2019 56th District 4 Centennial Conference

147 Registered Attendees, 41 Acrredited Delegate Votes, 34 First-Timers, 31 Clubs Represented, 9 Past Governors, 8 District Officers, 3 Days of Business, 2 Nights of Fun, 1 Zonta International Director & D4 Liaison.

Many new friendships established & former ones rediscovered.

The following images have been taken by Karen and Nathan Keefe, Conference photographers and D4 Historian Mary Yunker. We welcome additional photos to add to our Conference Gallery. Please forward engaging, fun and significant imges to [email protected].

District 4 PRE-Conference BUFFALO TOUR

Friday, September 27, 2019, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

Zonta Club of Buffalo organized pre-conference tours on Thursday & Friday prior to conference registration. Friday a group toured Buffalo, NY, including Forest Lawn Cemetary the resting place of Zonta’s founder Marian de Forest. Zonta International Director Judy Gorton assisted several Zonta members recognized Marian’s vision by laying a floral wreath on her grave 100 years after Buffalo’s Charter.

District 4 Conference Begins

Friday, September 27, 2019, 3:00 – 5:50 PM.

Conference attendees register while club delegates and alternates register for Conference and Credentials. Everyone selects a handcrafted conference bag created by Stitch Buffalo that is filled with items for the weekend; a program, Buffalo attractions, and a goodie bag of treats donated by District 4 Area Directors.

2019 Conference Bags

2019 D4 Centennial Conference Bags made by Stitch Buffalo.

Welcome Board for Conference Attendees

District 4 Elected Officers Prepare for Conference Procession

D4 Conference Parade of Flags Assisted by McKinley High School ROTC Colour Guard

Zonta International Flag

District 4 Centennial Travelling Flag

Parade of Flags

Vivian Cody, Past International Director, member of the Zonta Club of Buffalo and District 4 Historian, stands with the Color Guard from McKinley High School ROTC before the start of the procession and the first business session of the District’s 56th Conference.

Canadian & Australian Flag Bearers

Julie Brown, Canadian flag bearer, Past Area 1 Director and member of the Zonta Club of Stratford stands ahead of Holly Anderson, ZI Amelia Earhart Chair and Australian flag bearer.

D4 Lt. Governor & Area Directors

District 4 Officers prepare for the procession that opens the 56th District 4 Conference on Friday, September 27, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo. Lt. Governor Janice Durmis, Area 1 Director Brenda Graham, Area 2 Director Nita McCown, Area 3 Director Jenny Johnston, Area 5 Director Diane Balaban and Area 6 Director Ann Marie West. (left-right) Absent Area 4 Director Gina Orsini.

District 4 Board Members & Zonta International Director

Governor Bonnie Clesse, Secretary Marianne Chiumento, ZI Director Judy Gorton, Treasurer Marcia Bliss (left to right)

District 4 Elected Officers

Treasurer Marcia Bliss, Lt. Governor Janice Durmis, Area 1 Director Brenda Graham & Area 2 Director Nita McCown (left to right)

District 4 Elected Officers

Area 3 Director Jenny Johnston, Area 5 Director Diane Balaban & Area 6 Director Ann Marie West. (left-right)

The first Business Session Begins

District 4 officers, club delegates & alternates and conference attendees settle in on Friday, September 27, 2019, at 3:00 PM for the first business session. The posting of colours, national anthems, proclamation, conference invocation, roll call, formal greetings, and the beginning of district business starts off the weekend. Nominated candidates offer short speeches for delegates to familiarize themselves with the candidates for voting early Saturday morning. The first business session closes and there is a short time for respite before the evening festivities begin.

Jackie Davis, Singer

Jackie Davis sang the American, Canadian & Australian national anthems during the opening ceremony of the 56th District 4 Conference in Buffalo, New York.

Zonta International Director & District 4 Liaison Judy Gorton

District 4 ZI Liaison, Judy Gorton address Conference attendees on Friday afternoon.

Governor Bonnie Clesse

Governor Bonnie Clesse welcomes Conference attendees and begins the 56th District 4 Conference.

District 4 Nominated Candidates

Nominated candidates await their turn to address D4 officers, delegates and conference attendees on Friday afternoon.

