Women in Kiwanis, 1997-2007

By Kasey Jackson

By the year 1997, a decade had passed since women first were allowed to join Kiwanis, and a lot had changed.

But more change was still to come.

In 2001, Lisa McCoy of the Kiwanis Club of Tyler, Texas, became the first woman elected as a Trustee to the Kiwanis International Board, and others have made the leap to the International leadership level. Grete Hvardal of the Kiwanis Club of Byrgin, Norway, and Hui Wan “Michelle” Wu of the Kiwanis Club of Mu Lan, Chi I City, Taiwan, both currently serve as Trustees to the International Board.

And still more change is on the horizon.

In October 2007, Jane Erickson, of the Kiwanis Club of Bellevue-Offutt, Nebraska, will become the first female President of the Kiwanis International Foundation.

But there are countless female Kiwanians making a difference every single day at the club level. These women are leading the way for positive change in the people they touch and the communities they serve.

And who knows, among these, the newest generation of female Kiwanians, there might just be a whole new batch of firsts.

Kim Scharoff | Debra Shelton | Cat Zohar

Kim Scharoff, Kiwanian since 1999
Born into the Kiwanis family

Before officially joining Kiwanis, Kim Scharoff was an “honorary” member since, well, about the time she was born.

Kim Scharoff has been active in every level of the Kiwanis--even Key Leader.

“Kiwanis has always been a part of my family,” says Kim, member of the Kiwanis Club of Merrick, New York. “My father was a past governor of the New York District. The story goes that I was born on the day of his meeting, and he wanted to give happy dollars, but he was told to get to the hospital. In New York, they would refer to me as a Kiwanis “brat” because I grew up with it and attended all the state conferences and conventions.

“As soon as I could get involved, I did—starting with Builders Club. So technically, I have been a member of the Kiwanis family since September of 1987 and have never lapsed a year.”

From Builders Club to Key Club to Circle K to Kiwanis, Kim, a speech-language pathologist, has been active, holding countless leadership positions, including CKI International Trustee and International Secretary. She also volunteers her time to the Kiwanis Key Leader program, and stays active with as many club projects as possible.

“One of my favorite projects is a school supply drive,” she says. “We get lists from the schools of children in need and the supplies that are required for the first day of school. We collect all the supplies, and we stage a big sorting and packing event, where we fill backpacks with all the supplies. We deliver them before the first day of school. The smiles on the faces of the children and the thanks we get are amazing.”

She is ‘amazed’ at how far Kiwanis has come since women were first allowed membership. “Our service has grown exponentially,” she says.

She’s also especially proud of one other “first.”

“I am always proud, because my father was governor when the first female club was chartered in New York,” she says. “I think women help us to realize that Kiwanis is truly a global organization open to all individuals. I think women will continue to go through the leadership ranks, and we will see a greater number of females taking on higher leadership positions—and eventually one will become International President.”

Dedra Shelton, Kiwanian since 2003
Grateful’ to those women before her

Dedra Shelton can’t remember a time when Kiwanis clubs were made up of all men. To her, Kiwanis looks like what her Kiwanis Club of North Little Rock, Arkansas, looks like: a group of men and women of all ages serving the children and communities of the world.

Dedra Shelton works full time, is a mom to a young daughter, and has several hobbies. But she still finds time for Kiwanis service projects she loves most.

“I am only 25 years old, so it’s hard for me to imagine what it was like 20 years ago when women weren’t in Kiwanis,” Dedra says. “I am so grateful to those women who fought for us to be allowed membership.”

But Dedra has experienced firsthand the stereotypes some people hold of Kiwanians.

“There have been several times when I would go to an elementary school to hand out books and the kids would ask if I was the daughter of an older member who was with me,” she says. “That always gets a laugh, of course.

“There also have been a couple times that a few females would be volunteering at a concession stand, and people would be surprised that we were members of Kiwanis, strictly because we were young females. We always explain that Kiwanis is open to men and women of all ages.”

