History
of
The Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, and U.S.A.
Club 2010 District 589
for
Rotary Year 1985-86

President
Robert "Bob" James Wren

Chartered August 6, 1964

Twenty Two Years of Serving the Local and World Communities with a Passion
for
“Service Above Self ”

Officers
President Elect / VP
Jim Hargrove
Secretary
Jim McNatt
Treasurer
Sam Calanni
Sergeant at Arms
Billy Weseman

Directors
Lon Clement
Jim Kennedy
John Watson
Charles Hardwick (Jack Lister)
Don Robison
Billy Ray Smith
Lamar Bowles
Ralph Schimmel
Joe Shirley

To the membership by President Wren

A time of change is- also a time of opportunity. As we reflect on the accomplishments of this past year, we can all be proud of the fine leadership of Charles Hartman and his team.

But now with the beginning of a new Rotary year, we have the opportunity to move our club to ever greater heights of activity and service.  This will not be achieved through the efforts of the officers and directors alone but by all club members.  You are the key.  All of you are leaders in your own businesses and professions and as such we recognize that you are used to getting things done.  It is merely our job to point out to you specific needed directions and coordinate your efforts.  We also recognize that your time is a precious commodity and therefore the time that you do devote to Rotary must be productive of service on the one hand but at the same time enjoyable, fun, and filled with fellowship. For that is what Rotary is all about.  You, indeed, are the key.

A starter list of goals:
1. To secure a meeting location to satisfy club needs, including sufficient size.
2. Expansion of existing club activities and programs and creation of new ones to assure active involvement by all club members.
3. Fun and fellowship.
4. Achievement of 100% participation by club members in Rotary Foundation by becoming Paul Harris Fellows or Paul Harris Sustaining Members.
5. Greater participation by club members in District 589 activities.

Fresh ideas from you relative to avenues of service as well as fun and fellowship will be warmly received. You are the key.

Bob Wren

Awards and Recognitions
President Wren received a Rotary International Presidential Citation Award and three Rotarian of the Year Awards from Rotary Year 1985-86 to Rotary Year 1989-90.  These awards were not only for his invaluable contributions to programs and projects, but for his personal support and assistance to the respective governors  for District 589.  These awards and information about them can be viewed here.

History
The history file contained 23 Board meeting minutes,  4 pieces of correspondence, and a bounded document (Club Assembly Report) which contained plans and goals, the budget, a membership roster, and the avenues of service committee members. All the committees were completely filled with many of the Club members serving on more than one committee.  The Club continued to meet at the Holiday Inn. Fourteen of the Club's former presidents were on the roster. A former District 589 Governor, Floyd Boze 1981-1982, and a charter member, Vince Lipovsky, attended the weekly club meetings. Richard Allen, Frank Morgan, Bev Steadman, and Charles Whynot were on the roster. The Board met on the first and third Tuesday of each  month with good Board member attendance. The Club was known for its fellowship activities such as golf, Christmas party on December 13, Youth Village dinner and party (300-400 in attendance), and a trip overseas which is discussed later in the write up.  The Club received compliments such as the following note regarding the friendness of membership, "President Wren read a letter from Jack Wells,  president of the Houston Rotary Club, commending our club on it's outstanding hospitality and example during the club presidents' visit here".   TV anchor person, Ron Stone was named as an Honorary Member of the Club.  A new golf committee was started headed up by Club Member Billy Weseman.  Occasionally there was an "Ad Hoc, spur of the moment, guaranteed unrehearsed" quartet consisting of Dr. Ron Hopping, Jim Haas, Dr. Bill Rittenhouse, and "Cap" Landolt made up a quartet who lead the singing at the Club meeting.