D4 Conference Friday Evening Dinner

Conference Attendees Dine at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo

D4 Conference Friday Evening entertainment

Entertainment by Diva by Diva, A Celebration of Women. The cast included a few Special Divas.

Troupe includes special D4 Diva

Jenny Johnston Area 3 Director (2nd from Left)

Troupe includes special D4 Divas

Janice Cushner (white top), Mary Vicanti, ZC of Buffalo President (yellow rose), & Ann Marie West, Area 6 Director (2nd from right).

D4 Conference 2nd Business Session

Saturday, September 28, 2019, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

D4 Conference Ambassadors’ Presentation

Presenter, Kathy Smith and Past Governor Lori Robinson awaits her turn.

D4 Conference Ambassadors’ Presentation

D4 Service Committee Presentation

D4 Conference Keynote Speaker New York State Lt. Governor

D4 Conference Keynote Speaker, Kathy Hochul, New York State Lt. Governor

D4 Conference Panel Discussion

Ellen Munella Jamestown President, Marnie Piggot Oakville President, Kathleen Douglass ZI Leadership Development Chair, Judy Gorton ZI Director D4 Liaison. (left-right)

Past Governors Dr. Lee Fogarty, Anna Parenti-Conn & Dr. Vivian Cody

(left-right)

District 4 Conference Ambassador’s Table

Kathy Smith accepts donations to Zonta International Foundation.

D4 Ambassadors Collect Donations

Lori Robinson, Past Governor & Kathy Smith D4 Ambassadors.

D4 Conference Zonta Store

Small & Large Amelia Earhart Basket Raffle

ZC of Hamburg-Orchard Parks’s Fundraising Items

Judy Powers, Donna Ketchum-Colletta & Kathy Scanlon.

Zonta Clubs sell fundraising items.

D4 2019 Conference Zonta Store

District 4 Zonta Store & Amelia Earhart Basket Raffle

Small Item Raffle

Clubs and individuals donate items to support the ZI Amelia Earhart Fellowship.

Conference Amelia Earhart Basket Raffle

D4 Clubs donate gift baskets to help support D4’s contribution to the Amelia Earhart Fellowship. Donna Ketchum-Colletta coordinated the Zonta Store & AE basket raffle.

D4 Conference 3rd Business Session

Saturday, September 28, 2019, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

Mary Travers Murphy, Recipient of the New York Centennial Award

Governor Bonnie Clesse presenting Mary Travers Murphy the Award.

D4 Advocacy Committee’s T-shirts

D4 Advocacy Committee had Conference t-shirts made to reinforce their message.

D4 Advocacy & UN Presentation

Dr. Lee Fogarty, Margaret Geare (UN), Kyle Patterson, Connie Deckert & Julie Brown of Advocacy Committee addressing Conference attendees.

Advocacy Committee Conference Presentation

District 4 Past Governors

Sandra Cronk, ZC of Hamilton 1, Kathleen Douglass, ZC of Brampton-Caledon, Joanne Raymond, ZC of Kitchener-Waterloo, Lori Robinson, ZC of Brampton-Caledon, Daisy Waters, ZC of Niagara Falls NY & Barbara Fera, ZC of Guelph. (left-right)

Dr. Beverly Jacobs receives Zonta International Centennial Award for Canada

Dr. Jacobs (right) is presented award by ZI Director Judy Gorton (left) and Hamilton 1 President Karin Eckart (middle) at the District 4 Conference on September 28, 2019, in Buffalo, New York.

D4 Centennial Quilt Presentations

Governor-Elect Janice Durmis & Julie Kleinberger, Zonta Club of Bradford, present the quilt to a deserving D4 member. Julie helped her sister design and assemble the Centennial Quilt.

Centennial Quilt

The D4 Centennial Quilt was a Spring Meeting project developed by Janice Durmis, then Lt. Governor.

D4 Centennial Quilt

D4 members created personal quilt squares during D4 2019 Spring Meetings. The squares were assembled into a Centennial Quilt designed and made by Janet Lindstrom from the Zonta Club of Jamestown.

