by Anthony Rifilato
While she has always been involved in activities around town, ranging from being a Girl Scout leader to helping run the St. Christopher's Feast, Giretti was in for the shock of her life three years ago when she was asked to become a member of the Baldwin Kiwanis Club. "You have to be asked to join," Giretti said. "Unbeknownst to me, it was all men."
Giretti soon was "one of the guys," and eventually became vice president of the club. The girl in the boy's clubhouse took it a step further last week, when she was named president of Baldwin Kiwanis Club at its annual Installation Dinner at the Coral House on Oct. 14. Giretti is the first woman to hold that position in the Baldwin chapter's history.
"Now they'll be hit with the gavel instead of the bell," joked Giretti, who replaced outgoing president Tony Tarantino.
Though jocular and hilariously sarcastic (after all, she works alongside men), Giretti has a soft and serious side, and she is known for her ability to organize fundraisers and other events.
"She revolutionized the club," said past president Joe Alberti. "She'll do a fantastic job."
With nearly 80 people in attendance, including town and county officials, Giretti, a 30-year Baldwin resident, was not only given a new position last week but was named Kiwanian of the Year as well.
"I realize everybody deserves this," Giretti said. "I'm very grateful. Everyone is always behind me 100 percent."
Giretti and others said that the organization has done a lot of work this year, ranging from fundraisers to pancake breakfasts for seniors. Some of their donations include two pediatric trauma kits to the Baldwin Fire Department, as well as yellow ribbons that were placed throughout Baldwin to honor the soldiers in the war in Iraq.
Giretti said that she looking forward to her new responsibility, and said that Kiwanis is already planning upcoming fundraisers and events, such as helping the Good Neighbor Network's Fall cleanup in November and raising money to purchase defibrillators for St. Christopher's School.
Others noted that JoAnn's presence will benefit the community.
"It'll be good," said Ray Raia, owner of Terranova Grand Florist in Baldwin, where Giretti has worked for 20 years. "JoAnn is a hard worker."
Although it's possible that more women maybe asked to join in the future, Giretti said for now, she and the boys get along well during meetings. "We're all friendly," she said. "Sometimes we'll yell, but then we move on to what's important."
