The Rotary Club of Space Center Receives the
Presidential Citation for Community Concerns

About Dr. David Taylor
Dr. David Taylor prepared a 5 minute talk about "What Rotary means to me!" in September 2000.  The talk is an excellent summary of Dr. Taylor's work in Rotary and the many programs that he initiated and brought to fruition over many years of service.  As Historian 2009, I have inserted it here, in President Taylor's Rotary Year, to give a more complete perspective of his contribution to others and Rotary.
   " I joined Rotary about 16 years ago and was immediately attracted to the Youth Committee and Youth Exchange.  My review of Rotary literature revealed the existence of the programs of Interact and Rotaract and I started both of those clubs at Clear Lake High School and the University of Houston.  So one of the first things I learned about Rotary is that you can "start" new things which can make a difference. 
    I became the District Youth Exchange chairman for short-term exchange and started new exchanges with about 20 countries.  I liked to "start" things.  I also learned that you can recruit people to join you in these activities and asked Alan Wylie to come along to one of my district youth exchange meetings.  The rest is history. He made Houston's Youth Exchange program what it is today -- a model for all of Rotary to emulate.
    So I learned that you don't have to sit in your seat and wait to be asked, that you can "start" things; and that you can ask others to help you with them — and they will. Floyd Boze helped recruit me into Rotary.  He told me how you could tell whether a project was self serving or service? How?  I inquired.  People will help you with the one and not the other.
    I took to heart that I could "start" new projects which could make a difference.  When the citizens rolled back a Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD) school bond issue I personally knew some teachers, and how demoralized they were that this would mean that their salaries would be affected — and how personally unsupported they felt that the community would vote against them.  So I started a new project called: Excellence in Education to honor the best of our teachers.
    When Rodney King in Los Angeles refused to cooperate while being pursued in a high speed car chase, and then would not put his hands up or go to the ground when ordered, and tasars failed to subdue him — and these police officers were videotaped trying to beat him into submission -- it was an occasion where the police forces of this country were maligned for just trying to do their job.  The cops became the "bad guys" and I did not believe that.  I started the Excellence in Law Enforcement project which has demonstrated to us over and over what dedicated and professional people we have serving in law enforcement.
    When the Berlin Wall came down Mikhail Gorbachev was trying his best to implement glastnost and perestroika to break his country free from the chains of communism.  Gorbachev admonished the capitalist countries by saying: "The West stands by and watches the Soviet Union's struggles like it is a soccer match.  The West is in this game and needs to get onto the field and kick the ball."  I decided to kick the ball a little.
    I started Project Free Enterprise to take teams of small business people to Eastern Europe to give free seminars on how American's do business.  We gave 2-day, comprehensive seminars in 16 cities in the Eastern bloc in a four year period. When NAFTA passed it occurred to me that the Mexican business model does not seem to fit very closely to the American way of doing business.  Maybe we could help free trade between the two countries by the same kind of seminar teams.  We gave five seminars to hundreds of business people in Mexico City in Project Amigo.
    So to tell you what Rotary means to me can be summed up with:  You can make a difference.  If you do not see a committee you feel strongly about then promote an idea you believe in.  If it passes the test of being good service -- people will help you with it.
    If I had taken any of these ideas and acted on them solo as the local children's dentist -- nothing would have happened.  Can you see me going to C.C.I.S.D. and offering to honor teachers?  Can you think of a way to get hosts in a foreign country to find a meeting facility, house your speakers in their homes, and help you put on a free seminar for hundreds of people they are going to invite to attend the meetings for free.  You couldn't do it.  But Rotary can.  Rotary is all of this and so much more.
    Rotary empowers you and magnifies your effort." David Taylor  11 Sep 00


Words by President Taylor
President Taylor shared some of  his thoughts about the upcoming year in a write up titled "Some Ideas and Themes for '94-95".  Of particular interest in closing was his "philosophy" about being President; noting "My notion of Rotarians: Rotarians are people who will climb a tree to see; Rotarians are people who will cut a tree to help; and Rotarians are people who plant trees, under which, they may never sit.  Read his entire " philosophy".