Program notes of the previous Club meeting was available in the next issue of the newsletter, Blastoff.  An example of this effort and particularly the subject follows:  
PROGRAM NOTES by John Francis
MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 9: " Our meeting program for September 9 was one of our most popular annual events.  Our speakers were the head football coaches from our two local Southwestern Conference universities.  Coach Yoeman of the University of Houston and Coach Watson Brown of Rice University presented some glowing prognoses for the upcoming season and some lively competitive banter.  The nod for the best one-liner has to go this year to Bill Yoeman for: "Old age and treachery will beat youth and skill every time.""

One of the most creative and effective committees was the Long Range Planning Committee, an ad hoc committee that was active for several years.  Many of the ideas from this committee bore fruit in the ensuing Rotary years such as new service projects and fundraisers.   The committee consisted of Bob Wren, Charles Hartman, Billy Smith,  Jack Lister, and many others. 

There were 24 newsletters, Blastoffs, out of a possible, 47, assuming that one was issued every Club meeting day. The Club Programs and Special Events listing contained no programs. Board meeting minutes of July 2, 1985 stated that the Blastoff would have a major make over. The new version was standard size, better quality paper, mostly beige in color, and filled with many photographs of members and club activities especially during the Club regular meetings. The newsletters also contained much more information about activities of the Club such as scholarships and youth exchange students. Tom Weir was the editor.

There was a 1985-86 budget dated May 1986 which provided year to date numbers was met. The amount of donations given to service projects as noted on the budget was $26,050.  A notation at the bottom of the service budget noted the following: Bank Balance - $7,728; Adv 51-L - $5,000; Adv RNASA - $3,000; and G-A-S CD's $14,570 giving total assets to be $30,299.  The Club's Board meeting minutes of June 17, 1986 noted there was $12,000 carried over to the Rotary Year 1986-87.   There was a Fiscal Policy document in the history file. Board meeting minutes dated January 21, 1986 stated “Billy Weseman presented a comprehensive written summary of discussion, recommendations, and questions made by the newly appointed Fiscal Policy Committee, which he was chairman.  Discussion was tabled due to lack of time and the meeting was adjourned.”   This document was titled "The Fiscal Policy" and made recommendations regarding funds for special projects, investing the surplus money, and to set aside money each year until a year's service budget is saved.  No additional information was in the history record on this policy.  The Board also passed a resolution to created a Crime Committee chaired by Jack Fryday.

There was a well prepared bounded and typed 1985-86 Plans and Goal "Blue Book" used for the Club Assembly dated November 4, 1985 for the official District 589 Governor's visit. The visit began at 9:30 am and culminated at 1200 noon with an address to the Club assembly. The Plans and Goals were not put in the archives because all the information is plans and goals and there is no documentation of the corresponding accomplishments at the end of the year.  However, the information regarding the accomplishments were in the Club's Board meeting minutes and the Club's newsletter, the Blastoff, are reflected in the history.  President Wren in 2012  stated that there was strong emphasis on planning, for instance the well prepared "Blue Book"; the regular and comprehensive reporting from the Directorate regarding club activities, and committee actions and results; and the active committees in membership, attendance, and meeting frequency.  There was an evaluation of the Club's plans and goals from District Governor Potter stating that his impression of the Club was excellent.  An example of the excellent conduct of meetings is noted in the July 29, 1985 Blastoff: "MEETING OF JULY 22: President Bob Wren conducted a club assembly, during which each director introduced his committee chairman.  Each committee chairman then explained the programs that they have laid out for the coming year.  Building on past successes, this club has adopted some very ambitious plans for the coming year.  Among the highlights are the activation of a working model of the Space Shuttle payload which area youngsters are developing under our club members' guidance; a club ski trip to some exotic alpine setting; a joint project with St. John Hospital to aid disfigured children; and a hosting of a national award for outstanding contribution to the Space Program.  Of "internal" note will be emphasis on fellowship and fun activities.  We are doing some good self-analysis to make Space Center Rotary even better. "

