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History Home Page
Space Center Rotary 






President Vissett Sun


Vita
 of
President Sun

 

 

History
of
The Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, and U.S.A.
Club 2010  District 589
for
Rotary Year 2004-05


President
 Dr. Vissett S. Sun 

Chartered August 6, 1964

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

Officers
President Elect
J. B. Fox
Secretary
Geoff Atwater
Treasurer
Dick Gregg III
Sergeant at Arms
Mike Hernandez

Directors
Club Service A
Joan Skellenger
Club Service B
Scott Rainey
Club Service C
Tony Bloomfield
Club Service D
Johnny White
Vocational Service
Art Wood
Community Service A
Ted Cummings
Community Service B
Pam Culpepper
International Service A
Mike Hernandez
International Service B
Dick Kidder


Club received the Presidential Citation Award





The Club continued to meet at the Holiday Inn in Nassau Bay, Texas each Monday at noon with interesting programs from guest speakers and several programs regarding the Club’s activities.  Frank Perez was the Program Committee Chair.  The editor of the newsletter was Marilyn Watkins.  Jerome Bourgeois led the members in songs for most of the meetings and the members shared in leading the Club in the pledge of alliance to the U. S. flag, prayer, and the Four-Way Test.  Club fellowships were facilitated by Rafael Lugo with attendance good and fellowship great.  Golf on Thursday under the leadership of Gary Johnson continued to be a favorite.  A Christmas Party and a trip to the Rodeo provided additional opportunities for fellowship for the Club members and invited guests. Two of the Club members were former District 5890 governors, Floyd Boze 1981-1982 and  Billy Weseman 1993-1994.  Vince Lipovsky, a chartered member of the Club, 16 past presidents, and Floyd Boze continue to attend the weekly Club meetings.

The 40th Anniversary of the Club was celebated on July 19 at the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

The Board of Directors met twelve times in regular sessions and two times for call meetings.  Actions and decisions by the Board were recorded in the
minutes .  Attendance to the board meetings by the board members for the year was seventy one percent.  The avenues of service of the Club’s committees and committee members can be viewed by clicking on committees.  Billy R. Smith was the Club’s Parliamentarian, and maintained and interpreted the Club’s Constitution and By-Laws.

The Club’s membership was 125 members based District 5890 listing for July 2005.  The Club’s roster dated May 2005 can be viewed by clicking on roster.  The Phone Tree was handled by Bill Geissler.

There were 28 out of possible 47 issues of the Club’s newsletters, Blastoff, located.  They were eight and one half by fourteen inches printed on the front and back.  The newsletters contained a variety of interesting items such as the summary of the Club’s programs with write-ups and pictures; future programs; make-up opportunities; Shrimporee and Boots and Black Tie VIP Ball information; general information about the Club, District, and Rotary International; and promoting fundraisers sponsors and promoting worth while events.  Marilyn Watkins was the editor and Bob Mitchell the photographer.

Over $42,000 was given to
service projects.   A comprehensive overview of the  financial condition of the Club can be viewed with the following documents: summary  of the cash and investment balances in various accounts as of June 30, 2005;  and profit and loss  statement from July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005.  The administrative and service budgets can be viewed by clicking on budget.

The 31st Shrimporee was held on September 18, 2004 at the Clear Lake Park, in Seabrook, Texas.  It turned out to be a great event yielding $60,867 income with $14,334 expenses leaving a net of $46,533  The Boots and Black Tie VIP Ball (BBT), (invitation, program) 5th year for a fundraiser in addition to the Shrimporee, was held on August 6, 2004 at the Marker 1 Marina, Seabrook, Texas.  The event brought in $41,575 with expenses of $19,252 leaving a net of $22,323.   Re: 2004 Shrimporee and BBT Financial Report dated October 15, 2004.  There was great food by Texas Roadhouse (Tony Bloomfield), a raffle, a band, and live and silent auctions.  One hundred and thirty four tickets were purchased.   (Note Historian 2009:  The P&L Statement, July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005,  showed the total income for the Shrimporee and the BBT $92,824 and total expenses $36,192 giving a net of $56,632 rather than a net of $68,856 as noted in the financial report of October 15, 2004.  Additional expenses may have come in after the October 15, 2004 report.  The Profit & Loss statement value is used as the official number).  The amount of monies made from the fund raisers since the first recorded fund raiser in 1968 is estimated $969,236.  The Shrimporee poster can be seen by clicking on 2004 Shrimporee Poster  and newspaper articles by clicking on publicity. View photo gallery of Shrimporee.

The Space Center Rotary Club Foundation Endowment board agreed to underwrite the $25,000/5 year pledge that the Club made to the League City YMCA Capital Campaign (later called the Perry Family YMCA).  The conference room in the new facility was designated as the Rotary Room. 

The World Health Committee had been working for two years to get a child out of Nicaragua for treatment in the United States according to the May 17, 2005 Club Board Minutes.

