History
of
The Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, U.S.A.
Club 2010  District 589
for
Rotary Year 1970-71

President
Orville G. "Gene" Lindquist

Chartered August 6, 1964

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

Officers
Vice President
Robert K. Scott
Treasurer
Frank Morgan, Jr.
Secretary
Harry Jennings
Editor
John Gay

Directors
Dick Chandler
Roy Idles
Rose Hager
Gene Horton
Hal Neely
Harry Smith
Fred Waddel

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.
  
The history file contained more information than any previous year other than 1964-1965. There were 21 minutes of the Club’s Board meetings, a  Rotary year-end budget with actuals, membership as of end of the Rotary year, several letters, and avenues of service committee assignments. There were 15 out a possible 48 Blastoffs. It appears from the pattern of the existing newsletters that a Blastoff was issued every Club meeting day. The newsletters were various colors such as pink, blue and green and not printed on the back.  The Club Programs and Special Events listing noted 34 programs. There were a few letters, one regarding a request for funds from the YMCA is typical of those in the history file. The Club continued to meet at the Nassau Bay Resort Hotel.

The Club's avenues of service committee members can be viewed by clicking on Committee Members.

The July 1, 1971 Semi Annual Report of Club Membership. noted a membership of 112 with 7 Honorary members  The  Club's Roster  is based on the July 1, 1971 Semiannual Report of Club Membership. Four previous presidents were on the membership roster.

Donations to service projects  were $2,154 bringing the total amount of donations for service projects and funds received to $7,076 since the Club was chartered in 1964. The Club Events Committee was asked to study fund raising.

The year 1971 brought about increased involvement for the Club with Crisis Hot line.  20,000 stickers were printed and distributed listing the Hot line number and the telephone company agreed to the assignment of a hot line.  Space Center car raffle ticket sales started on March 1, at $100.00 each.  A Chevrolet Caprice and Vega were the prizes for the winning tickets.  The raffle was held during a dinner at the Kings Inn and the net profit was $2,028.00.  The Board moved to make this an annual affair, but enthusiasm for further participation was lacking.  A new design for the banner was approved.

The Space Center Club sponsored International Kids Day with a trip for 1,000 in 24 buses to the San Jacinto Monument, Manned Space Center, and a picnic lunch at the Harris County Clear Lake Park.  The price of club luncheons was increased from $2.50 to $3.00 and a $.25 charge for coffee was started for the convenience of the coffee only members.  The club was again active not only in the community but abroad as well as 40,000 vitamins were air transported to Santiago, Chile for school children.  See  letter dated May 7, 1971 to the Ambassador to Chile.

The Earth Awareness Foundation was formed patterned after a drug awareness program established by the Club and specifically the Drug Awareness Committee.  There was a press, conference fact sheet THE EARTH AWARENESS FOUNDATION in the history file with details about the foundation.  A brief summary follows.  Earth Awareness Foundation is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization designed to bring about improvements in such areas as overpopulation, air and water quality, land use, drug abuse and waste management.  The Foundation is headquartered in Houston, Texas.  Who formed the organization?  It was started a year ago (date on fact sheet is March 17, 1971) by a number of prominent Americans Including astronauts Walt Cunningham and Rusty Schweickart and nationally syndicated cartoonist Johnny Hart, creator of "B.C." and "Wizard of Id."  How did it begin?  The Rotary Club of the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, alarmed by the growing problem of drug abuse in neighboring communities, established a Drug Awareness Committee to search for the root cause.  To reduce the incidence of drug taking, an educational campaign was launched, using the volunteer services of astronauts, concerned citizens and students.  From this beginning emerged an awareness program to stimulate constructive public involvement not only in dealing with the drug problem but in all areas affecting the quality of human life.  The Foundation's initial structure was patterned after this program.  This was the third year of the Club's Drug Awareness Program.

A note dated March 22, 1971 from Lindquist to Colovin had attached a scolding letter from District 589 regarding the Interact.  Apparently most of the clubs did not have a any Interact activity. 

A humorous article about Norman Frede, a pig, two sheep, and a $82.84 contribution can be found in the April 19, 1971 Blastoff .

The 62nd Rotary International Convention was held May 16-20, 1971  in Sydney NSW, Australia.  There were 16,646 in attendance. Gene Lindquist represented the Club.  District 589 conference was held April 16-17, 1971 at the Moody Center Galveston, Texas

Rotary year 1970-71 was placed in the archives in July 2009.