Celebrating women in Rotary clubs The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch in Texas, US, joined hands with 60 other local clubs to celebrate the achievements of women Rotarians in serving the community.

Women are serving in Rotary clubs all across America including those like the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club (Texas, US – D 5810).

For women, the right to serve on the Rotary was not always granted to them.

The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary and 60 other local clubs recently celebrated the accomplishments of women Rotarians.

Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club has been serving the community for over 50 years.

The members are working on building a playground at Rosemeade Recreation Center in partnership with the city of Carrollton.

The club will also be celebrating 20 years of mentoring elementary and middle school students in the C-FB ISD (Independent School District) in 2019.

Carol Dingman is one of the oldest serving members on the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary.

She has served the community as a Rotarian since 1988 and was one of the founding members of Metrocrest services.

Dingman said she remembers the time when women were not welcome to serve on the rotary.

“Our club is over 50 years old, and women weren’t allowed in Rotaries until 1987. It took a Supreme Court decision for that to happen,” she said.

“Apparently in our club, it was quite a contentious decision from what I’ve heard. Some people quit over the fact there were women in the Rotary.”

Dingman said she wanted to join the Rotary because of the work they did in raising money and serving the community, and it was “the place to be” at the time.

“Women in our club were a real rarity. There were just a handful of them until about the mid-‘90s. It became very clear to me that women do the work,” she said.

Other women from neighboring clubs like the Rotary Club of Dallas and the Rotary Club of Park Cities shared their stories of service.

The event ended with recognition of the longest serving members of the Rotary.

“Each woman … is passionate about the Rotary in different ways,” said Lisa Herring, keynote speaker for the event.

“We think different, we see different, we act different and that’s the beauty of the Rotary.”

Source: Carrollton Leader