Courtesy of  Ray Leisy, Club Historian
 
The History of Women in Rotary Part Three
 
July 31, 1986, The Seattle-International District Club votes to admit women to the Club.
 
September 4, 1986, The Seattle-International Club secretly admits 15 women so they won’t loose their charter.
 
September 15, 1986, the Seattle-International Club files an injunction against Rotary International and announces that they have admitted women.
 
February 1987, The Duarte Club elects Sylvia Whitlock as Club President. She promptly attends a District President Elect Training Seminar.
 
May 4, 1987, The United States Supreme Court, in an unanimous opinion, affirmed the Appellate Court of California in Board of Directors, Rotary International vs. Rotary Club of Duarte and permits the membership of women in Rotary.
 
February 15, 1988, Peggy Schmitz, an attorney with the Critchfield Law Firm, Roberta Ross, an Assistant Vice President with Bank One, Barbara Dua, Head Minister with Westminster Presbyterian Church, Sandra Hull, Project Manager for Main Street Wooster, and Leila Kennedy, Real Estate Agent for Real Estate Showcase, were welcomed into membership of Wooster Rotary.
 
January 1989, the Council on Legislation of Rotary International votes to change the Rotary International Bylaws to admit women.
 
July 1, 1995, Five women become District Governors.
 
July 1997, Peggy Schmitz becomes the first female President of Wooster Rotary.
 
2008, Catherine-Noyer Riveau, of the Rotary Club of Paris, becomes the first female Director of Rotary International.
 
Today women make up over 25% of the membership in Rotary International.