Zonta Club of Jamestown has been recognizing a ‘Zontian of the Year’ since 1987. This is a fun way to showcase Zonta Spirit! This year we recognized Candace Carlson – who has been an outstanding member of our club, not only recruiting new members but perfectly embodying Zonta Spirit!
The Zontian of the Year is selected in recognition of her commitment to the ideals and goals of Zonta at the club, the area, the district and international levels. We have a small planning committee that consists of the President Elect, the previous year honoree and two or three other club members that sign up. The criteria we use to pick our Zontian of the Year is loosely based on these key points including but is not limited to the following:
- Participation in meetings and events;
- Actively participating in service activities;
- Empowering her Zonta sisters to achieve their best;
- Instll a sense of camaraderie within the club;
- Acting on decisions that are in the best interests of women, girls, and the club;
- Demonstrating leadership in a variety of situations;
- Demonstration of Zonta Spirit and inspiring the spirit of Zonta in others;
- Earning the respect of her Zonta sisters.
We keep each year’s winner under tight wraps, so it’s a surprise to everyone in the club. The honoree’s family is enlisted to be part of the surprise as well! They provide specific information about the Zontian AND once the Zontian of the year is announced, the family/friends who have been hidden from view, join in on the celebration.
Each year we think of a different way to reveal the winner. This year we had members cross off one of the eleven letters in the graphic below, when a clue pertained to them. The clues are designed to gradually move from inclusive of many members to the last few only pertaining to the Zontian of the Year.
