The Kiwanis Club of West St Andrew celebrated its 45th anniversary with a special meeting on May 29th, where they paid tribute to Lois Grant, the first female member who was inducted into membership to break the gender barrier. Grant became the first woman to be inducted into the previously all-male club in Jamaica in 1990, despite initial resistance.
The Kiwanis Club of West St Andrew was a trailblazer in Jamaica, becoming the first club to admit a woman in 1990 following the approval of the Kiwanis International at their 1987 Convention.
In his address, Distinguished President Don Foster highlighted the significant impact of this decision. "One of the best decisions the club ever made was to open its membership to women. Since then, it's the women who have carried their fair share of the work of the club to its present level," he stated. "Lois Grant, who rose to the level of Distinguished Secretary, paved the way for many other women to join and excel in the club. Our current President is Jacqueline Bennett, among several other women who have held this position”, he said.
As the 1980s drew to a close, so did the notion that women could not be part of the all-male Kiwanis movement. The club had the vision to initiate this change. In the 1989/90 administrative year under President Maurice Henry. Recognising Lois Grant’s invaluable contributions as a pro bono public relations officer, Henry proposed her membership. Her efforts had brought significant national attention and a positive image to the club, attracting new members eager to join a movement dedicated to serving the children and the less fortunate.
Henry recalled the resistance the club faced: "Some members opposed the move so strongly that they threatened to leave the club. And indeed, some did. But the liberal and progressive members of the board were determined to make the change, and with this determination, the majority of the club’s membership approved the proposal," Henry recounted.
At the 45th anniversary meeting held at the Medallion Hall Hotel on May 29,, members and visiting Kiwanis delegates joyfully raised a toast to Lois Grant with her induction breaking the gender ceiling has been instrumental in keeping the club vibrant and active for 45 years, with hopes for many more successful years to come, noted visiting Governor Designate, Pam Rodney-White.
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| Distinguished President of the Kiwanis Club of West St Andrew and former head of HEART TRUST NTA, Don Foster |
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| Lois Grant, the first female member of the Kiwanis Club of West St Andrew with Dwight Moore, executive |
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| Distinguished President, Maurice Henry. |
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| Cutting of the 45th-anniversary cake by Distinguished Presidents and first female member Lois Grant |
Event schedule for the 2024 Racers Grand Prix - World Athletics Continental Tour Silver:
Date: Saturday, June 1
Location: Kingston, Jamaica
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Congratulations are in orderf for Lois Grant. I can just imagine the struggle and fight she must have gone through with those men. Believe it or not, its still a man's world and women are seen just as servers and helpers. We are called in to do the work, while they take the bow . Good going Lois Grant but see she had to prove herself by doing all that free work that help to position the club and to draw in new members.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the lone female member of the Kiwanis Club of West St Andrew back in those days. Jamaica being such a homophobic society, how come they had all these male clubs and no women? Well Lois Grant was determined to put an end to it. How did he manage with all those men? I bet they all wanted to jump her..lol I am not joking because we women are still seen as commodities. Nothing has changed. But we women must continue the struggle.
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