Memories of Rotary Year 2012-13 in Photos

John Lee and Bob Mitchell were faithful photographers during the year and provided pictures for the meetings. At least one photo from each meeting and sometimes more was selected for the gallery, "Memories for Rotary Year 2012-13". The pictures are chronological, with all the new members shown as well as the donations that were made at the Club meeting plus other events. The newsletter has the information about each Club meeting and can be viewed in a story Chronicle.

Photo Gallery    July through December
Photo Gallery   January through June
President Musial June 24 Awards Presentation Photos



History

The Club continued to meet at the Bay Oaks Country Club  Houston, Texas each Monday at noon. The Program Committee, chaired by John Swartwout, provided a variety of interesting programs from guest speakers with several of the time slots used for club activities such as Club Assemblies and fund raiser updates.   Dr. Jack Bacon  led the members in songs, sometimes with the help of President Elect Sheryl Berg, the members shared in leading the Club in reciting the pledge of alliance to the U. S. flag and the Rotary Four-Way Test; and Carlos Villagomez  offered the invocation most of the time. Golf outings, played almost every week, were a favorite under the leadership of Dick Hergert.   Fellowships, about once a month, were facilitated by Gary Johnson and Roger Donnelly and held at a variety restaurants and one at a most unique place, a former member, Earl Maudlin's home (tower for race track) at Kemah, Texas on Galveston Bay.  A Christmas Dinner provided additional opportunities for fellowship for 74 Rotarians and invited guests. It was held on December 19 at the Bay Oaks Country Club. There were songs, a Yankee Swap, and holiday season apparel (ties, vests, etc) contest, both men and women.  President Musial instituted "A Safety Minute" talk given by Club member Darryl Smith.  Also in attendance were District 5890 Governor Nominee and Assistant District 5890 Governor Lisa Faith Massey; District 5890 Governor Chris Schneider; Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman  (left) and Houston Council Member Dave Martin; Rotary International Director Andy Smallwood (right); and District 5890 Governor Elect Bob Gebhard; and Houston Council member Mike Sullivan  occasionally were in attendance.  There were also Club members, Precinct 8 Constable Phil Sandlin  and Texas State Representative John Davis.

Three of the Club members were former District 5890 (589) Governors, Floyd Boze  1981-1982, Billy Weseman  1993-1994, and Susan Howe 2006-2007.  Fifteen past presidents, Floyd Boze (occasionally), and Suzi Howe continued to attend the weekly Club meetings.

The Club recognized Club member and District 589 Governor (1981-82) Dr. Floyd D. Boze 95th birthday (February 7) and his service to others via Rotary at the regular Club meeting on February 4.  Dr. Boze’s family, 13 women of the Women of Rotary, and a packed meeting room of Club members and other guests were present. District 5890 Governor Chris Schneider was the program moderator, and he and Assistant District Governor 5890 Lisa Faith Massey as well as Floyd’s family personalized Dr. Boze’s life and works as the epitome of the essence of Rotary, that is “Service Above Self”.  Read more in Chronicle.  Read Boze family thank you note.

The Board of Directors met eleven times in regular session, one time without a quorum, and five times for call meetings. Actions and decisions by the Board were recorded in the Minutes. The avenues of service and committee chairs are shown in committees. The Club’s membership at the end of the Rotary year was 104 active regular and 5 honorary members for a total of 109 members. The membership gained 6 members. Billy R. Smith was the Club’s Parliamentarian, and maintained and interpreted the Club’s Constitution and By-Laws.  One amendment was made to the ByLaws.

Over $87,000 (see listing) was donated to service projects, The Rotary Foundation, and The Space Center Rotary Club Endowment Foundation. There were 14 local projects, 3 international projects, and 1 district grant projects. A comprehensive overview of the financial condition of the Club can be viewed with the following documents: Balance Sheet   as of June 30, 2013; Profit and Loss Statement from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013; and Service Budget  from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013.

The All Club Meeting was held September 27th at the Bayou City Event Center at 9401 Knight Street, Houston, Texas.  It was a special occasion highlighted by Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka as the guest speaker and guest of District 5890 Governor Chris Schneider.  Nine Rotarians from the Club and 4 guests attended.  Governor Schneider spent a couple of exciting days with the President and shared the visit with a write-up in his newsletter.  See photo gallery of Club members and guests.