There was no Shrimporee report but several discussions about it in the newsletters and Board meeting minutes. The event was held at the Clear Lake Park Seabrook, Texas September 21, 1985 with Jim Kennedy as the Chairman. The May 1986 budget noted that the income for the Shrimporee was $28,368, Bulletin/advertisement $4.250, and $5,148 for the Reverse Draw. The Reverse Draw was established by Lamar Bowles with the help of Jack Bridwell of the Friendswood Rotary Club who set up a reverse draw process for his Club. View photos of the Shrimporee. The Primary Beneficiary for the Shrimporee was Children's Shelter of Bay Area, Inc.  (Note: The Club's Board approve the naming of the primary beneficiary for the Shrimporee a year ahead).  Fifty to sixty people turned out for a pancake breakfast to recognize the Shrimporee sponsors.  A new fund raiser, A Wine Tasting and Auction was proposed however no action was taken by the Club's Board.

The International Youth Exchange Program took a significant upturn in Rotary year 1985-86 after essentially no activity for the previous 21 years except when two exchange students visited the area in Rotary year 1970-71. President Wren recalls the events surrounding the International Youth Exchange Program as follows, “Prior to 1985, District 589 had no involvement in Rotary Youth Exchange. There were district committees set up here and there (1982-1983 and 1983-1984 e.g.) but no exchanges were made. In 1985 a concerted effort was made to get something going. These efforts involved, among others, Harold Jones of the West Houston Club and David Taylor, Jim Hargrove, and Bob Wren of the Space Center Club. Harold did most of the legwork. The first exchange was to serve as a trial balloon to see if this would work. In June 1986 our first intrepid souls went to Cheltenham College (high school) in England. Our Club's stalwarts included Susan Hargrove, Pat Wren, Patrice Staples, and Danny Taylor (view photo with students and Jim Hargrove, Bob Wren, and Dr. David Taylor behind the students). Later, Cheltenham College students returned the favor and visited us. The short-term student exchange was a success and the next Rotary year, 1986-1987, a Youth Exchange Committee was officially created at District 589 level with Harold Jones as Chair and included David Taylor. So started District 589's involvement in Rotary Youth Exchanges, both Short and Long Term.” In addition to President Wren's words on the program, Dr. David Taylor in 2008 also recalls the beginning of the program. "International Youth Exchange started about 1985, and was headed in the district by Harold Jones. I served on that first district committee, and my son was on the first exchange we arranged and was sent to England as part of a group of four. I chaired Youth Exchange at our club for some time, served as the District chairman, and then in 1987 or 1988 managed to arrange exchanges with Hungary and East Germany using non-Rotarian contacts (they were still communist and did not have Rotary). We also sent two students to Moscow the next year. The Youth Exchange objective is to foster world peace through understanding. The many countries we had exchanged with did not have peace issues with us so an effort was made to exchange behind the Iron Curtain. My contacts for this were Gert and Marta Bahlo. Marta’s sister still lived in Hungary and she contacted her and got the pastor of her church to make the arrangements, and Gert was a native of East Germany and still had family there. Marta was the mother of one of my patients and her accent tipped me off. Moscow university became the source in the Soviet Union as a result of my letter writing." Alan Wylie reported on the exchange students activities and announced the holding of a Bon-Voyage party for them Wednesday, July 18. The visit, as a whole, has been a great success with a lot of participation from Rotarians and their children, as well. (Note: Alan became one of the most active participant at the Club and district levels and was named to the Rotary International Committee in Rotary Year 2010-11.)

Space Center Rotary claimed 4 of the 10 selectees district wide in the District 589 International Youth Student Exchange. These youths will go to Cheltenham, England for two weeks and will be hosted by families selected by the local Rotary clubs there. They leave June 12. Winning students in the June 9, 1986 Blastoff are: Susan Hargrove, Pat Wren, Patrice Staples, and Dan Taylor. All were high school seniors. These were the first outbound students for the Club.

