The Zonta Club of the Corry Area honored Lori Palisin, executive director of Safe Journey, as this year’s recipient of the yellow rose, which recognizes women who are excellent role models. With Palisin are Connie Cooper, left, Corry Zonta club president; and Sandy Crowell, a Zonta member who nominated Palisin.
Palisin honored by Corry Zonta club
Each year, Zonta International celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.
This day is also recognized as Zonta Yellow Rose Day, with the yellow rose being Zonta’s symbol. Clubs recognize local women who are excellent role models and who contribute to building a better world for woman and girls. Yellow rose recipients are nominated by club members.
Each year in March, the Zonta Club of the Corry Area honors a local woman or local women as a yellow rose recipient or recipients. This year, the Zonta club honored Lori Nadolny Palisin, the executive director of Safe Journey, a locally based domestic violence service agency.
Palisin was nominated by Zonta member Sandy Crowell, who presented Palisin as the yellow rose recipient during Zonta’s meeting on Thursday night at the Corry VFW Post 264.
Palisin has served Safe Journey for 29 years, with the past 18 as the agency’s executive director.
“She has dedicated her career to keeping victims safe, empowering survivors and education communities to prevent domestic violence,” Crowell said. “Lori surely deserves a Yellow Rose Award from the Corry Zonta club.”
In 2019, Palisin launched the PurpleOne program, training participants how to recognize and respond to domestic violence and to safely refer victims to the service of Safe Journey. Under Palisin’s leadership, Safe Journey recently developed Orange Circle, a teen dating and family violence awareness program that trains school personnel and community members to understand their roles in supporting children and teens and how to connect them with services.
Crowell said that PurpleOne and Orange Circle have both been recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, as key facets of the State Health Improvement Programs.
“Lori has worked tirelessly to help and protect women and children from domestic violence abuse,” Crowell said. “With her PurpleOne and Orange Circle, she is educating people as to how to recognize domestic abuse and to help people to know where to get help.”
In 2015, Palisin co-founded the Rural Erie County Domestic Violence Task Force, a group of professionals who comprise Erie County’s coordinated community response to domestic violence. The task force was instrumental in helping Safe Journey secure a $750,000 federal grant in 2017 to create Purple One.
In 2023, Palisin achieved national recognition from DomesticShelters.org and Theresa’s Fund, which honored her as the Purple Ribbon Award gold medalist as a national shelter executive of the year.
Palisin also was the recipient of the 2025 Behrend Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. This award is presented to an alumnus of Penn State Behrend who has made significant contributions and achievements in their chosen profession, their community and Penn State Behrend.
Palisin thanked the Corry Zonta club and said she is thankful for all the women who have supported her.
There were so many along the way who believed and said, ‘you could,’” Palisin said. “No one ever said, ‘you couldn’t do it.’ I think that’s important.
“It is about empowering each other along the way. I have a lot of women who supported me in the agency (Safe Journey) and believed in our mission to empower victims of domestic violence.”
Connie Cooper, president of the Corry Zonta club, has known Palisin for many years.
“Lori was a remarkable athlete, and I was proud to be her volleyball coach during her high school years at Corry Area High School,” Cooper said. “She was a leader then and those skills helped her become the leader she is today.
“She was inquisitive, energetic and knew how to bring the best out in people. She continues to use those skills as she leads Safe Journey and helps women in need throughout rural Erie County. I’m so very proud of the woman she has become and how she is building a better world for women and girls.”
