Zonta Club awards 2025 Yellow Rose Awards

On March 7, the Zonta Club of Grand Island awarded five women who live or work on Grand Island with the Yellow Rose Award. The women who were honored with the award were Amy Boutet, Cheryl Chamberlain, Jamie Mancuso-Dulak, Debra Harrison and Julia Hay. The ceremony was held at the Grand Island Welcome Center.

•Amy Boutet, Grand Island High School business teacher. Boutet has been a teacher in the business department for 10 years. She developed the Academy of Finance, which allows ninth graders to begin a course of study and complete the program with a paid internship. Boutet also has been an adviser to DECA, the yearbook, National Honor Society, Spot-lighters and the musical. She presented “Building Your Brand Through School-Based Enterprises” at the National Academy Foundation convention. Boutet is currently the community education director.

•Cheryl Chamberlain, Grand Island High School business teacher. Chamberlain began teaching in the business department in 2006. She has been DECA adviser for 18 years and NYS DECA executive board member since 2016. In 2013, Chamberlain received the Educator of the Year Award from the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce. Under her guidance, students started Casey’s Cabana, and she continues to be their adviser. Boutet and Chamberlain featured Casey’s School Store and Casey’s Cabana when they presented at the National Academy Foundation.

•Jamie Mancuso-Dulak, Veronica Connor Middle School teacher. Mancuso-Dulak has taught English and language arts and science for the past five years. Previously, she was a technology teacher in the district. Mancuso-Dulak was recently awarded $1,995 from the New York State Association of Computers and Technology for her project titled “Animating Fantasy Worlds, Bringing Graphic Novels to Life with Hummingbird Robotics.” The project can be incorporated in one of the last units in sixth grade ELA, which includes graphic novels. Having the technology available will allow Mancuso-Dulak and her students to animate scenes from the novels to make them come to life.

•Debra Harrison, volunteer at Special Spaces. Harrison, owner of Wheelhouse Marine for 38 years and real estate agent for 32 years, has found time to volunteer for Special Spaces Buffalo. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to creating dream bedrooms for children living with cancer. Harrison had the opportunity to help make a 4-year-old’s dream bedroom a reality. There will be more opportunities for her, because Special Spaces has a waiting list of children with cancer who would love a dream bedroom of their choice.

•Julia Hay, associate director and designer for Special Spaces Buffalo. Hay, president and co-owner of Queen City Destination Management, has been associate director and designer for Special Spaces Buffalo for the past eight years. As a professional designer, Hay has been involved in all aspects of creating a bedroom. A child is selected from a waiting list and interviewed to learn his/her interests. The theme of the bedroom is based on those interests. The bedroom is then created by volunteers and funded completely by donations. Hay’s personal mission is to follow her passions, respect others and provide help whenever she can.

The Yellow Rose award is presented to outstanding women for leadership and service to the community. It is presented at this time of year in keeping with International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8.

Zonta is an international service organization with the mission of “Building a Better World for Women and Girls.” The Grand Island Zonta Club, established in 1958, offers scholarships to seniors and working women, supports the Family Justice Center, helps assemble birthing kits for needy countries, offers financial assistance to many charitable organizations, and supports international projects that support women.