalist and playwright Marian de Forest. She chose “Zonta” as the name of this new women’s service organization purposefully. It is a Lakota Sioux word meaning “honest and trustworthy.”
In speaking with Olean’s Paula Fidurko Bernstein, Vice President of the club and future President (July), she shared that the Olean club was formed ten years after de Forest established the first one in Buffalo. Olean will be celebrating their 100-year anniversary in three years!
Many readers are surely familiar with Rotary, which was established in 1905 as a service organization exclusively for businessmen. In 1919, when Zonta was created, women were banned from the Rotary ranks. This could likely have been why de Forest basically countered with a service group for only professional women. Looking back at history, the 19th amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote was around the corner, with women holding their collective breaths for its passage after decades of agitation and unrest. Imagine! It took several generations of women and women suffrage supporters to march, lobby, practice civil disobedience and be repeatedly incarcerated to finally achieve what some Americans considered a radical change to the constitution. Why so? Because our society was accustomed to women being regarded as second-class citizens, at the behest of men. Women voting was a very hard pill to swallow, even for some women who were comfortably accustomed to their husbands figuratively pulling the cart while they silently and submissively rode along.
Like the suffragettes before them, there were women quietly doing great things in their communities - carrying the freight so to speak - without getting any acknowledgement for it, possibly even getting resistance. Look back in time and remember the women (Women’s Land Army) who saved England during WWII working the fields, growing crops with limited 1940’s equipment, using their hands and backs to keep food in the markets when all other sources were shut down. It was women pilots who flew airplanes to the front for the men to fight the battle of the skies. It was a century later that it was discovered that women also were in the fight, but again, not acknowledged until bodies and buried planes were discovered on the front line. Everyone, even our newest generation hopefully knows about the 19 million “Rosie the Riveters” (my mom was one) who manufactured airplanes, tanks and equipment for that war effort. Yet, after those events were history, so was the freedom and autonomy the women experienced. They went back to the kitchens, taking care of family, closed off from the outside working world. Working quietly in the background. Why? American patriarchal culture. It was expected. Women’s work. Care for the home, have children, take care of the husband’s needs. It was wrong then; it is wrong now.
The right to vote with the 19th amendment (finally after 72 years of fighting for it) endorsed this on one level, but Zonta gave woman a voice, a path to run on and acknowledgement. Zonta affirmed the women who were quietly running businesses and homes, raising families and good citizens but had no “third space” (other than the socially acceptable gathering for ladies’ tea), where they could convene, share ideas, collectively do good works and feel a sense of accomplishment. Zonta and other groups (Soroptimist, Altrusa, Quota, Pilot) geared to women, gave that to women. Amelia Earhart recognized the value of these organizations and became a member of Zonta. Eleanor Roosevelt chose Altrusa. They knew it was time for women’s accomplishments to be seen and heard.
The USA has nearly 33,000 members belonging to more than 1,200 Zonta clubs in 67 countries and geographic areas. Olean Zonta is one of the oldest Zonta Clubs in existence. Currently, Olean Zonta has 40 members and engages in more than 15 service projects each year, donating over $15,000 to area organizations serving women. One of the many good works that Olean Zonta performs is to give an annual scholarship in Amelia Earhart’s name. From their website: “Our goal is to fulfill Zonta’s mission of building a better world for women and girls through service, advocacy, and financial support both locally and internationally. Zonta International envisions a world in which women's rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential. In such a world, women have access to all resources and are represented in decision-making positions on an equal basis with men. In such a world, no woman lives in fear of violence.”
ZONTA ROSE DAY
Each year on International Women’s Day, March 8th, the Zonta International community celebrates both International Women’s Day and Zonta Rose Day. To honor extraordinary women in the community, a yellow rose is presented along with an invitation to the Zonta Club of Olean’s International Dinner. The yellow rose was historically adopted by suffragettes as a symbol of friendship, respect, and support for women’s rights, and over time it has become a meaningful emblem of recognition and celebration on International Women’s Day.
One of this year’s Yellow Rose Day recipients is the dedicated staff of the Cattaraugus County Health Department’s WIC program. They were nominated by Zonta board member Ann Marie Sitter Tompkins, who had the opportunity to work with the department while serving as a New York State Public Health Fellow and has also partnered with them through Operation Warm Hearts.
Those presented with yellow roses included Amy Chaffee, Michele Phelps, Rachel Renninger, Mary Beth Lasko, Christian Bowser, Summer Jolley, Molly Higgins, and Carla Jefferlone (missing from photo). Also featured in the photo is Dr. Kevin D. Watkins, MD, MPH, who serves as the Public Health Director for the Cattaraugus County Health Department.
Through their compassion, knowledge, and dedication, this remarkable team continues to make a meaningful difference for families throughout the community.
Another Rose Day recipient is Lisa Worthy of Worthy Pharmacy. She was nominated by Zonta board member Linda Manross, who shared this: "Lisa treats customers as if they are part of her own family. She goes the extra mile to research medicines, costs and medical referrals. Lisa is benevolent, deeply understanding and genuinely committed to relieving the suffering of others. She is truly an asset to our community.”
Lisa Worth, Worthy Pharmacy’s owner, is a pharmacist who provides comprehensive pharmaceutical and whole-health care to the residents of Olean and the surrounding communities. As a woman-owned business, Worthy Pharmacy also represents the vital role women entrepreneurs play in strengthening local economies and supporting community well-being.
Eileen Skrobacz, affectionately known as Birdie, is also a 2026 Rose Day recipient. Eileen has dedicated much of her life to helping our community, from her years as a school teacher to her current work with the Olean General Hospital in the area through her initiative, "Robes for Comfort". She was nominated by Zonta board member Ann-Marie Sitter Tompkins. She shares, “Robes for Comfort” began right here in Olean when Birdie Keenan Skrobacz was a patient receiving treatment at the Mildred Milliman Radiation Medicine Center. She asked a simple question: “Can I wear my own robe?” That small moment sparked something bigger, a mission to wrap every patient in warmth, dignity and care. Now every woman is offered a beautiful, soft robe to wear while receiving treatments. Imagine the comfort this brings. Thank you Birdie for your kindness!"
Zonta members will convene on March 19th to honor this year’s honorees.
Stop. Think. Are there girls and women in your life that could use some affirmation and encouragement? Do it. Be your own Zonta.