Exciting Visit to Houston Club
Posted by Vicki Rowe
Keith, Glen, and Vicki decided to visit the Houston Club on Thursday. We were glad we did because when we arrived Houston's mayor, Annise Parker, was standing at the podium addressing the Houston Rotary Club. The club meets at Briar Oaks Country Club in the Galleria area and is the largest club in the district with over 200 members. The setting is very formal with white tablecloths, china, and real silverware. The club leaders sit on a stage draped in heavy blue velvet curtains. The meeting itself is very formal, with none of the shout-outs and razzing common to our club and many others.
Mayor Parker enjoined Rotary to help her make the city a better place. Several times she encouraged the audience to go to the website and find out what boards and committees have openings and "sign up." She discussed the need to bring industry to Houston, which is one of the best-kept corporate secrets because of the big city amenities and low-cost housing. She pledged to work to make Houston the choice for large companies looking to expand. She also talked about the need to improve our schools and suggested volunteering and mentoring in local schools as a way for Rotary to help out.
After Ms. Parker left, the club president, Michelle Bohreer, and the other members who had gone to Haiti just at the time of the earthquake, expressed their gratitude that they had made it back safely and their regret that they hadn't been able to do more for the stricken population. They reported that the experience had been harrowing, and they were most grateful to the people who helped them return quickly and safely.
Keith, Glen, and I got pictures with Michelle and the gnome when the meeting ended. All in all, we were glad we had chosen this week to visit. We hope that everyone will jump back into the gnome project and try to get the rest of the clubs visited. We are only about half way there, so if you can visit a club in the next month, please do so.
Mayor Parker enjoined Rotary to help her make the city a better place. Several times she encouraged the audience to go to the website and find out what boards and committees have openings and "sign up." She discussed the need to bring industry to Houston, which is one of the best-kept corporate secrets because of the big city amenities and low-cost housing. She pledged to work to make Houston the choice for large companies looking to expand. She also talked about the need to improve our schools and suggested volunteering and mentoring in local schools as a way for Rotary to help out.
After Ms. Parker left, the club president, Michelle Bohreer, and the other members who had gone to Haiti just at the time of the earthquake, expressed their gratitude that they had made it back safely and their regret that they hadn't been able to do more for the stricken population. They reported that the experience had been harrowing, and they were most grateful to the people who helped them return quickly and safely.
Keith, Glen, and I got pictures with Michelle and the gnome when the meeting ended. All in all, we were glad we had chosen this week to visit. We hope that everyone will jump back into the gnome project and try to get the rest of the clubs visited. We are only about half way there, so if you can visit a club in the next month, please do so.