Women in Kiwanis, 1987-1997

By Amy Wiser

“The impact of the (1987 Washington, DC, decision to allow female membership) was felt immediately with a membership increase of more than 3,000 women in Kiwanis clubs in the first six months,” wrote L.A. “Larry” Hapgood in Dimensions of Service: The Kiwanis Story.” The number of female members more than doubled the next year, and they continued a steady rise.

“The end of an era?” Larry wrote, “Yes! The beginning of a new phase of Kiwanis growth and service? To be sure!”

Indeed, the first decade of female members saw Kiwanis’ first woman as district governor in 1993 and readied other female leaders for future roles as Kiwanis’ top movers and shakers—including International Board positions.

Grete Hvardal | Corazon Cerano | Karin Day McKnight

Grete Hvardal, Kiwanian since 1988
Her advice: ‘Be courageous’

Grete Hvardal is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Byrgin, Norway, and one of only three women to serve as a Trustee on the Kiwanis International Board. She started out as one of those “unofficial” Kiwanians.

Grete Hvardal’s favorite Kiwanis project—which she helped make popular in Europe and beyond—is the Kiwanis doll. Learn why this project has a special place in Grete’s heart—and how a Kiwanis doll helped her granddaughter.

“My Kiwanis club had for some time existed as a ‘Kiwanianne’ club,” she explains. Though her club functioned similarly to a Kiwanis club, the members didn’t enjoy the perks of actual Kiwanis membership. “Sometimes we were invited to (divisional and district) meetings, but we had no right to send delegates and no right to vote during district conventions. The members in our Kiwanianne club decided that as soon as we had 25 members, we wanted to become a real Kiwanis club, which happened in 1988.”

As more and more women started Kiwanis clubs, they established a reputation for leadership among Kiwanis’ European clubs, prompting a past district governor’s slogan: “Women in Norden lead the way.”

And lead the way, Norway’s Grete did. She served as her club’s president and later, as lieutenant governor and governor of the Norden District.

“When you first ‘raise your head out’ and get involved, you learn more—and it all becomes more interesting,” she says.

As district governor, she says she was met with some curiosity; but also, “I set an example for what was to come: that women could serve in (these offices) together with men.”

Grete continued paving the way for female leaders when she became the first—and so far, only—female Kiwanis International-European Federation President. And in 2004, she was elected to a three-year Trustee term on the Kiwanis International Board.

“Having been engaged for quite a long time, I felt that if Kiwanis was to succeed in the 21st Century, some changes were needed,” she says of her decision to seek International office. “If I could do my part to ‘modernize’ Kiwanis to attract younger people, the best possible way to do so was to try to be a member of the Kiwanis International Board.”

Grete says she has enjoyed the experience of being on the Board. Though the Board is mostly composed of men, she says, “I do not really feel we are two sexes represented—we are one unity.”

She’s especially excited about Kiwanis’ work toward “Kiwanis Next,” which shares her vision of a “new Kiwanis.”

Her advice for other women who want to take Kiwanis leadership roles: “Be yourself! Do not try to copy somebody else. Stick to what you stand for and believe in. You are as good as anybody else. Do not be afraid; be courageous.

“Women in Kiwanis today are a natural part of the organization. They are active in many ways and in various leadership positions. I am happy they are visible in more than one way. It is a big change (from when I was the only female governor). Today there are 12 female governors—but there should be many more! As women total about one half of the world’s population, women should be about one half of the members in Kiwanis.”

Corazon Verano, Kiwanian since 1989
From Circle K to circles of Kiwanis service

Her friends call her “Cocoy.” But her friends in Kiwanis call Corazon E. “Cocoy” Verano “determined,” “selfless,” “steadfast,” and “distinguished leader.”

Corazon E. “Cocoy” Verano says serving others through Kiwanis has helped her “value how precious life is.”

“She never ceases supporting and giving her best to serve Kiwanis—especially through Kiwanis’ work with youth, children, and the elderly,” says Martin M. Lopez Jr, of the Kiwanis Club of Bidlisiw Dabaw, the Philippines.

