Adair Howell was one of the first women to be voted into the Conway Noon Rotary Club in 1989. At the time, allowing women into the club was controversial, with the vote heavily split.
“There were multiple conversations to continue as a men-only group,” Howell said. “And they were split and divided, and it took the club awhile to make a decision.
“When we started, we were greeted with kindness, respect and acceptance. I had no idea there were some folks — a lot of these same men — who wanted it to continue as a men-only club. They did not make us feel uncomfortable.”
Now, as the Conway Noon Rotary Club celebrates its 100th anniversary next year, a woman will lead the group: Cortney Kennedy was elected club president on June 15.
“I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and I don’t think there are any mistakes, but I think it is very appropriate that a young woman is leading us in the 100th year,” Howell said. “I don’t think it is unusual at all — that would be very special for us.”
While Kennedy is certainly not the first woman to serve as president for the group, as there have been many before her, having a woman serve as president during the club’s centennial celebration is momentous, said Roger Lewis of the Rotary club.
“It is a huge honor,” Kennedy said. “Tradition and heritage are so important in our club. We have members who were there when women were voted into our Rotary. It is amazing that a woman will be president during the 100th-year celebration.
“I feel like I am living history.”
Kennedy has been a member of the Conway Noon
Rotary Club for five years, after moving to Conway for her job as a deputy prosecuting attorney with the Faulkner County Prosecutor’s Office. She said she wanted to join the club to meet other people in the community who had the same mindset as she did.
About three years ago, Kennedy went through the Jeff Farris Leadership Academy, which teaches leadership techniques specifically related to Rotary. After attending, she was put in line for president and to be a part of leading the club.
She has served as vice president this past term under Aimee Prince.
“She was an exceptional vice president,” Prince said of Kennedy. “She was always there and always ready with creative new ideas on how to improve what we do, while keeping the core values of Rotary. … Cortney has a very positive personality and is very community minded and is always willing to volunteer her time.”
“Aimee is very community focused and has worked in the nonprofit field,” Kennedy said. “She has a great force of knowledge on how to come up with funding and organize the volunteer effort.
“She will stick around and serve as immediate past president. I am lucky to have her knowledge to draw from during my presidential year.”
“Aimee Prince did a wonderful job,” Howell said. “I am glad that the young women are helping with the leadership of the club.”
Kennedy is originally from Little Rock, earning a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2004. She earned a master’s degree in secondary education from UALR in 2010 and a law degree from the UALR Bowen School of Law in 2014. For two years, she taught English at Jacksonville High School.
“This is a big year for our Rotary Club,” Kennedy said. “We are taking over the Conway Youth Football Program because we want to be highly focused on the youth in our community.
“We are wanting to get a lot of kids involved and build skills such as determination and perseverance. We have community-oriented outreach plans to revolve around our centennial celebration.
“Our goal is to host a community-service project each month or as we can, because of COVID-19 restrictions.”
She said the Rotary Club has been meeting with the Optimist Club for several months to make sure the takeover and transition of the Conway Youth Football Program run smoothly. She said that right now, the clubs are in the preplanning stage, such as supplying equipment and insurance coverage.
“We are waiting to get close to the fall and make sure we can have a season, in light of all the sports restrictions that are coming out because of COVID-19,” Kennedy said.
“The organization is a club meeting, a social gathering, with emphasis on service and helping others,” Howell said. “We have projects to benefit others in the community and abroad.”
Kennedy said the Rotary meetings have been very odd since the pandemic started. She said that for the past eight weeks, the club’s speakers have done their presentations on Zoom, and the meetings have had an attendance of about
30 to 40 members.
“I enjoy meeting all the different people who come through Rotary, and I have the opportunity to meet people from different aspects of the community,” Kennedy said. “Plus, we meet at Hole in the Wall Cafe, and it’s the best food in Conway.”
Kennedy said she wasn’t sure what the club has planned for the outreach programs, but in the past, the group has fed the homeless, planted trees and raised money for scholarships. The club has also reached out to area schools to find out what services they need.
“So many of our outreach programs are joining hand in hand with the community, so until it is safe to do so, everything is on hold,” she said.
Staff writer Sam Pierce can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or spierce@arkansasonline.com.