History
of
The Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, U.S.A.
Club 2010  District 589
for
Rotary Year 1972-73

President
Frank G. Morgan

Chartered August 6, 1964

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

Officers
Vice President
Rex Bailey
Treasurer
Dick Chandler
Secretary
Harry Jennings
Editor
Gene Lindquist

Directors
Fred Joy
Al Ligrani
Hal Neely
Bill Petynia
Bill Powell
Leo Symmank
Ben Taylor

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 very few documents.  There were 19   Board meeting   minutes of the Club’s Board meetings, actuals for Rotary year 1972-73 from the Rotary year 1973-74 proposed budget,   and little correspondence.  There were 10 out a possible 46 newsletters, Blastoffs.  It appears from the pattern of the existing newsletters that a Blastoff was issued every Club meeting day.  The Club Programs and Special Events listing noted 25 programs.  The Blastoffs were of various colors such as pink, green and blue, legal size paper with both the front and back being used.  The Club continued to meet at the Nassau Bay Resort Hotel.

The July 1, 1973 Semi Annual Report of Club Membership noted a membership of 119 with 3 Honorary members.  The  Club's Roster is based on the July 1, 1973 Semiannual Report of Club Membership.  Five previous presidents were on the membership roster.

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

Donations to   service projects    were $3,602 (based on proposed 1973-74 budget which contained the 1972-73 actuals)  bringing the estimated total amount of donations for service projects to $13,273 since the Club was chartered in 1964.  The amount of monies made from fund raisers since the first recorded fundraiser in 1968 is $13,273, the same amount as the donations since these are the only record available.  Although there is  no documentation on the Drug Awareness Program, this is the fifth year for the program.

The Board approved and the Club awarded its first Paul Harris Fellowship to Harry Smith, following his death in August 1972. 

In an article in the December 12, 1972 Blastoff , the editor noted.  “In World Community Service our Club is on the ball.  Under the direction of Al Brady this committee has purchased some audio visual equipment for use in the LICEO NOCTURNO De MEJILLONES COLLEGE in Antofagasta, Chile.  The equipment includes both slide and movie projectors and tape recorder – together valued in excess of $500.00.  Shipment is being held up pending approval of the import into that country without import duty.  This should be arranged soon by the proper consul office.  This project was selected by our club when the International office of Rotary received request for such equipment for the Mejillones Rotary Club in Chile.  A most worthy project and we are proud of this type committee action.  Another feather in the Space Center Rotary Cap!”

The following information is from the October 10, 1972 Blastoff .

                                    HONOR ROLL CONGRATULATIONS
An interesting and timely item and congratulations due!  Did, you know that only EIGHT of the original members numbering 35 are still in the Space Center Club?  The other twenty seven charter members have moved elsewhere or dropped membership since that day in July 1964 when this club was granted its charter.  The eight still with us are Dick Allen, Martin Gracey, Vince Lipovsky, Frank Morgan, Bev. Steadman, Lad Warzecha, Buck Weston and Charles Whynot.  TOP HONORS go to DICK ALLEN AND FRANK MORGAN for having perfect attendance since that charter day in July of 1964.  (Slight correction please.  The club was formed in July of 1964 and the Charter Presentation was on September 28th, 1964).  Anyway, it's an honor to still have those eight still with us and we salute DICK AND FRANK for their perfect attendance!..... Honorable Mention also goes to:
....GENE LINDQUIST, the FIRST member taken into the Club in September of 1964 AND with perfect attendance since his induction date.
....Not missing a meeting since their inductions are:
JACK BROWN 11/24/68
JACK DeNIKE 4/6/70
LARRY CROW 12/13/71
....others with perfect attendance records for ONE YEAR or longer:
DICK CHANDLER 3/16/68
BILL WEBB  7/6/71
JIM FLEMING 3/1/71
DAN SMITH  8/16/71
MARTIN GRACEY 6/21/71

The Board approved that the President Elect attend the Rotary International Convention.  The August 9 Board meeting discussed the Interact program.  It was noted that   " Both 1971  and 1972 were inactive.  To find out if the students were interested, the committee had a meeting with five students and now feel that at Clear Creek fraternity clubs are not in.  The students felt that there are now clubs to answer all their needs.  The committee recommends that the Youth and Interact committees combine and promote more of the Youth Forum type of programs.  This would mean abandoning Interact.  The Board felt that the new high school should be concentrated on.  The youth committee is to check Rotary Clubs in our area to see what their experience is."

An interesting article in the January 12, 1973 Blastoff   had an article about the children in Santiago, Chile who had received 60,00 vitamins courtesy of the Club.  These children had made cardboard drawings of their culture and sent them to the Club expressing their appreciation for the vitamins.  The editor was looking to set up pin pals with children of the Club members.

Another interesting article in the January 12, 1973 Blastoff   was about a boy at the Harris County Boys Home  who received a sizeable contribution  from the  Club toward his scholarship and then vanished. 

There were two entries in the   Club Programs and Special Events  about Earth Awareness Foundation activities but no documents.  One entry was for awards.

The 64th Rotary International Convention was held May 13-17, 1973  in Lausanne, Switzerland.  There were 17,187 in attendance.  President Elect Rex Bailey and his wife Nancy represented the Club.

Space Center Rotary was host to District 589  Conference held April 6-7 at the Sheraton Kings Inn. Governor George DeMontrond presided with Rex Bailey as Chairman of the Conference.  A letter dated March 26, 1973   provides an overview of the Club's involvement.  

Rotary year 1972-73 was placed in the archives in July 2009.