Will O’Sullivan and Keandra Milkens received $700 and $200 respectively for the 17th annual Clear Creek Independent School District Drug Awareness Essay Contest (re: March 28, 2005 Blastoff). The Scholarship Committee awarded six $500 scholarships to students in the Clear Creek Independent School District.  The recipients were Nathan Bashinski, Brittney Brannon, Scott Nimmons, Angelica Torres, Geoffrey Willis, and Tara Brady.

The Excellence in Education Committee selected six teachers, Ronald Wach, Robert James, Mary Alderman, Jeff Cherry, Erika Bondy, and Laura Adis, of the Clear Creek Independent School District for Distinguished Service awards.  From this group, Ronald Wach and Robert James were honored as “Teacher of the Year”.  The teachers of the year received $500.00 each and the others $300.00 each.  This was the 15th year for the award which was made at the May 23rd Club meeting.

Stan Galanski provided an update on the Aramasi Village project in Bolivia.  The water well project has been effectively providing drinking water to the ten families and some irrigation to the fruit and vegetable gardens.  Phase II of this project requires $6,000 to drill another well that will supply water throughout the dry season (December-July) and a further phase would complete an engineering survey leading to a worldwide matching grant to provide a water solution for the district around the village.  Stan  will gather commitments from the other three sponsoring clubs and use part of the $5,000 budgeted Service funds to make up the total of $6,000.  This will get the ten families in the village and their gardens through the dry season.  Stan will use the balance of the $5,000 budgeted amount as the basis for a matching grant to accomplish the subsequent phase to address the water problem for the district. re: January 18, 2005  Club Board Minutes.  An email from the Amistad Association in Bolivia to Stan expressed their appreciation for his assistance. Read the Bolivia Matching Grant for the water well.

Lennia Holberg was an exchange student from Sweden that stayed with  President Sun and his family 6 months while attending Clear Lake High School.

The Club's Board recognized the many years of faithful service provided by Ann Fulcher as the Club’s piano player by designating her as an honorary member.  She voluntarily commuted from Friendswood to play the opening song prior to regular meetings. The tribute made to Ann at the time of awarding the honorary membership, a song in her honor, and a proclamation by the City of Nassau Bay can be viewed by clicking on Ann.

The Club added 12   Paul Harris Fellows bringing the total to 274 since the first recorded Paul Harris Fellow in 1973. 

Hilmar Zeissig was the Tsunami Relief Chairman and the District 5890 International Service Chairman.

Rotary International President Glenn Estess visited the Club and area January 23-25, 2005 essentially at the request of past Club President Laura Hale, who was the Assistant District Governor at the time.  Assistant District Governor Hale made the request during the President Elect Training Seminar in the spring of 2004 where President-Elect Estess was participating.  He was the honored guest at the January 24, 2005 Club meeting, made several presentations, and was the featured speaker of the day.  During the program, he presented a Paul Harris Fellow award to Alan Wylie's sister who was handicapped and had a speech impediment, and recognized past Club President and District Governor Nominee Suzi Howe (2006-07) with her Bequest Society pin and package.  She was the first member of this Club to make this type of contribution at this level.  Also special Centennial bench 100 was unveiled in honor of his visit, which were placed at the Armand Bayou Nature Center, Pasadena, Texas.  President Sun and others made President Estess aware of some the facts and accomplishments of the Club.  Prior to the Club meeting, President Estess visited the Freeman Memorial Library where he cut the ribbon dedicating the Children's Reading Room and made a few comments on the importance of literacy in today's world.  The reading room was named in the honor of Space Center Rotary Club which donated $25,000 over five years beginning in Rotary Year 2002-03.  The Club also paid $5,000 toward the $25,000/5 year pledge during the Rotary year.  After the Club meeting, President Sun escorted President Estess and others for a tour of the NASA Johnson Space Center. 

President Sun participated with other Rotarians from  District 5890 planting oak trees  in Herman Memorial Park. The Herman Park Oak Grove planting was a District 5980 event to celebrate The Centennial Rotary year .

The 96th Rotary International Convention was held June 18-22, 2005  in Chicago, IL, USA.  There were 39,460 in attendance.  President Elect J. B. Fox, Suzi Howe, and John Nugent  of Rotary of Space Center, Houston attended. Pictures of the convention can be viewed by clicking on convention.

The United States Senate/House of Representatives hereby proclaim February 23, 2005, as Rotary International Day and encourage all citizens to join us in recognizing Rotary International for 100 years of service to improving the human condition in local communities around the world.

District 5890 Conference was held April 21-24, 2005 at the Y. O. Resort Hotel in Kerrville, Texas. See photos of conference attendees.

The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation presented Glynn S. Lunney with the 2005 National Space Trophy at the 19th annual stellar event held on April 22, 2005 at Hyatt Regency  Houston, Texas.  Proceeds of the event went to benefit the High School Aerospace Scholars program held at Johnson Space Center for the 6nd year.  The front cover of the 2005 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Program can be viewed by clicking on 2005 RNASA Program.   

President Sun approved the history for Rotary year 2004-05 and it was placed in archives April 2010.
















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