Discovered: First Kiwanis Club to Induct Female Member!

by Frank Pershing

In 1987 I was the Secretary of the former Clifton Forge Kiwanis Club. We had a lady who had played the piano for the club for many years. As the membership declined to a low of less than 25 members and we were trying to recruit new members to stay above the needed membership to remain a Chartered Club, Ms. Millie Hardy, the piano player, approached me and asked why she could not become a member. Now, this was a time when we were MALE-only club. Not wanting to loose a prospect, I signed her up regardless. So on 07/07/1987 Millie became a member.

Everything went well until she started getting mail from Kiwanis International. She came to me and asked me why her mail always came to her addressed to a Mr. M. Hardy (she not knowing I had entered her as "M. Hardy"). My answer to her was, "Well you know how it is with big corporations sometimes they make mistakes!"

Never did I have to tell her why her mail came as it did or did she ever ask again. She became a great member and moved out of the area. She was made Life Member before she moved to Roanoke to an assisted living facility. There she lived and passed away on 03/11/2009.

I claim her as the First.

Frank E. Persinger Sr. Secretary
Alleghany Highlands K 1092
1037 Cliftwood Cr.
Clifton Forge, Va. 24422