Twenty years after the San Pedro Elks Lodge began to take in female members, a San Pedro triathlete with a doctorate has become the first woman elected to the lodge’s highest position.
Kim White — perhaps best known in the port community for the Polar Bear Cabrillo Beach ocean swims and taking the lead in organizing the group’s annual New Year’s Day plunge — was recently elected as exalted ruler, making lodge history.
“There have been a few women who have tried before,” she said in a written comment.
But they didn’t succeed. White, however, ran unopposed.
Past Exalted Ruler Jose Chavez, whose reign included the lodge dealing with an arson fire that destroyed most of the building, the subsequent lengthy rebuilding process and then the COVID-19 years, said members are excited to have White lead the lodge, which now numbers about 2,400 members.
“We’re really proud of her, she’s going to be the first (female exalted ruler) in our 115-year history,” Chavez said. “We’ve had other women who were in line but for some reason, they dropped out or didn’t get voted on.”
While some of those women felt they were being “blocked,” White said, her own more recent path included going through the various offices, showing “that I understood and honored the traditions.”
But as a woman, White said, she will bring a different perspective to running the lodge.
“Women have a different perspective on things and different strengths,” she said. “The phrase, ‘That’s the way we have always done it,’ doesn’t fly with me.
“Traditions are great,” White added, “but when it comes to business, even the business of our charities, sometimes you need to look outside the box.”
Among the areas White said she’ll focus on are her favorite charities the lodge sponsors. Those organizations benefit veterans, children, Scouting and school programs.
Her favorite charity, known as Major Projects or the Purple Pig, asks members to donate a coin…
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