The role of women in society has changed a great deal over the past 100 years — and Zonta International can be sure its members played a part in the empowerment of women worldwide.

And as the organization celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2019, the local Zonta Club of Bradford is also marking 65 years of service right here in McKean County.

The Zonta Club of Bradford has two events coming this year to celebrate.

On Jan. 22 in Togi’s Blue Room, the Bradford club will hold a 65th birthday party, a celebration the group will share with former members and District 4 Zontians. Care has been taken to make the event special.

“Memorabilia from each decade will be on display and a photo booth will be available to feature attending guests,” said Bradford Zontian Karen Cassin.

In July, a public celebration of Zonta International’s centennial will be held locally “to highlight the work Zonta International has accomplished this century,” she explained. “Local service clubs, community businesses, and the public will be invited to join us.”

More information on the event will be available as it gets closer.

While the organization has reach across the globe today, it began in upstate New York only a couple of hours away from Bradford.

“The first Zonta Club was founded on Nov. 8, 1919, in Buffalo, N.Y., by Marian DeForest,” Cassin explained. “The nine founding clubs that made up the Confederation of Zonta Clubs were Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton, Elmira, Syracuse, Erie, Utica, Ithaca, and Detroit. The Confederation became Zonta International with the incorporation of Toronto in 1927.”

With the support of a neighboring club and a strong starting membership, the Zonta Club of Bradford formed in the 1950s.

Cassin explained, “The Zonta Club of Bradford was chartered July 6, 1953, with 35 charter members and Dorothy Anderson serving as the first president. The club was sponsored by the Zonta Club of Olean, which just celebrated their 90th anniversary last year.”

The Olean, N.Y., club marked its own anniversary in June with a potluck and picnic at the home of one of its members.

Cassin said the club has worked in different ways to achieve Zonta International’s mission: “to empower women worldwide through service and advocacy.”

“Over the decades the club has moved toward a balance between ‘hands-on’ service projects and donating funds to causes that improve the status of women,” she explained. She went on to describe the organizations with which the local Zontians work.

“We have become a source of volunteers for local organizations such as the United Way, CARE for Children and Crook Farm,” she said. “We have worked on projects against domestic violence jointly with the YWCA, as well as donating to the Bradford Public Library, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Camp JJ and many others.

“Our district service project is assembling birthing kits for third world countries that provide a sanitary place to give birth,” she noted.

According to Cassin, one project the club is especially proud of is providing funding to promising young women who wish to continue their education.

She explained, “One of our biggest accomplishments is the scholarships that we award each year to high school seniors and a (University of Pittsburgh at Bradford) college student. The club received a bequest from long time member Ruth B. Fisher in 1978 which provided the principle to begin the scholarship. Over the years we have held many fundraisers to supplement the bequest.”

In fact, one of the fundraisers is the club’s next project: the ninth annual Queen of Hearts Card party. The event will be held Feb. 2 at St. Francis Hall. Attendees bring cards or board games and enjoy an offering of treats while socializing over games.

The group’s most recent project was to recognize the achievements of several young women in the community through the Amelia Earhart Awards.

Cassin explained, “We just completed our annual awards luncheon in honor of Amelia Earhart, who was a Zontian.

“This award is given to six high schools girls, who are chosen by their counselors as young women who have overcome hardships and persevered.”

On Jan. 9, each recipient was honored with a yellow rose, an Amelia Earhart Service Award certificate and an inspirational bracelet during the Zonta Club of Bradford meeting.

For more information on Zonta International, visit www.zonta.org.