legacy spotlight: District 5890 women in rotary
Today, women are active participants in Rotary, serving their communities in increasing numbers and serving in leadership positions in all ranks of Rotary. The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary.
Today, roughly 30% of club membership is made up of women. In 2022, Jennifer Jones became the first female president of Rotary International.
First Woman Admitted to District 5890
On May 1, 1988, with backing from members of The Rotary Club of the Galleria, including Diane Jolley, Sally Andrews removed her membership “hold” and so became the first woman “legally” admitted to District 5890.
As an early peace corps volunteer in Ethiopia, Sally's love for Rotary was immediate, with its fight against polio, and then, famine. Later, Rotary added malaria and clean water to its focus.
According to Sally, "Rotary built my confidence as a litigator in a male-predominate legal field." She was the assistant on the First Foreign Corruption federal case in the world, winning against three U.S. federal attorneys brought from Washington, D.C.
Rotary gives incredible opportunities for service. According to Sally, her favorite was assisting four different governors and working with their 23 area clubs during those years.
Because of scheduling conflict, she changed to the Rotary Club of Houston, sponsored by Presidents John and Vicki Brenton. There I served on the Houston Club’s Foundation.
First Female Governor of District 5890
D’Lisa Simmons began her Rotary adventure as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar at the National University of Singapore. Shortly after beginning her law career, D’Lisa joined Rotary, serving in a number of leadership positions before being nominated as the first female Governor of District 5890 in 2004 - 2005, Rotary’s Centennial year.
During her year as District Governor, there were a number of “firsts”: the district exceeded $100 pp in giving to TRF; 100% club participation in TRF giving; at least five 100% PHF clubs; at least five 100% EREY clubs; chartered two new clubs; largest fundraising to that date for TRF; and a significant Community Service Grant with partnership matching with TRF, clubs, outside foundation, and non-Rotary business [value exceeding $200K] for a mobile medical van servicing the greater Houston area.
D’Lisa was featured in the Rotary Magazine in 2003 and in a follow up video in 2005 highlighting work with Eveling Urbina Zapata, a blind student from Nicaragua, who later
lived with D’Lisa when she was also awarded a Rotary Ambassadorial scholarship.
D'Lisa says, "...for me, what's meaningful is what we DO as Rotarians, not a resume on a page. There are many, many more images which I believe truly tell the story of what Rotary does and who we are; I am merely a vessel for sharing these opportunities."
