So what was it like to join a service club after it finally allowed women members?
For Pat O’Kelley, the transition from an auxiliary Lioness to a full-fledged Lion was a smooth and natural one. “I was always interested in the Lions Club. I started working at the Lions Club headquarters in 1979 and saw all the terrific ideas they had and service they did,” she explained. “When they finally opened their doors to women, I was invited to join right away.” O’Kelley still works at the Lions Club headquarters in Oak Brook.
O’Kelley, a member of the Oak Brook Lions for nearly five years now, is also a club officer. She stressed that the women who have joined service clubs are not necessarily spouses of members: “It’s not like we’re all related. It’s not a couples club.”
She said she has encouraged many of her women friends to join Lions, but time is an obstacle. “Everyone is so busy now that volunteerism is down. Before, so many women were at home. Now, most women (are) working.”
Sandy McClive has been a member of the Oak Brook Rotary for three years. An insurance salesperson, she has found the camaraderie rewarding and the networking opportunities invaluable. “The Oak Brook club was very responsive to my needs as a new member,” she said, adding that she was immediately invited to join committees and plan events. “I’ve never felt ostracized because I was a woman.”
Naperville Rotary president Tim West said women have added an important dimension to service organizations. “Next year we’ll have our first woman president. A number of women are involved in membership organizations now. It’s been nice to see, and it’s benefited Rotary greatly in the past few years.”
