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The Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, and U.S.A.
District 589
Club 2010
Chartered August 6, 1964
Rotary Club of Space Center
50th
Anniversary
August 6, 1964 to August 5,
2014
O!! What a Club Meeting
August 6,
2014
The Rotary Club of Space
Center celebrated 50 years of
"Service Above Self" on August 6, 2014 at a gala
dinner held at Space Center Houston Houston, Texas. It was
considered a Club meeting
following regular club
proceedings. Secretary Darryl Smith offered the
prayer; Sergeant at Arms Nancy Anderson lead in
reciting the pledge of allegiance to the U.S. Flag presented
by Harris County Precinct 8 Constable Color Guard; President Elect
John Branch lead in
reciting the Rotary Four-Way Test; Treasurer Ralph Kramer led in
singing God Bless America; and President Scott Rainey introduced the
guests. Noel Bajat, Trustee
of The Rotary Foundation, was the guest speaker. Two
hundred and thirty three guests attended including Rotary
International and District Rotarians, local government
officials, Rotary International Youth Exchange Students (see
photo
second from
left: Emily Norman, Kim Scofield, and Sandy
Berger), and former Club members. A special guest,
charter member David
Shaw and wife Karen, were present and Mr. Shaw did the honor of
cutting the cake. The Club received a Rotary
International Certificate honoring 50
years of Membership signed by Rotary International President
Gary C. K. Huang presented by District 5890 Governor Lisa Faith Massey;
a Certificate of Special Recognition from
Houston City Council Member Dave Martin;
and a Proclamation from
City of Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker presented by Kippy Caraway.
A video, organized and
scripted by Ralph Kramer and formatted at Bob Swint’s office
of ATA Associates, was shown covering the first fifty
years. Laughter, reminiscing, and the warmth of
old friendships
filled
the air.
Speaker Bajat was given a book to sign and
return for inclusion in the Whitcomb Elementary Library.
Steve Kirk, son of Rotary
Year 1975-76 President, Don Kirk, was inducted as a
member of the Club and Ralph Kramer
was presented a Paul Harris
Fellowship. What could be any better way to epitomize
Rotary than these two events?
The ambiance added to the occasion: the
dinner was held against the backdrop of the manned
space program; a 50th year embossed souvenir glass for each
guest was given as a gift from President Rainey; three
beautiful decorated cakes, (descriptions on the cakes were:
the program used when the Club received the charter, the club banner, and the 50th
anniversary logo) brought
by Janice Albro; tables
decorated with
representative exchange banners from over the years surrounded an
illuminated 50th year/Rotary logo center piece all
put together and arranged by Ann Beatty, Lori Kramer, Janice
Albro, Marilyn Musial, and Micki Czarnik (see photos);
and
a front head table decorated with exchanged
banners with a large Club banner hanging from the backstop in
addition to banners listing all the Paul Harris Fellows and
the Floyd Boze Fellows over the past fifty years. Mickey
Hobbs
provided background music by singing a variety of songs from years past especially
the 60's and 70's.
The hallmark of the evening was
the gathering of friends, talking about old times,
the good times, and how well
we all were looking that night. As
President Rainey said: “...it was just simply an
incredibly cool fantastic event.” President Rainey
concluded the most memorable meeting with his closing remarks
and with a
stroke of the gavel against the Rotary Bell
closed the 50th
year meeting.
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