Rotary Club celebrates its historic line of women leaders

Aug. 4—CHEYENNE — The Rotary Club of Cheyenne recognized a unique situation and celebrated its women in leadership during its meeting Wednesday.

For the first time in its 104-year history, the Rotary Club of Cheyenne will have three women presidents in a row. Additionally, every leadership position, from the club president up to the Rotary Club International president, is currently held by a woman. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle spoke with the current club president and a former president on Wednesday.

"My parents always taught me that as long as you worked hard, all opportunities were available to you, but that hasn't always been the sentiment for women," said Traci Lacock, the current club president. "I'm really just proud to be part of the club of women who fought hard to be in leadership and be leaders when it wasn't common for women to be leaders."

Rotary Club International restricted women from official club membership until a 1987 Supreme Court ruling in Rotary International v. Rotary Club of Duarte. Since then, Cheyenne's club has had eight women presidents.

Lacock is the 2022-23 president; she was preceded by Anja Bendel in 2021-22. President-elect Lori Garrison will follow Lacock.

The Cheyenne Rotary Club is a member of District 5440, which encompasses clubs in Wyoming, Northern Colorado, Nebraska and Idaho. The district belongs to Rotary zones 26 and 27, known as the "Big West" zone.

The leadership structure for Rotary includes the positions of club president, held by Lacock; an assistant district governor, held by Rotary Club of Cheyenne member Robin Sims; a district governor, held by Lee Vara-Nelson; a zone director, held by Vicki Puliz; and the Rotary Club International president, held by Jennifer Jones.

"Today, we're celebrating women in Rotary, because, as it was brought to our attention, all the way from the international president to our club president this year, we have women in roles of leadership, which is exciting," Lacock said.

Lucie Osborn, the Rotary Club president from 2013-14, said it's important for women to be in positions of leadership. "There have been so many years throughout history," she said, "where the skills and abilities of women have not been fully utilized in a manner to advance our civilization, our communities, our society."

Osborn said that when she was first approached to be club president, she was hesitant because she knew that as a female president early on — she was the third woman to serve in the position — she would have to "bring 110% all the time."

"I was very honored to be asked and honored to serve," Osborn said. "I had tremendous support from all members, both women and men. I believe that is one of the things that Rotarians are. They are supportive of each other, as well as supportive for their community and for the world as a whole."

Lacock said that it feels very humbling for her to be president because of all the great people who have come before her.

At the meeting, the club recognized all past and future women presidents. They are Cynthia Pomeroy (2001-02); Roberta Coates (2005-06); Carol Rookstool (2008-09), who died in 2016; Osborn (2013-14); Lori Schoene (2016-17); Sims (2019-20); Bendel (2021-22); Lacock (2022-23); and Garrison (2023-24).

Lacock also thanked the women in the club who have not been president, but serve on the board of directors or as project leaders.

"We have a lot of great women leaders who are in our club who are not club presidents," Lacock said. "We're very fortunate to have a great female presence, and I'm just humbled to be able to come after them and learn from them."

Serena Bettis is a senior journalism major at Colorado State University who is interning this summer at the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. She can be reached by email at sbettis@wyomingnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @serenaroseb.