Fort Stockton Rotary Club
History
The first Fort Stockton Rotary Club was chartered in 1939 and was active until 1942 when, due to most of its members being actively involved in World War II, the club was deactivated. On October 4, 1962, forty business and professional men of Fort Stockton met at Al’s Restaurant at 7:00 p.m. Schmidt, Past District Governor of District 5520 and member of the Peco
s Rotary Club, explained the purpose and benefits of Rotary and the procedure for starting a Rotary Club in Fort Stockton. On October 11, 1962, all interested persons met for dinner at the Sands Restaurant and set things in motion to form the Fort Stockton Rotary Club. The following officers and board members were elected:
Tom Stovell – President
Bill Wilson – Vice-President
Walter Holcomb – Secretary/Treasurer
Virgil Church – Director
Bink Gottlich – Director
Dr. John Hundley – Director
Dick Morrow – Director
A dinner meeting was scheduled for October 18, 1962, to accept the club charter. On this date, the Fort Stockton Rotary Club met at 6:30 p.m. at the Sands Restaurant. After dinner, the District Governor and representatives from the Rotary Clubs of Pecos, Alpine, and Monahans presented the charter to be signed by all members of the new Fort Stockton Rotary Club. Thirty-two members were present and signed the charter which officially activated the Fort Stockton Rotary Club. The charter members were:
1. James W. Black 17. Dr. James Lancaster
2. Bobby Gene Brown 18. Sam Maddry
3. Bill J. Burnham 19. Dr. Thomas Mooney
4. Virgil I. Church 20. Richard E. Morrow
5. Noble E. Cummings 21. Dr. William G. Roberts
6. Fred W. Falkner 22. Campbell W. Roby
7. Fisher 23. Thomas R. Scott
8. Bink Gottlich 24. Charles E. Sherrill
9. Robert J. Hand 25. Martin Shuster
10. Ed F. Havins 26. Tom H. Stovell
11. Jim Hawkins 27. Jones I. Taylor
12. Henson 28. Glen A. Teaney
13. Walter Holcombe 29. Joe W. Thomas
14. Dr. John Hundley 30. Harry L Thompson
15. Allan Johnson 31. Clarence Weaver
16. Carl Johnson 32. Bill Wilson
Presidents past and current are:
1962-63 Tom H. Stovell
1963-64 Virgil Church
1964-65 Dr. John C. Hundley
1965-66 Ed Havins
1966-67 Gene Cummings
1967-68 Water M. Holcombe
1968-69 Richard E. Morrow
1969-70 Elton Holland
1970-71 Jim Hawkins
1971-72 R. N. “Dick” Flores
1972-73 Bill Hargus
1973-74 Floyd Coker
1974-75 Albert Bean
1975-76 Noris Sneed
1976-77 Jimmy Black
1977-78 Mike Walling
1978-79 Bob Day
1979-80 Rob Dunagan
1980-81 Frank Baker
1981-82 Jon M. Ryan
1982-83 Mike Dunagan
1983-84 Mark Neff
1984-85 Bill Ed McKenzie
1985-86 Clyde Sawyer
1986-87 Lawson Allen
1987-88 Jim Miles
1988-89 Bob Gray
1989-90 Chip Brooks
1990-91 Bob Card
1991-92 Manny Espino
1992-93 Brad Newton
1993-94 Hulon Pass
1994-95 George Riggs
1995-96 Kyle Card
1996-97 Laura McKenze
1997-98 Dr. Ted Fish
1998-99 Choya Young
1999-00 Terry Whigham
2000-01 Kyle Card
2001-02 Jim Hatcher
2002-03 Dr. Jim Miles
2003-04 Teresa Ballard
2004-05 Phil Chamberlain
2005-06 Jim Brown
2006-07 Sal Salazar
2007-08 Frank Lacy
2008-09 Russell Tippin
2009-10 Malissa Trevino
2010-11 Dan Frank
2011-12 Terry Whigham
2012-2013 Anna Hernandez
2013-2014 Jim Horton'
2014-2015 Sal Salazar
2015-2016 Misty Frank
2016-2017 Gina Kalka
2017-2018- Angie Miles
Over the years some of the Fort Stockton Rotary Club projects included the following (in no particular order). This list includes past and present projects. Club Service: This has always included organizing our fund raisers:
Fund Raisers:
Golf Tournament
Cadillac Party (began in 1979)
Bronco Party (was the “Cadillac Party” – until 1982
Cruise Party (replaced the Bronco Party – 1983 to present. Auodad Hunt
Quilt Raffle
Shrimp Sales
Club Activities:
Host District Assemblies
Christmas Party
Valentines Party
District Governor Visit – Reception
Installation of Officers Celebration
Weekly drawing – half goes to “on-to” fund (on to district Conference) – began in 1979 and still doing this today
Sergeant of Arms
Rotary Signage
Community Service
Sponsor Boy Scout Troop
Assist Boy Scout Troop
Send 4 students to Camp RYLA every year
Annual Student Scholarship Program
Assist with the Coker Swim Meet for years
Crime Stoppers Program
Annual tree planting in a needed area of town
Hosted Diabetic Workshop
Assisted Community Service Committee on Handicapped by surveying community needs
Anti littering campaign
Sponsor local blood drive
Meals on Wheels delivery once a week
Toys for Tots – Christmas
Cook for Special Olympics
Cook for International Basketball team (Mexico versus Fort Stockton)
Nursing Home Project – benches/tables and bird feeders
Donations to SEED (Society for Excellence in Education)
Chain Gang – Run the yard markers for the local high school football games
Booth at the Health Fair
International Service
Award at least one Paul Harris Award annually
Many Paul Harris Fellows in the club
Donations to Polio Plus
Host to a foreign exchange student (some years two students)
Send Fort Stockton students as foreign exchange students
Host GSE teams
Have had 2 members be group leader for outgoing GSE teams
Fort Stockton member on the District Committee for the Youth Exchange for many years
Fort Stockton member on GSE District Committee
Many matching grants over the years
Host an exchange student party for the Rotary District 7170 Discover America Bus Trip (from New York State)
Vocational Service
Outstanding Rancher of the Year Award
Participation in 4 Way Test Contest
Sponsor Character Counts in local school
Recognize Teacher and Student of the Six Weeks
Participate in Shadowing Program for a day
(Rotarians hired vocational students immediately following school program on this)
