The Rotary Club of Anguilla held a special dinner and dance at Aleta Restaurant, Four Seasons Resort, on Friday 31st March, to recognize the invaluable contribution women within its organization have made to the growth of its success over the years.
Mrs Cora Richardson-Hodge, Minister of Home Affairs with responsibility for Gender, who was the guest speaker at the ceremony provided a historical background of Rotary International and its reluctance, from 1905 to 1980s, to including women in the organization.
She recognized that the first female club President to be elected was Silvia Whitlock of the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, USA, in 1987 – and in 1989 the Council on Legislation voted to admit women in Rotary Clubs worldwide.
The Minister further pointed that by June 1990, the number of female Rotarians had skyrocketed to over 20,000 – and by 2010 it was nearing 200,000.
As regards the Caribbean region, the minister observed that upon emancipation, Caribbean men attained freedom and all it entailed while, for the most part, Caribbean women remained second class citizens. She went on: “In Anguilla, however, women have always been the cornerstone of our society. It is the mother or grandmother who takes responsibility for making the family decisions. It is the women who have been the nurturers, the caretakers, the breadwinners in their own right and yes, our women have been our revolutionaries. “We only need to look at our Anguilla history, and in particular our 1967 Revolution, to see the undisputable fact that the success of the Revolution was due in significant measure to the part Anguillian women played.”
The Minister further stated: “Women, with their tenacity, fortitude and strength of character, have been able to overcome each and every obstacle that was placed in their way over the years. From pushing down the barriers in education – voting, owning property, participation in certain types of sports, to joining the military and fighting on the front lines with men, becoming leaders in the workplace, in the judiciary and in politics – women have indeed fought to be able to stand where they, where we, stand today.”
She continued: “There is doubt that the Rotary Club was a victim of the times when it started in 1905, but the ideals, what Rotary stood for and continues to stand for, are commendable. The motto – “Service above self says it all.” And so I would like to applaud the Rotary Club for the selfless work that it does, for the worthwhile and tangible contributions that it has made to society as a whole, and to Anguilla in particular and for the never ending effort to seek to make the world a better place.”
During the ceremony three new members were inducted: Mr Annill Daniel, Mr Joseph Baptists and Ms Mavis John.
