KIWI HISTORY
Welcome to our new Historian, Mary Thrasher Richter
We welcome Mary Richter Thrasher as our new historian. She will be be responsible for keeping our history updated, as well as maintaining and collecting items for the club archives. If you have any items to donate, please contact Mary and let her know what treasures you have. She can be reached at: thekiwiclub@comcast.net
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We thank Gerry Skaggs McAlhany for her years of dedicated work as Historian.
Many thanks to Gerrie Skaggs McAlhany for her dedicated work keeping our History updated and maintaining our archives. Keeping an account of all of the items and storing them has been an ongoing, time-consuming labor of love that Gerrie has graciously done for over 32 years. Her work provides the framework for our ongoing history.
The History of The Kiwi Club
In the 1930s, former American Airlines stewardesses were meeting in California and New York for social afternoons of reminiscing about their flying days and to continue their friendships and contacts with American Airlines. During the second meeting in New York, Jean McKiel Wells suggested the group call themselves “Kiwis” after the flightless bird from New Zealand.
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In 1946, in the New York area, when eight former stewardesses met, they recognized the potential for establishing an official organization.
By the end of 1948, fifteen local groups existed across the country. It was clear that the chapters wanted a national organization that would unite them.
History of Past Awards
A special thanks to all who have given so much to make our club what it is today.
Past Presidents of The Kiwi Club
See the list of all past past Presidents starting with Virginia Woodby Conrad in 1952 and continuing to our current President, Stephanie McCauley Butler.
Past Presidents at the 2024 Convention
Front Row l-r Kathy Joy Minner, Jo Sharp McFadden, Polly Toll Goodman
Standing - l-r Jane Fullen Haag, Mary Lu Schmidt Keyser, Sherry Engle Lowe, Connie Leighliter Budge, Cindi Youts Sanders, Kathy Poppenberg Kridel, Sam Gooch