Cocoy joined the Kiwanis family as a member of Circle K—which began allowing female members in 1973. In 1989, she became a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Golden Tagum, in Tagum City, the Philippines.

“My experiences in Circle K were truly amazing. I learned so much from our Kiwanis mentors, and it changed my perspective. I learned to love and serve our people and community through the organization,” Cocoy says. “I (wanted to) join Kiwanis after college to be able to continue serving our community and people.”

Though she found it challenging to be among Kiwanis’ first female members, she says, “being a former Circle K’er, I had an advantage: I was not new to Kiwanis’ organizational scope, principles, and Objects. I found that two unique personalities—men and women—can closely work together with one goal and aim: service.”

During her 18 years of Kiwanis membership, Cocoy has found inspiration to serve as her club’s president (twice) and in other key club leadership roles, as well as a Philippine South District lieutenant governor. But her leadership transcends titles.

“One noted activity she did was when she initiated her affiliation with the Asia Foundation to acquire books to distribute to the far-flung areas of Davao del Norte’s public schools,” Martin says. “She’s also sat down with children’s organizations, such as UNICEF, representing Kiwanis and manifesting support for their programs.

“Her strong will of leadership and love of Kiwanis (enhances) her daily life, and she often has offered her home as a place for Kiwanis service—and shelter when necessary.”

Kiwanis’ third Object is Cocoy’s life mantra: “To promote the adoption and the application of higher social, business, and professional standards.” And she is particularly interested in educating and training other upcoming Kiwanis-family leaders to raise the bar on Kiwanis’ membership and service potential. Especially other women.

“I believe that through proper Kiwanis education, a leader is always effective, and there’s no reason to mislead members in Kiwanis’ proper direction,” she says. “With the recognition Kiwanis has given women, we should optimistically accept the challenge to (raise) the standards of this global organization.

“We are not mere creations. We can do many things with courage and boldness in manifesting our desires to serve humanity—and love doing it.”

Karin Day McKnight, Kiwanian since 1994
‘We were breaking ground, and we didn’t even know it’

She didn’t know what she was getting into.

Karin Day McKnight had seen a lot of evidence pointing to the Kiwanis Club of Lakeland, Florida’s good-deed doings: nameplates and plaques marking places the club had impacted. So, when her company asked her to include community involvement in her goals, she thought of the Kiwanians.

The Lakeland, Florida, club is now more diverse, and proving the point, Karin poses with a fellow club member—who is 102 years old.

Unknown to Karin: The 180-member club had only two female members, plus one paid female secretary.

“I had no idea my joining was at all controversial,” she says, “until the night the board was to vote on new members. The gentleman who sponsored me called me to gently tell me it was very possible I wouldn’t be voted in—as there already were two women in the club, and that certainly was enough.

“I’m now the incoming president, and my best friends are Kiwanians—friendships I’ve developed not because I’ve lived in this town my whole life, but through Kiwanis.”

During a recent laugh with fellow Kiwanians reminiscing about her “infiltration” into the club, she was surprised when a male member made a confession:

“This was an elderly gentleman who had hated seeing women coming into the club,” she explains. “But he said to me, ‘I’ve got to tell you for the record: I was wrong. Women are the best thing that ever happened to Kiwanis.’”

She is quick to say, though, that even from her first days, the men in the club immediately made her feel welcome. “They always invited me to sit at their tables. I never felt like they didn’t want me there.”

And once the men realized the female members were dedicated workers, “they opened their arms to us to take leadership roles.”

Karin says the club has changed a lot since she joined. There is a blend of personalities, careers, and interests that didn’t exist before, and gender ratio is a much better balanced 60 percent men to 40 percent women.

“As the first women joining this club, we were breaking ground and we didn’t even know it,” she says.

“I think women have enriched Kiwanis. They certainly provide diversity, and maybe have even given Kiwanis a bigger heart.”