Four teenage students from England were hosted recently by the Club for one week as part of a two-week visit to Houston to study industrial and social applications of electronics and computers. Ted Wengllnskf, Chairman of the International Youth Committee, coordinated the week's activities. The students, Charles Wood, Rupert Purser, Jeremy Morley and Clare Barrington, stayed in the homes of Bob Wren, George Hulpiau, Alan Wylie. and David Taylor. A picture of the students and more details about their visit can be viewed in the July 29, 1985 Blastoff.  A letter dated May 9, 1986 identifies the winners by the Youth Committee-England.

A Group Study Exchange team from India visited the Club on April 14 and presented the program in the form of a short talk by each of the team members, the talks describing a different facet of life in India, geographic and demographic comparisons, and impressions of their experiences in the United States. Leader of the group was Rotarian Aidoon Kojiji and his wife Nilofer. More information and a photograph of the group is shown in the April 21, 1986 Blastoff .

Officials of the Space Center Rotary Club and St. John Hospital announced the formation of the Rotary World Health Foundation. The Foundation will provide plastic surgery, hospital care, transportation and lodging for young people from around the world who suffer from a physical deformity that prevents them from living a normal life in their society. The genesis of the Rotary World Health Foundation took place in the minds of Dr. Abdel Fustok, a plastic surgeon at St. John Hospital and Mr. Raymond Khoury, the hospital's administrator and a member of Space Center Rotary Club. Mr. Khoury had been seeking avenues for achieving the Rotary Club's goals for service to the international community. Dr. Fustok, now also a Space Center Rotarian, had been impressed with the dramatic effect on self-esteem after corrective surgery, such as the young Lebanese girl he treated who had suffered disfigurement as an innocent victim of a car bomb in her home country. Through their professional association, the idea for a joint program took hold and the two co-sponsors were approached to evaluate their interest. The directors of both organizations enthusiastically adopted the project and started planning activities to receive their first patient as soon as possible. More details of the Foundation, the visit to the Club by the immediate Past-President, Dr. Carlos Canseco of Monterey, Mexico, and associated pictures (view photo) can be viewed in the December 2, 1985 Blastoff. Application for this project and other information are attached to letter dated July 26, 1985 to the Rotary Foundation. A brochure on the Rotary World Health Foundation and associated guidelines for criteria and eligibility was also prepared.

The Club unanimously accepted an official club project, the Space Flight Memorial Foundation, with joint sponsor the High Flight organization March 4, 1986 and has undertaken the task of building a Space Flight Memorial on or near the Johnson Space Center. This endeavor is intended as a lasting memorial to all Americans who have lost their lives while engaged in the exploration of space. Funding for the memorial is being raised through private individual, institutional, and corporate donations. The board of Space Center Rotary has voted to advance $10,000 in seed money for this project. It is hoped that construction for the memorial can begin within a year. All of the officers and directors of the Space Flight Memorial Foundation are members of Space Center Rotary. More on this subject can be viewed in the March 24, 1986 Blastoff and June 9, 1986 Blastoff. Additional information is in the June 3, 1985 Board meeting minutes.

There were several mentions in the minutes and newsletters of the progress being made on the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation.The first official board meeting was scheduled for October 17, 1985. The Club advanced RNASA $3,000 for start-up costs. Names for the Master of Ceremonies for the event were Bob Hope and George Burns.  Club member John Francis made a trip to New York to discuss the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Award trophy design requirements with Stueben. 

The Club's Board was requested to give some kind of award or incentive to the students who had participated in the Shuttle Payload program. An article in the November 4, 1985 Blastoff noted the involvement of the Club members in the project:
"HELP NEEDED FOR GET-AWAY SPECIAL PROJECT!!!!
A 200-300 square foot work space, heated and cooled, with 24-hr/day access is needed for the builders of the prototype of the Rotary sponsored student experiment to be put in space in the fall of 1 987.  The students desperately need this work space.  If you have such space available or if you know of any or have any clue to any possible space, please contact Jack Winter or any member of the Space Shuttle Payload Committee".