History
of
The Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, and U.S.A.
Club 2010 District 589
for
Rotary Year 2003-04
President
Sheila M. Self
Chartered
August 6, 1964
Forty years of serving the local and world
communities with a passion for “Service Above Self”
Officers
President
Elect Vissett
Sun Secretary J. B. Fox Treasurer Olive
Murphy-Riker Sergeant at
Arms Mike Duckworth
Directors Club Service A Earl
Maudlin Club Service B Dick Gregg III Club Service
C Ted Cummings Club
Service D Geoff
Atwater Vocational Service Joan
Skellenger Community Service A Jim
Sweeney Community Service B Johnny
White International Service
A Mike
Hernandez International Service
B Dick Kidder
Earl Maudlin Received
District 5890 Service Above Self
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. Bill Geissler was the Program Committee
Chair. Jerome Bourgeois led the members in songs for
most of the meetings and the members shared in leading the
members in the pledge of alliance to the U. S. flag, prayer,
and the Four-Way Test. Club fellowships were facilitated
by Bill Taylor 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, 15 past presidents, and Floyd Boze continue to attend
the weekly Club meetings. Past District Governor Boze
celebrated his 55
years of perfect attendance in August 2003.
The
Club's Board of Directors probably met 12 times in regular
sessions however only 3 copies of the
minutes were
located. Billy R. Smith was the Club’s Parliamentarian,
and maintained and interpreted the Club’s Constitution and
By-Laws. The avenues of service committees and
committee members can be viewed by clicking on
committee members. Billy R. Smith was the Club’s Parliamentarian,
and maintained and interpreted the Club’s Constitution and
By-Laws.
Over
$42,000
was
given to service projects and The Rotary Foundation. 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, 2004, and profit and loss
statement from
July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004. The administrative
and service budgets can be viewed by clicking on
budget.
There were 3 issues of the Club’s
newsletters,
Blastoff, located
leaving 45 issues not found. The newsletters contained a
variety of interesting items such as future programs; make-up
opportunities; Shrimporee and Boots and Black Tie Event,
information including pictures and list of the associated
sponsors; general information about the Club, District, and
Rotary International; and write-ups about the weekly programs
including pictures. Marilyn Watkins was the editor of
the Blastoff and Bob Mitchell was the photographer.
The
Club’s membership at the
end of the Rotary year was 133 members, two honorary members,
and 4 dropped members totaling 138 members using the Club's
roster dated
April 2004 (closest one to June 30, 2004 that could be
found. A District 5890 listing for July 2004 noted 133
members. The Phone Tree was handled by Bill Geissler.
This
was the 4th year that another major fundraiser was held in
addition to the Shrimporee. The SCR VIP Gala, chaired by
Carol Shelley, was held on August 23, 2003 at the Hilton Hotel
City of Nassau Bay, Texas. The 30th Shrimporee, chaired
by Scott Rainey, was held September 20, 2003 at the Clear Lake
Park Seabrook, Texas (1840 tickets were sold). Both
events netted over $57,782 according to the Profit and Loss
Statement July 1,
2003 through June 30, 2004 and the VIP financial
statement.
Additional information on the Shrimporee and the VIP Gala can
be viewed by clicking on 2003 Shrimporee Poster
1, 2, 3 (with
sponsors),
newspaper article,
or
committee chairs.
A collection of publicity items can be
reviewed by clicking on
publicity.
The amount made from the fund raisers since the first recorded
fund raiser in 1968 is estimated $911,673.
Russell Hall received $1,000 for the 16th annual
Clear Creek Independent School District Drug Awareness Essay
contest. Marcissa Born received $750 Health and Safety
award. The Scholarship Committee awarded six $500
scholarships to students in the Clear Creek Independent School
District. The recipients were Christine Watkins, Molly
Anderson, Evan Snell, Marisol Salmones, Austin Cox, and Hanna
Ye.
The
Excellence in Education committee under the leadership of
Belinda Skloss presented the winner of the 14th annual Teacher
of the Year award. The finalists received a gold
teacher's apple, a certificate and $300. The Teacher of
the Year for Elementary and Secondary schools received $500
and a plaque. The six teachers were Christopher Blackburn,
Donna Johnson, Mary French, Malin La Place, Patricia Devore,
and Kevin Fleming in the Clear Creek Independent School
District for Distinguished Service awards. From this
group, Mary French and Kevin Fleming were honored as “Teacher
of the Year.
From a newspaper
article: President-elect Dr. Vissett Sun and his wife,
Adrienne, recently joined other Rotarians for a trip to
Chinandega, Nicaragua for the Avoidable Blindness
Project. While there, the Clear Lake optometrist
examined the eyes of the Children of the Dump School with some
220 children screened and 11 needing glasses, which he later
made and sent back. The Children of the Dump, you may
recall, are mostly orphans who lost everything in a hurricane
that devastated their country and were found scavenging at the
city dump to survive. Rotarians went in and built them
housing and a school. Several in a group, called the
Children of the Dump, travel about the world in the summertime
singing to earn money to support themselves. Three of
the children had con-genital cataracts, Dr. Sun said, and will
need surgery to restore their sight. Sponsors for the
cataract surgeries are needed, he said, adding that five are
blind and no glasses will improve their vision. Others
on the trip include Rotary Assistant District Governor Suzie
Howe, Past District Governor Charlie Clemmons and his wife,
Barbara of Seabrook Rotary, Past Space Center Rotary Club
President Laura Hale and Dick Kidder, also of the Space Center
Rotary Club.
The Club continued (twelfth year)
the bikes for Christmas
program.
This year the Club purchased 60 bicycles
and 60 helmets for this program. The
donations were given to the Houston Chronicle
Goodfellows. See a photo
journey on bikes.
The
Club added 12 Paul Harris Fellows
bringing the total to 262 since the first recorded Paul Harris
Fellow in 1973.
The 95th Rotary
International Convention was held May 23-26, 2004 in
Osaka, Japan. There were 43,381 in attendance.
President Elect Dr. Vissett and Adrienne Sun of Rotary
of Space Center, Houston attended. They stayed in the Rotary
International headquarter's Rihga Royal Hotel and attended the
opening ceremonial celebration along with 30,000 Rotarians at
the Osaka Dome.
District 5890
Conference
was held April 29 - May 3, 2004 on a 4 day cruise to Cozumel,
Mexico. Earl Maudlin received a Service Above Self Award
for his dedicated service in promoting fellowships.
Hilmar Zeissig was the District 5890
International Service Chairman.
The
Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA)
Foundation
presented Neil A. Armstrong with the 2004 National Space
Trophy at the 18th annual stellar event held on March 11, 2004
at the Hyatt Regency Houston, Texas. Proceeds of the
event went to benefit the High School Aerospace Scholars
program held at Johnson Space Center for the 5th year.
The front cover of the 2004 Rotary National Award for Space
Achievement Program can be viewed by clicking on 2004
RNASA Program . See photos.
President Self approved
the history for Rotary year 2003-04 and it was placed in
archives May 2011
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