Dedra doesn’t mind teaching others about Kiwanis. In fact, this busy mom of a 2-year-old daughter loves to spread the word about Kiwanis. And when she’s not helping out during her favorite service projects—such as Read Around the World or handing out Thanksgiving food baskets—she’s probably found working fulltime as office manager for a chiropractor, playing with her daughter, taking photographs, hunting (“deer, but I want to start hunting ducks next season”), or going to church. Busy or not, she never overlooks her Kiwanis duties as club secretary. In fact, Dedra, who was asked to join Kiwanis in 2003 by her boss, chiropractor and Kiwanian Sherrie Rine, always finds time for Kiwanis—a perfect example as to why she was voted her club’s Kiwanian of the Year a few years ago.

“Kiwanis has taught me several lessons,” she says. “I have learned to be very thankful for what I have and give whatever I can to those who are less fortunate. I also have learned that we need to teach young people about volunteering and doing what they can to help people.”

And as for marking 20 years of women in Kiwanis? Dedra knows exactly what impact that has had on the organization. But she’s quick to point out that it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman—it matters that you are a Kiwanian.

“Women always bring a different aspect to everything,” she says. “There is a different level of caring, compassion, empathy, and yearning that women bring to a club and its service projects.

“I’m sure I will see the day when there are more women than men in our club. I wouldn’t say that I am looking forward to that day. I don’t see any major differences between a male-dominant and a female-dominant club. We are all there to accomplish the same goals: to change the world one child and one community at a time.”

Cat Zohar, Kiwanian since 2004
Driven by enthusiasm

Need a word to describe Catherine “Cat” Zohar? Enthusiastic.

“Cat has put new life into our club,” says George Saurman, Cat’s friend and fellow Ambler, Pennsylvania, Kiwanian. “She was recruited at a community block party. Her enthusiasm made her a standout person. When she joined the club, she immediately radiated her enthusiasm.”

Catherine “Cat” Zohar has been studying martial arts since she was 6 years old. She and her husband work side-by-side at their martial arts leadership academy.

Cat, a former Key Clubber, joined Kiwanis in 2004 and immediately was recruited to head the youth committee. And she jumped right in on several of the club’s other projects: a Christmas shopping spree, the annual Easter Egg hunt, and a community fireworks display and carnival, to name a few. She also has recruited several new members to her club.

She has served as president of her club—twice.

Oh, and she’s also a business owner.

Not a bad résumé for a woman not yet 30.

“I have always felt a spiritual connection to service,” Cat says. “The leadership and honor involved with serving my Kiwanis club and our community is something I take very seriously. It excites me to see that our club can really change the dynamics of our community. It also is very inspiring to see that one truly can make a huge difference.”

Cat should know about having a huge impact on a community. She and her husband own and operate a martial arts leadership academy that teaches life skills and safety skills to children and families. She uses that expertise of working with families every time she tackles a Kiwanis project.

 “One of my favorite projects each year is a Christmas shopping spree for about 10 underprivileged children living with their mothers in a shelter,” Cat says. “I make arrangements for a limousine to pick the children up. Then they travel to a mall and meet with their Kiwanis chaperone. They receive between $100-150 to shop for their mom, grandparents, brothers and sisters, and then they shop for themselves. We get pizza for dinner and ice cream for dessert. As we make our way out to the limousine to end the evening, there is one more surprise: a complimentary carousel ride donated by the mall. It’s a great way for the kids to get into the giving spirit of the holiday, and a great way for us as Kiwanians to make an everlasting impression in these children’s lives. It’s truly the best Christmas gift I receive each year.”

Some might do a double take when they see “Kiwanis club president” attached to Cat’s name, but she’s fine with that. She’s part of the new face of Kiwanis: Women and young people who have stepped up to make a difference.

“It’s being a little part of a much bigger picture,” she says. “I really don’t see myself as a ‘young female’ who happens to be a Kiwanian; but instead as a Kiwanian working toward the same goal as the other members of my club: providing all we can for the youth and citizens of our community.

“The future of Kiwanis surely holds a special place for women. I can only imagine where we will be in another 20 years. But I can probably assume we will have more members, more sponsored youth programs, more clubs around the world, and, of course, more female Kiwanians making that all possible.”