KIWANIS CLUB OF ALLEN, TEXAS

SUSIE BARTLEMAY

Club President 1988-1989

I remember two gentlemen walking into my pharmacy one day to discuss a new service club beginning in Allen- Kiwanis. Kiwanis had just voted to allow women to become members so our club would be the first formed with female members. I had grown up in a family very active in Optimist so I was well acquainted with service organizations. My father had been an Optimist President, Lieutenant Governor, and Baseball Commissioner. In the beginning of the Optimist baseball program, our family did everything from lining the fields to running the concession stands. This prepared me very well for the beginnings of Kiwanis.

I became the Vice President of the club and President shortly after we chartered. Jerry Burleson, Charter President, accepted a job in Dallas and was unable to finish his term. I may have been the very first female Kiwanis president.

Back to the beginnings. . . Our first meetings were held in restaurants no longer in Allen and at the First Christian Church where we "brown bagged" it. Soon, we moved to El Rio's (later to be named TaMolli's) where we met in the bar. A part of the Kiwanis meeting at that time was to sing and we actually had a Kiwanis song book from which we would pick the songs. Singing was the first Kiwanis tradition dropped by our club!!

Attendance was a problem- we were lucky to get 10 people at a meeting which made it very hard to invite speakers. Projects included selling peanuts at intersections in Allen (somehow we all managed to stay alive and unhurt) and the pancake breakfast. Our few members had to recruit friends and family to help for this and most other projects and activities.

Since serving as Kiwanis president, I have stayed active in the Club in various capacities. Unfortunately, I can not attend meetings any more. My full time job as a pharmacist is in Dallas and my 30 minute lunch period does not afford me the time. But, I try to participate in projects when I am not working. I keep my membership because I have made many friends and I think the projects are very important for the community. I have had the opportunity to serve 9 years on the Allen City Council and to be involved in other organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce and Foundation for Allen Schools.