Attendance
The meeting was well-attended, with the following members present: Steve Salerno, Peggy Zalucha, Judy Steinhauer, Bob Johnson, Dave Reed, Liz Grabe, Gary Tree, Aubree Hanks, Mark Rooney, Dana Droessler-Fager, Paul Christiansen, Tammy Wedig, Brent Yauchler, Bill Dunnington, Susan Smith, Laura Armstrong, Franke Wallitsch, and Heidi Kopras. Guests included Sharon Bradish, representing the Change Makers Club, and Lyn Kenney, author of Pioneers: The History of Women and Rotary Since 1911.

Meeting Notes
The Four-Way Test will begin promptly at noon, so members are encouraged to arrive on time. Currently, the club has $27,800 available in its funds. Regarding the upcoming 10k raffle, about 20 tickets remain—members are urged to help with sales. An exciting incentive is being offered: thanks to a generous donation from a friend of Judy’s, one prize includes a week-long stay at a house in Hawaii. 
Help wanted we need a volunteer to help administering the 50/50 raffle. Interested? Please contact Heidi Kopras.
 

During the Membership Minute, members were reminded to read the Norsk News emails and check the club website for updates and meeting details. Important upcoming dates include:

Happy Bucks
Keith shared his appreciation for the community outdoor pool and noted that Harrison is enjoying swim lessons this week. Dave reported the successful collection of 13 skids of books over two years for the "Books for the World" Rotary program—this year, the books are finally being shipped, and the individual who helped package them will be coming to speak soon. Guest Sharon Bradish, from the Change Makers Club, also expressed her enthusiasm. Author Lyn Kenney shared her appreciation for the opportunity to speak. Laura expressed excitement to attend the meeting and announced she had received a new job offer with a senior title. Gary shared that he had a wonderful three-day trip with his son. Tammi had double the joy—her oldest daughter recently got married, and her other daughter is moving to Canada.

 

Guest Speaker – Lyn Kenney
The meeting's featured speaker was Lyn Kenney, author of Pioneers: The History of Women and Rotary Since 1911. She is notably the seventh woman to have joined her Rotary club and has been instrumental in documenting the long journey toward gender inclusion in Rotary.

Kenney shared that Rotary's original plans in 1906 explicitly excluded women, reflecting the broader social norms of the time when women were rarely found in business or social clubs.

It took 76 years of persistence to overturn this exclusion, beginning with the efforts of Dr. Gertrude Stanton in 1911. Dr. Stanton, an obstetrician and savvy marketer, founded the Minneapolis Women’s Rotary Club, which still exists today.

In 1934, Rotary voted not to include liquor classifications—a decision that would seem ironic today given modern Rotary events involving alcohol. The first Rotary International Convention took place in 1912 in Duluth, Minnesota, where a proposal to allow women was rejected.

Kenney highlighted the efforts of four pioneering women, led by Alwilda Harvey—wife of a Chicago Rotary Club member—who helped form and grow the Chicago Women’s Rotary. Over the years, the names and forms of women’s Rotary groups varied, and they faced continued resistance. By 1953, the Minneapolis Women’s Club incorporated as the Rotary Foundation for the Blind, though even then, Rotary did not officially support women’s auxiliary clubs.

By 1928, in Oklahoma City, the Rotary Ann Auxiliary was formed, led by Miss Addison Phillips of the Bristol Venture Club, a Rotary-adjacent group. In Duarte, California, the local Rotary club included women by listing only their first initials. When challenged, they refused to remove the women and instead formed the "Ex-Rotary Club of Duarte." A 1986 court ruling in their favor, based on the non-discrimination act, marked a turning point.

The Seattle Rotary Club was required to accept 15 women—known as "The Seattle 15"—though no photo was ever taken to commemorate the moment. In 1987, a Rotary publication posed the question, "Do Women Belong in Rotary?" Most letters opposing inclusion came from members' wives.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled that women must be allowed to join. Associate Justice Powell wrote for the court: “Indeed, by opening membership to leading business and professional women in the community, Rotary Clubs are likely to obtain a more representative cross-section of community leaders with a broadened capacity for service.”

Since then, women have made significant strides within Rotary. In 1995, the first female District Governors were appointed. Modern-day pioneers include Carolyn Jones (first female trustee of Rotary International), Catherine Noyer-Riveau (first female director), and Elizabeth Demaray (first female treasurer of Rotary International). In 2012, Nan McCreadie became the first female president of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland. Jennifer Jones later became the first woman to serve as Rotary International President, followed by Stephanie Urchick as the second.