2024 Zonta Rose Day is March 18

 2024 Zonta Rose Day  is March 18

The Prowers County Zonta Club will be making their yearly deliveries of the iconic yellow roses on Monday, March 18.  Rose orders will be taken until March 10.  For those who may not have had time to mail in a form before the deadline, order forms can be obtained at The Flower Boutique, 216 S. Main Street in Lamar and can be paid for by cash, check or credit card.  Forms and payment can also be dropped off at TBK Bank in Lamar.  Roses cost $6 each.   Deliveries are limited to Lamar, Wiley, McClave, Granda and Holly.  All proceeds benefit the ZONTA Scholarship Fund.  This fund awards scholarships to girls in our local communities who are pursuing educational opportunities.  The roses are traditionally given to women who have made a positive impact on the giver’s life – women who inspire, encourage, and show support and compassion.

Since 1999, the yellow rose has been the inspiration and the symbol of Zonta Rose Day, which is observed yearly on March 8.  That date coincides with International Women’s Day, a globally-recognized day which celebrates the economic, social and cultural contributions made by women.  Prowers County chose to deliver their roses on March 18 this year because of the spring break schedules for local schools.

Yellow roses are the color of friendship.  They represent happiness, joy and caring and the bright color can also be seen as a reference to the sun and its warmth.  They have become symbolic for representing women’s rights, as they were used as part of a “code” system during voting for the 19^th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.  In 1920, the proposed Amendment was precariously close to failing.  A total of 35 states had voted to ratify, but 36 states were needed for the majority which would allow the Constitution to be amended.  The eyes of the nation and the suffragists turned to Tennessee, the only state that hadn’t rejected the amendment.  At the statehouse in Nashville, the legislature had created a code of sorts to signify their intended vote to the public.  The anti-suffragists wore red roses in their lapels, while those who supported them wore yellow roses.  Harry T. Burn, a 24-year-old politician, sported a red rose in his lapel.  Word of his choice of rose color made it to his mother, who wrote him a scathing several-page letter admonishing him to “be a good boy” and help the suffragists.  When the vote came to the floor, he stunned the crowd with his vote of “Yea”, which was the vote needed to pass the Amendment.  He later said “I appreciated the fact that an opportunity such as seldom comes to a mortal man to free 17 million women from political slavery was mine.”  No doubt the repercussions from his mother had he not changed his vote also weighed heavily in his decision.

Prowers County Zonta Club has been participating in the Zonta Rose Day for more than 15 years.  Only 104 roses were delivered that first year; now they routinely deliver around 1,500, which will undoubtedly be the cause for a lot of happy faces and smiles around town by women receiving the gift of a rose. Roses will be delivered by local Zonta members.   Jane Felter is the Chairman of the Rose Committee and Linda Hawkins is the Co-Chairman.  Committee members are: Vickie Bond, Connie Jacobson, Debbie Widener, Lorraine Wooley and Karen Ketchum.  The Club welcomes any new member wishing to join.  Young women are encouraged to apply for this year’s scholarships.  Applications can be obtained from area high school guidance counselors.  Winners will be announced at graduation.

By Barbara Crimond