The Pilot Club of Andalusia this week chartered the first Compass Club since the club for younger women was reestablished.

Pilot International Secretary Collett Cross said that the moment marked a historical event.

“This is a historic event for Pilot International,” Cross said. “I hope this group leads the charge for leadership and growth.”

Cross said that there was a time when Compass was established and had members.

“In the 1990s, Compass started to phase out,” Cross said. “With the establishment of Anchor Club, financial problems and lack of growth, it completely phased out.”

Lisa Patterson , director of the executive committee of Pilot International, said that each chartering member will occupy a place in history.

“No other member will ever be known as the ‘chartering members’ of the first Compass Club chartered following the re-establishment of Compass,” Patterson said. “And we will be here to help and guide the new members.”

The Compass Club is only for ages 18 to 26.

For the club to be chartered there needed to be five members. They include Katrine Christensen, Elisabeth Christensen, Kami Price, Heidi Cross and Taylor Smith.

The Compass Club of Covington County is required to have six meetings per year and meetings may be held electronically, giving young adults from Covington County attending college in other locations or states the opportunity to be a member.

“It is really interesting how they are doing the meetings,” Patterson said. “Especially with the way that college kids are using technology these days, they can use it to hold their meetings.”

Katrine Christensen will serve as president; Elisabeth Christensen is president-elect; and Cross is secretary.

Patterson said that Katrine was a huge helping hand in making the Compass Club possible.

“I was in Anchor Club in high school,” Katrine said. “And I was on the executive council in Alabama for Anchor Club. It was such a big part of my high school career, so I wanted to make sure that it was continued through my college career.”

Elisabeth Christensen said that she joined because she was also active in high school Anchor Club.

“My sister and I were very active in a lot of the same things like band, anchor club and choir,” Christensen said. “So I wanted to support her in this as well. The Compass Club also is known to help build relationships so I am excited to be in it with my sister.”

Cross was not a part of Anchor Club in high school, but heard how great it was through Katrine.

“Katrine and I were close friends in high school and she would always talk about how fun Anchor Club was,” Cross said. “So I joined because I didn’t want to miss out on anything.”

Price was also a member of Anchor Club in high school that wanted it to keep on going through college.

“I had an amazing time in Anchor Club,” Price said. “But I kept asking if there was anything after high school, so I am very excited to be a part of the Compass Club.”

Smith gives credit to her mother for the inspiration for joining Compass Club.

“My mother has always been in Pilot of Andalusia so I would always join her to meetings,” Smith said. “So now that I am older I asked myself, ‘Why not join?’”

The Pilot Club of Andalusia will sponsor the Compass Club. The Pilot Club of Andalusia is a community-based volunteer service organization based on the principals of friendship and service.

Pilots can be found across the U.S., the Bahamas, Japan and South Africa.

For more information or to get involved with the Compass Club, Pilot International or the Pilot Club of Andalusia, contact Patterson at 334-804-7201 or lbpatterson72@gmail.com.