District 4 Centennial Quilt Displayed at Conference

D4 Centennial Quilt contains 90 quilt squares. Each square was designed by a D4 member in recognition of Zonta’s place in their life.

D4 Centennial Quilt Presentation to Governor

Governor Bonnie Clesse is presented the D4 Centennial Quilt by Janice Durmis, Governor-Elect and Julie Kleinberger, Zonta Club of Bradford.

D4 Conference Historical Display Panels

Created by Mary Yunker, D4 Historical Committee Chair and Diane Balaban, Area 5 Director.

Conference Historic Display Developers

Area 5 Director, Diane Balaban of the Olean Club created the timeline boards to match chartering of district clubs, Jenny Johnston of the Kenmore Club and Mary Yunker pulled papers and other items from archives to display along that line of boards.

District 4 History

Historic Zontian Magazines

District 4 History Boards

Mary Yunker created the Zonta International Service Projects history boards.

District 4 History Display Boards

Mary Yunker created the Zonta International Service Projects history boards.

District 4 History Display Boards

Boards developed by Mary Yunker, D4 Historian.

Clubs Charter Display

The yellow Zonta coat dates back to the 1930s.

Club Chartering Display

Developed in 2019 by Area 5 Director Diane Balaban.

Club Chartering Display

Display arranged by chronological order of clubs’ charter.

Kenmore Charter Certificate

Confederation of Zonta Clubs Inc. Dec. 2, 1925

Zonta Pins

District 4 Time Capsule Plaque

District 4 History

District 4 Time Capsule

Capsule will contain memorable items from District 4 clubs.

D4 Conference Gala

Saturday Evening Reception, Dinner, Keynote Speaker & Entertainment.

Governor Bonnie Clesse, ZI Director & D4 Liaison Judy Gorton & Governor-Elect Janice Durmis. (left-right)

Treasurer Marcia Bliss, Area 1 Director Brenda Graham & Area 2 Director Nita McCown.

Area 3 Director Jenny Johnston, Area 5 Director Diane Balaban & Area 6 Director Ann Marie West. (left-right, absent Gina Orsini)

Conference Chair, Toni Majiack (left) & Buffalo Club President, Mary Vacanti. (right)

Past Governor, Joanne Raymond and D4 Historian, Mary Yunker.

Past Governor, Sandra Cronk, ZC of Hamilton 1 and Catherine Bobesich, ZC of Oakville.

ZI Amelia Earhart Chair Holly Anderson and Past Governor Daisy Waters.

Buffalo President Mary Vacanti and Past International Director and Buffalo club member Dr. Vivian Cody.

Mary Vacanti, ZC of Buffalo President, Cheryl Hopper, ZC of Washington Past President & Janet Dell, Area 4 Director-Elect.

ZC of Kitchener-Waterloo members dress for the occasion. Katlin Thompson, President Jane Newman & D4 Parliamentarian Kris Fletcher. (left-right)

Dressed for the 2019 D4 Conference Gala.

D4 Conference Gala Attendees Dressed for the Era.

D4 Gala toast & address by ZI Director and D4 Liaison, Judy Gorton.

D4 Conference Gala Dinner.

Gala Decor.

Gala Sweet Treat.

D4 Conference Gala Attendees & Partners.

D4 Conference Gala Dinner Guests.

D4 Conference Gala Dinner Guests.

Conference Gala Keynote Speaker, Jacquie Walker.

News 4 anchor and reporter Jacquie Walker visits with Zonta District 4 Historian Vivian Cody, who was dressed as Zonta founder Marian de Forest during the Gala Dinner of the District’s 56th Conference in Buffalo.

Conference Gala Keynote Speaker, Jacquie Walker and her Partner.

D4 Conference Gala Entertainment.

D4 Conference Gala Entertainment, Ladies First Jazz Big Band.

D4 Conference Gala entertainment & dancing.

Zonta Club of Kitchener-Waterloo. Members include Past ZI Advocacy Committee Connie Deckert, Past ZI Service Committee Joan Westcott, Muriel Omand-Naylor, D4 Parliamentarian Kris Fletcher, Club President Jane Newman, Katlin Thompson, Elizabeth Sproule, Dee Croft, Past Governor Joanne Raymond, Area 1 Director Brenda Graham.