The 39th Shrimporee was held on October 20th at the Clear Lake Park, in Seabrook, Texas. It was a beautiful sunny day, about 87 degrees, with no clouds in the sky. President Elect Sheryl Berg was the Chairperson and Scott Rainey the co-chair. Club President Musial  had selected Edgar A. Smith Family YMCA, Bay Area Communities in Schools, and EarlyAct FirstKnight as the primary beneficiaries for the Shrimporee.  All three were recognized and given their donation symbolically at the event. In addition to these organizations, 30 local and international service projects were supported by the funds from the Shrimporee and other fund raisers.  Meals of delicious boiled shrimp, BBQ brisket, sausage, corn on the cob, and beans were served. Guests enjoyed live music, the excitement of bidding on 90 live auction and 91 silent auction items (24 baskets, 47 certificates and packaged items, and 20 artistic pumpkins); and awed with the raffle prizes, a choice of either a 50 cc Breeze Scooter from Scooterville in Kemah, Texas valued at $1200 or a Pandora Bracket by Lewis Jewelers in Houston, Texas valued at $500. Both prizes were given away.  The winners did not have to be present to win. A ticket sold for $10 each.  The children were excited about the two inflatables; and their multicolored hair treatment, tattoos, and face painting. Security was provided by officers from Harris County Precinct 8, Constable Phil Sandlin. The Deputies also conducted the kids fingerprinting ID process. Of particular note was over 250 student volunteers from Clear Creek Independent School District and the Boy Scouts, and about 35 adult volunteers. The net income was over $52,000. Photos of and information on the Shrimporee can be viewed in the  Shrimporee 2012 web page.

The 13th annual second major fundraiser and the 7th Springoree was held at the Lakewood Yacht Club on March 21 to express the Club's gratitude to the sponsors of the Shrimporee and for a fun filled evening for all of the guests.  A total of 120 Rotarians, sponsors (55 sponsor guests attended), and other guests enjoyed an evening of camaraderie, lively bidding on auction items, good food, entertaining music by a solo singer, and great panoramic view of Clear Lake.  Among the guests were District 5890 Governor Chris Schneider and spouse Ute, District 5890 Governor Elect Bob Gebhard, and District 5890 Governor Nominee Lisa Faith Massey.  President Marilyn Musial was the master of ceremonies (see program), and Scott Rainey thanked the sponsors and friends of Space Center Rotary.  Judge Louie Ditta was the auctioneer and Jerry Smith assisted him with the live auction items.  The planning committee consisted of chair person Bob Taggart, President Marilyn Musial, Treasurer John Branch, Rosemary Lengefeld, Nancy Anderson, Olive Riker, Ralph Kramer, Jerrold Dewease, and Rae DeCastro.  A total of twelve live auction items and thirty four silent auction items contributed to a total of over $12,000  in funds available to continue the community and international work of the Club.  The decorations were provided by Ralph and Laurie Kramer who borrowed them from the Booster Club at Pearland High School.  The committee met early the day of and decorated the dining room in a Mardi Gras theme under the watchful eye of Rae DeCastro.  The success of the event is attributed to the diligence and hard work of the dedicated Springoree committee.  The raffle prize was a VICTORINOX Swiss army watch from Lewis Jewelers.  See photo gallery.

The Club continued its longstanding active involvement in the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) Student Program with two outbound students; Emily Norman to Belgium and Sarah Otto to Sweden, and two inbound students; Juan Martin “Martin” Julien from Argentina and CHAO LI-CHIA “Mica” from Taiwan. See photos. The inbound students experienced the American life with stays in several different host families, and attending and enjoying a variety of activities sponsored by the Club and District 5890.  These activities included working at the Shrimporee; the Rotary Night at the Houston Dynamos; visiting with other District 5890 exchange students October 2012; and a visit to the Rockets basketball game.  Both Mica and Martin attended the Interact Conference February 23, 2013.  Martin, Mica, and a RYE student from Seabrook attended the Club’s Peace Forum on February 18 at the University of Houston Clear Lake (UHCL) and went to a Rotary family outing in February.  Mica and Martin both went on a skiing trip with their host families over the Christmas break.  Mica also attended a band contest in New York, in which her band won first place, over the spring break.  Martin got to attend the Cotton Bowl with host family President Marilyn and Wayne Musial.  Martin went on spring break trip to Disneyland.  Mica attended the east coast District Rotary trip at the end of the year and will then travel back to New York with her host family before heading home to Taiwan.  A human interest story, and also to the credit of the Rotary Youth Exchange Student Committee who selected her, involves Emily Norman who was with a host family who had a death in the family.  Instead of moving to the next host family she remained with the family for a while helping where she could.  She also returned home to visit with her grandmother before her death.  The Committee also assisted Martin with travel and stays while in the United States after he had to leave the program for personal reasons.