History
The Club continued to meet at the Nassau Bay Hilton each Monday at noon with interesting programs from guest speakers and several programs regarding the Club’s activities, David Baldwin was the Program Committee Chair.    Jerome Bourgeois  led  the members in songs and the members shared in saying the pledge to the U. S. flag and prayer.  Golf, under the leadership of Colin Coker, was a favorite fellowship activity.  More fellowship was provided with  Rotary Nite at the Astros, Rotary at the Rodeo, and a Christmas party. Keith  Huff was chair of the fellowship committee.  On February 6, 1995 This Morning Show on CBS TV, opened with Space Center Rotary Club singing OH! What A Beautiful Morning, enjoy.

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, 15 past presidents, and Floyd Boze continue to attend the weekly Club meetings. The Club’s membership at the end of the Rotary year was  169 members based on information in the history folder.  There were a 1995  Club Directory  which listed 153 members and a  listing of the avenues of service committees and committee chairs.  There were no Club Board of Director meeting minutes. 

There were no financial documents and it is assumed that all the money raised by the fundraisers went to service projects. 

There were 3 (out a possible 22) issues of the Club’s newsletters, Blastoff, that can be located.  The  Club Programs and Special Events  listing contained  8 programs.   The newsletters contained a variety of interesting items such as notes on the Club’s programs with write-ups and pictures; future programs; make-up opportunities; Shrimporee; general information about the Club, District, and Rotary International; and promoting fundraisers sponsors and promoting worth while events.  Gene Oley was the editor, production Robert Frost and Bill Geissler, and Dennis Dillon,"Mac" Balfe, Carver Shivers, and Vince Lipovsky photographers.  An April 3, 1995 issue of the newsletter had a different format and logo.  The issue also noted that Mike Allison was the editor.  It is not certain when the format and editor changed since the only available issue prior to April 3 was August 15, 1994 which was in the old format.  Photos were taken for many events and programs and used in the Blastoff and  the media. The newsletter was standard size, glossy off white in color, with a black header.  The newsletters available consisted of several pages.

The 21th Shrimporee, chaired by  Mike Brown, was held on September 24, 1994 Clear Lake Park Seabrook, Texas. There were the 8th annual Shrimporee Golf Championship held on August 30 at South Shore Harbour Country Club headed by Colin Coker, four vehicles raffled off, and a rifle raffle, in addition to the auction and all the good food. It turned out to be a great event yielding $27,852.  This brings the total amount raised since the the first recorded fundraiser in 1968 estimated to be $530,120.

The Club selected six police officers as finalists for the "Officer of the Year" award.  The officers are Steven A. Cain, Houston Police Department, Clear Lake Division; Randall L. Derr, Houston Police Department, Clear Lake Division; Daniel W. Rodgers, Webster Police Department; Bernadine S. McMahan, Seabrook Police Department; Ronald Joseph Bellnoski, Webster Police Department; and Robin Alan Emmons, Pasadena Police Department.  Each of the six officers will be presented with the Rotary Law Enforcement Distinguished Service Award on April 10. Officer Randall Derr was recognized as "Officer of the Year."   View pictures of the finalists in April 3 Blastoff and a group photo.   This was the third year for  the awards.

The Club continued (third year) the Three Wishes for Christmas  program which fulfilled Christmas wishes for children in the protective service of Harris and Brazoria Counties. These wishes we re for youngsters up to 18 years of age, who are in special homes and institutions.  These children are not in Children Protective Services' care for things that they have done but for abuse or neglect, done to them by parents and others.  This year the Club purchased 25 bicycles and 25 helmets for this program. See a photo on bikes.

There were no project free enterprise seminars this Rotary year, but because President Taylor was the Director Of  Rotary Seminar Teams For District 5890 In Houston and the projects covered a period of 7 years beginning in 1990, the  entire history   can be viewed.