History
of
The Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, and U.S.A.
Club 2010 District 589
for
Rotary Year 1987-88

President
James W. McNatt

Chartered August 6, 1964

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

Officers
President Elect
Billy Weseman  
 Secretary
 John Watson
Treasurer
Charles Hardwick
Sergeant at Arms  
Billy R. Smith
 
Directors
Terry Hesson
Joe Shirley
Clay Fulcher
Dave King
Owen Morris
Tom Wier
Jack Lister
Lamar Bowles
John Francis

The history file contained no Board meeting  minutes, no budget, several newsletters, 18 pieces of  correspondence of which many were from the District Governor in his own hand writing, and avenues of service committee members.   There was more correspondence from the District Governor than in recent years. This may have been the  norm just that documents from previous years were not kept.  One handwritten note  encouraged the President to improve attendance.  Another thanked President McNatt on the Club's involvement in Project Child Guard, an immunization program.  There was a Blue Binder  (Club Assembly Report) which contained plans and goals, a membership roster, District Governor's evaluation of the Club, and the avenues of service members.  Unlike previous years the data was not well organized and contained duplicate copies of documents.  Information from Rotary year 1988-89 was also in the binder.  Included in the binder was a handwritten summary which appears to be the President's evaluation or his review of the Club's plans and objectives on a committee basis.  The date is the same as the District Governor's evaluation of the Club.

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 also contained  47 programs. The newsletter was standard size, glossy off white in color, and filled with many photographs of members and club activities especially during the Club regular meetings and  information about activities of the Club.  Most of the newsletters consisted of several pages.  The Club continued to meet at the Nassau Bay Hilton.   Ten  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.  Frank Morgan, Bev Steadman, and Charles Whynot were on the roster.

There was no budget  in the history files.  The amount of   donations given to service projects  was $15,850 based on  the amounts noted in the newsletters.   The amount of monies made from the fund raisers since the first recorded fund raiser in 1968 is $269,691.   This amount assumes $20,850 (the amount of donations ($15,850) plus $5,000 adjustment based on information from Rotary Year 1990-91) net income for the fundraisers for this Rotary year.

There was no Shrimporee report but several discussions about it in the newsletters.  The  event was held at the Clear Lake Park Seabrook, Texas September 19, 1987 with Terry  Hesson as the Chairman.  The income for the Shrimporee  is not known but the newsletter noted $3,200 from the Fun Run and $2,461 from the Golf  and the amount noted in the newsletters given to service projects was $15,850.  Based on information from Rotary Year 1990-91, $5,000 has been added to the Shrimporee income.  Several pictures and additional information on the Shrimporee can be viewed in the September 28, 1987  Blastoff.

One of the most significant and historic events during the year was the admittance of women into Rotary.  An article in the August 10, 1987 Blastoff  notes that the Club was to start processing proposals for women members.  The first page of a RI newsletter dated July 1987 from Rotary International President Keller and page 2 of District Governor Busse's  installation speech at the June 29, 1987 Club Assembly have more information about the court decisions  regarding women in Rotary.  Dr. Myra Gochnour-Hooker  was the first woman inducted into the  Club on November 16, 1987 (December 7, 1987 Blastoff).  Shirley Battey   was the second woman and  Donnie P. Johnson   the third inducted into the Club.  

Another first for the Club was the new member  "Red Badge" program.  A diagram of the process can be viewed in August 24, 1987 Blastoff and a write up in  the September 14, 1987  Blastoff.   The September 26, 1988   Blastoff noted that Eddie Harris was the "Father" of the Red Badge Program.

The first child was to arrive  for corrective plastic surgery in cooperation with the Aeropuerto Rotary Club in Mexico City the week of  August 10, 1987.  The December 21, 1987  Blastoff  has a picture of the young boy from Mexico under going corrective plastic surgery.  More information about the Rotary World Health Foundation from  Al Jowid can be viewed in the April 18, 1988 Blastoff.

The July 13, 1987 Blastoff had the following article: "As a way of honoring the deceased members of our club, it was decided in 1985 that we would plant a memorial tree (live oak) in the memory of each deceased member in the designated Memorial Grove at the Bay Area YMCA, located on Highway 3 in Webster.  To date, we have planted trees in memory of: Harry Smith, James L. (Jim) Haas, Alfred Neumann, and Richmond J. (Dick) Bownds.  We are now planning a memorial ceremony to honor the following deceased Rotarians: Steven D. Stewart, Rex Strader, Dr. Jim Cook, Cheng Loon Hooi, Marvin Matthews, O. G. (Gene) Lindquist, and C. D. (Cap) Landolt." The October 5, 1987 Blastoff noted that Curtis Redman, 40 year resident of Kemah and honorary member of Space Center Rotary died, He joined the Club in 1967 and was very active until he retired to Conroe 9 years ago. His son Paul is married to club member Al Brady's daughter Molly.

The Club presented two $1,000 scholarships;  Kevin Wilmeth   a young man with a great imagination and confidence  and Peggy Hsieth who intends to attend Harvard Medical Schools.  

Owen Morris received a 5-star, Paul Harris pin  in recognition for his dedication to the Polio Plus campaign for raising $39,000.  A summary of the activities of the World Understanding Committee is shown in letter dated January 25, 1988.

Four of the Club's young people went to Europe  (July 13, 1987 and August 10, 1987 Blastoffs) during the summer under the sponsorship of the International Youth Committee.  These were Kelly Culpepper (to Italy), Tyler Swain (to Spain), Monte Lowery (to W. Germany), and Dianne Taylor (to W. Germany).  The club also sponsored a full year exchange student, Scott Salmond from Australia, thanks to club members and wives who have volunteered their homes: Lanny and Debbie Lambert, Bill and Joan Geissler, Joe and Sandy Shirley, Bruce and Karen McCorkle, Don and Beverly Kyle, and Jim and Joy Harlan. ----That is actually an "over subscription" and they will meet to resolve the "final four". 

Hilmar Zeissig was the District 5890 (589) GSE Chairman.

The  membership was 184 members  according to the  April 20, 1988  Plans and Objectives.  There were 51 additions and a net gain of 24 members.  The only   Club Roster   is dated April 4, 1988.  

There were forty two   Paul Harris Fellows   named for the Rotary Year bringing the total for the Club to 109 since 1972.

The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation had its  second stellar event on February 19, 1988 at the Hyatt Regency, Houston Texas and presented  Don Fuqua   with the National Space Trophy. The event raised funds for space-related education and draws positive public attention to the importance of continuing achievements in space. Members of the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation may be viewed by clicking on Foundation.

The 79th Rotary International Convention was held May 22-25, 1988  in Philadelphia PA, USA.  There were 16,316 in attendance and no record of anyone from Rotary of Space Center, Houston attending.

District 589 Conference was held on April 21-23, 1988  in Acapulco, Mexico. Thirty-eight Rotarians and their spouses attended the conference.

Rotary year 1987-88 was placed in archives March 2010.