First All-Female Chapter of Optimist Club Evolves From Newhall’s Opti-Mrs.

Since Optimist International began in 1919 in Louisville, Ky., no women have been allowed to join the service organization.

But a Supreme Court decision May 4 changed that, and it is now illegal to prohibit admitting members into clubs and organizations on the basis of sex.

The organization’s board of directors voted June 12 to admit women, and at the recent International Convention in Montreal, the delegates voted to revise the club’s constitution to make membership available for all adults.

Now, a group of Newhall women has chartered the first all-female chapter of the more than 4,000 Optimist International Clubs, said Lester R. Craft, Optimist International president.

Dolores Gadbury, president of the new Santa Clarita Valley Optimist Club of Newhall, said that she and other women had formed their own organization five years ago called Opti-Mrs.

Therapeutic Service

The club sponsored the Blind Olympics and Heads Up, a therapeutic service for disabled children. The group’s largest annual fund-raiser, “The Festival of Trees,” made about $18,000 one year to support two boys and girls homes.

“Being able to help these wonderful kids made our efforts in Opti-Mrs. worthwhile,” said Joann Knifton, charter member of Opti-Mrs. and vice president of the new Optimist chapter in Newhall.

The women had been participating in the same activities as their male counterparts, but they did not receive the same benefits, said Marilyn Frank, former member of Opti-Mrs. and new member of the Optimist Club.

“Before we became actual members, we got nothing,” she said. “Now we will not only receive recognition, but we will also get a $5-million insurance policy to cover us on things like fund-raisers.”

Gadbury said the Optimist chapter in Newhall, one of five chapters in the area, will accept male members because to not do so would be “hypocritical.” However, she said the 36-member chapter has received no applications from men.

“I used to say ‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ but now I’ll have to get used to saying ‘Good evening, Optimists,” said Ken Grant, an Optimist International representative who was master of ceremonies at an induction held recently.

Having women in the organization will call for more changes than just altering greeting policies, said Joe Knifton, lieutenant governor of the 5th Zone Pacific Southwest District in the Santa Clarita Valley area. He said it will be necessary to change application forms and revise convention schedules.

“In the past, we’ve arranged outings for the women at the conventions while we held our business meetings,” Knifton said. “But now that many of the women are members, I guess that some of them will want to be involved in the business functions.”

Gadbury, 46, a league coordinator for Newhall Bowl, said she feels “slightly apprehensive” about her role as the first female president of an Optimist chapter, but hopes that this will be a positive step for women.