Congratulations to Alan Wylie, who was selected to serve on the International Rotary Youth Committee Committee for Rotary Year 2012-2013. Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka appointed a Youth Exchange Committee to guide and advise the Rotary International Board on the program during the  Rotary year. Committee members are:
   Francisco L. Araújo, chair, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil (D-4500)
   Vikram B. Sanghan, vice chair, Rajkot, Gujarat, India (D-3060)
   Danielle M. Baltus, Lessines, Belgium (D-1620)
   John M. Brodbeck, Springdale, Arkansas, USA (D-6110)
   Kenji Sakurai, Musashino, Tokyo, Japan (D-2580)
   Alan D. Wylie, Seabrook, Texas, USA (D-5890) 

The Club lost two of its long time members, John Lee,  a member since September 1, 1980 and Dr. Wayne Young  since June 1, 1981.  John was a World War II figher pilot and a  pioneer in the manned space program.  Read more on John Lee.  Dr. Young was also in the USAF and a pioneer in the manned space program.  Read more on Dr. Wayne Young. Previous member Robbye Waldron and Ed Hunter Carrette, Jr . also passed away.

District 5890 Governor Chris Schneider announced the appointment of past Club president Dr. Vissett Sun  (right) as a new Assistant Governor Vissett replacing Chuck Radney and assuming the duties for the Rotary Clubs of Deer Park, LaPorte and Highlands.

One of the most important service projects initiated for the year was the Early Act First Knight (EAFK) program at Whitcomb Elementary. This project was the brainchild of Club’s President Marilyn Musial who had a passion for young people. Whitcomb Elementary, with its very capable principal, Mark Smith, was identified as the ideal school for the EAFK program to be administrated. The school had students with 26 different ethnicities, was a Title one school, and had a great need for this type of character building activities. President Musial made a presentation to the Club’s Board recommending Whitcomb Elementary and the program was approved for Rotary Year 2012-13. President Musial asked David Coney to serve as the school advisor.  Read more.

On February 14th, the Club sent out 15 Rotarians and friends to ensure that seniors in four nursing homes would have a GREAT VALENTINES day. The group assembled at the United Way on Bay Area Blvd at 8:30 am and then divided up 375 Roses with a Rotary tag attached to each rose (Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day from your friends at Space Center Rotary). The Nursing homes visited were The Rosemont on Bay Area Blvd, Bay Wind off Egert Bay Blvd in League City, The United Way Sr. Center on Bay Area Blvd, and Regency Village in Webster Texas. A special thanks to Jerry Smith and Rena Deitrich who made the arrangements.  See photo gallery.

“...I ask you to commit to a Rotary year for Peace Through Service — and a Rotary goal for a more peaceful world.”...Sakuji Tanaka, 2012-13 Rotary International President, Bangkok, Thailand, 9 May 2012.  Read more .   The Club has accepted President Tanaka’s challenge and conducted a Peace Through Service forum which was held in the Garden Room at the Bayou Building UHCL, Monday, February 18, 2013 from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  Dr. Ted Cummings, Dean of School fo Business, provided the setting and advertising at the college with flyers, posters, and in school papers. Click for more information, article in Bay Area Citizen and photo gallery.

Publicity was more comprehensive this Rotary year  with Club member Mary Alys Cherry becoming the Publisher of Bay Area Houston Magazine and Editor Emeritus of The Bay Citizen.  Articles, almost every month in the Magazine and frequently in the Citizen, portrayed the Club in favorable light and fostered the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self".   An example of the coverage can be viewed by clicking here.  The last Early Act First Knight ceremony for the Rotary Year as well as the Rotary Club of Space Center and Whitcomb Elementary were in the local news by Channel 13 TV News June 6, 2013. Precinct 8 Constable Phil Sandlin arranged for the TV station to tape the program and put together a story line. Several students, President Musial, Constable Sandlin as well as parents were interviewed. See video.

Congratulations to Dr. Vissett Sun for his first "Hole in One"  on St Patrick's Day.  How lucky can you get!!!!  Vissett's hole in one took place at Bay Oaks Country Club on #8, 180 yds down wind with a 6 iron flag in the back, one hop then rolled in.