History
of
The Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, U.S.A.
Club 2010  District 589
for
Rotary Year 1968-1969

President
Jerome "Jerry" B. Hammack

Chartered August 6, 1964

Five years of serving the local and world communities with a passion for
“Service Above Self”

Note: Information obtained in July 2013
July 2013, Bill Geissler came can across a scrapbook on Jerry put together by his daughter-in-law, Swanglit Hammack.  The book contained many photos, however only those directly involving Jerry were presented here.  The cover, the introduction (bio), and selected photos are presented.  The seventh photo concerns the Space Center Rotary Club.


History
The history for the Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, and U.S.A. has been compiled from previously written histories and chronologies which can be found in the Welcome section of the Home Page.   For the most part, the wording of these previously written histories have been used verbatim except for the insertion of additional information found elsewhere, obvious errors, and annotations by Historian 2009.
  
There were very few documents in the history file.   There was no correspondence or  financial information, other than in Rotary year 1971-1972 budget documents contains a tabulation of budgets for Rotary years 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, and 1970-71.  It is noted in this document that the total budget for Rotary year 1968-69 was $7,895 with $1,750 donated  to following   service projects: Freeman Library, International Education Students, Scholarships/Citizenship Awards, Harris County Boy’s Home, Little League, and Boys Scouts.  This brings the total amount funds raised to $2,600 since the Club was chartered in 1964.  

There were 13 Board meeting minutes.   There seemed to be much concerned about the youth in the minutes (re:  July 24 minutes ). 

The Club continued to meet at the Nassau Bay Hotel.

There were no Blastoffs or newsletters in the history file or any programs or special events in the Club Programs and Special Events   listing. 

The Club's avenues of service committee members can be viewed by clicking on   Committee Members.
The July 1, 1969 Semi Annual Report of Club Membership   noted a membership of 106 active members with 7 honorary members.  The  Club's Roster    is based on the July 1, 1969 Semiannual Report of Club Membership.

1969 was another busy year for the Space Center Rotary Club.  The Club requested permission to expand its territorial limits and jurisdictions to include Kemah and League City.  District 589 investigated the request but refused the expansion of the club.  A Drug Awareness Program was approved.  500 large posters were printed and distributed throughout the Clear Lake area.  Samples of the posters were mailed to other clubs in the area to encourage greater participation in the program.  Stanley Reins of the Clear Creek Independent School District was presented a Club Award for 25 years of accident-free service with the school district.  Career Day was held on April 18.  Frank Borman was a principal speaker at Rotary International Convention   in Honolulu, Hawaii.  He presented Rotary International President Kiyoshi Togasaki of Japan, the club banner of Space Center Rotary.  This miniature banner was carried on Apollo 8, the first flight to circumnavigate the moon.  This banner now hangs in Rotary International headquarters in Evanston, Ill. (Update June 2012 from Suzi Howe, Club President 2001-02 and District 5890 Governor 2006-07: ".....I have just left One Rotary Center and learned that our banner is not "hanging" at Rotary International, but rather is stored off-site with other valuable historical documents and memorabilia in a properly controlled environment (temperature, etc.). There is a rotating exhibit of historical items from this collection." Contributions were also made to Interact and Bayshore YMCA (Historian 2009 notes that the actuals for the Rotary year budget does not reflect these donations).

A copy of the May 1969 Rotarian, containing an article about the manned space program,  has placed in the file.

The President of Rotary International visited the Manned Space Center September 13, 1968.  View photos of the visit.

The 60th Rotary International Convention was held May 25-29,1969 in Honolulu, HI, USA.  There were 14,453 in attendance and no record of anyone from Rotary of Space Center. 

District 589 Conference was held in Galveston, Texas on April 11-12, 1969.

Rotary year 1968-69 was placed in the archives in July 2009.