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Schenectady Honors Women Members

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At a recent meeting of the Schenectady Kiwanis Club, the male members declared "Ladies Appreciation Day." All female members were presented with an ivory rose in appreciation for their contributions to the Kiwanis cause of raising funds for youth services.

President Lewis M. Elia is pictured above with the 10 female members who were surprised with the flowers at that meeting.

Elia was one of the members who led the movement to allow women into the organization. As he tells it: "Some of the members were dead set against it. They asked, 'why should we allow women into the club?'"

My answer was, "You are asking the wrong question. The right question is 'why should we not allow women into the club?'" No one had any real answer for that except that it has always been that way.

My next argument was that Kiwanis was not a fraternal organization but rather a service club. "There is no reason why women cannot raise money for charity as well as men, unless you are afraid they can do it better."

This convinced more members but there were still some men who would not give in. It was then that I came up with what I consider was my best argument.

"We have girls in our key club. They are logging many hours raising money for disadvantaged kids in our city. After they graduate from high school are we willing to tell them, 'Sorry girls; we know what a good job you did in high school but we don't want you now. Are any of you willing to look one of these young people in the eye and tell them that?'"

That convinced every member except one (there is always one) who still wanted it to be a good old boys club. When the first women, Susan Watson, CPA joined the club, he resigned. Subsequently, many more women joined and now comprise about half our membership. They are indispensable.


(Posted November 20, 2015)

 

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