The Rotary Club of Amarillo History - 2006 to 2007

The 2006-07 Rotary year for the Rotary Club of Amarillo began with an unprecedented event. Rotary District 5730 played host on July 29, 2006 to Rotary International President William Boyd, and his wife, Lorna, at a two-day gala culminating with a banquet at the Amarillo Civic Center.

More than 500 Rotarians and their spouses gathered for the banquet that featured the awarding of more than 200 Paul Harris Fellows. The Paul Harris Fellow event was spearheaded by Past President Paul Borchardt, whose goal was to make our club a 100 percent Paul Harris Fellow organization. He fell a bit short of that goal, but that did not diminish from the spirit of fellowship, friendship and "service above self" atmosphere of the Civic Center event honoring RI President and Mrs. Boyd.

One of the goals stressed by the Club President Kanelis was to have fun at the weekly Thursday noon meetings (at the Amarillo Country Club). Club Song Leader Jess Ghormley led the club as they sang birthday greetings each month. Kudos were awarded generously by President Kanelis for both community and club works. It was a banner year once again as club members enjoyed each other's friendship.

The Rotary Club of Amarillo continued to enjoy good attendance at its meetings, hitting a peak of 75 percent in February 2007. The year began with 147 members and finished it in June 2007 with 147. Membership growth was one of President Kanelis' priorities this year, but given the decline of service club involvement worldwide, club leaders were proud that membership held steady during the Rotary year and that the quality of club members continued to represent the upper echelon of the community's business and professional leaders. 

But as in past years, the Rotary Club of Amarillo struggled with membership retention, through resignation or death of members.

The Rotary Club lost three of its stalwart members in this Rotary year. Past President Guyon Saunders, beloved by those who knew him, died in December 2006. One of our more colorful Rotarians, Leonard Nussbaum, passed away in February 2007. Bill Richey was the most recent of our Club members to pass away. They meant a great deal to the Club and they surely will be missed by everyone.

For the second consecutive year, the Rotary Club of Amarillo teamed with other Amarillo and Canyon clubs in a book-distribution project funded through a District simplified grant program. Teams of Rotarians fanned out in January to schools throughout the Amarillo and Canyon school districts to deliver personalized books to kindergarten students. The books promote reading by giving children books personalized for them individually. The children, teachers and other school staff enjoy receiving the books, which go a long way toward building a literate society for the future. District Governor Roger Sepulveda recognized the clubs' efforts with a second-place award for Rotary projects at this year's District Conference, held in Amarillo.

One member of the club, PDG Doyle Moore, was chosen by RI President William Boyd to be his personal representative to the District 7250 Conference. The District comprises 39 Rotary Clubs located in the New York City area. Doyle undoubtedly instructed them on how Rotary really worked. Doyle's selection for this honor was well deserved and the club was proud that one of its own was recognized in this fashion.

As always, club members enjoyed each other's company after hours. The annual Christmas party in December 2006 at the Amarillo Club attracted 135 Rotarians and guests, who laughed at the program moderated by longtime Rotarian Sam Lovelady. We came back to the Amarillo Club in February 2007 for our annual Valentine's party, which drew a crowd of 115 Rotarians and guests. And they were treated to a program delivered by emcee, and Past President, Gary Stevens.

Also in December 2006, officers for 2008-09 were elected. Bill Archinal was named president-elect. Lea Ann Fulton and Mike Good were elected to the board of directors. Wes Knapp, who served as president in 2005-06, and John Early, went off the board at the end of the Rotary year, each completing their three-year obligation to the board with distinction.

In keeping with the times and the advancements of the Internet age, the Rotary Club of Amarillo unveiled its new and vastly improved Web site in early 2007. The site is managed by Rotarian Jay Coffman and his wife, Ramona. Our Club Web site address is amarillorotary.org, and it includes updated information about membership rolls, Club activities, a history of the Club year by year as well as links to Rotary International and District 5730 Web sites. The site is a tremendous asset to the Rotary Club of Amarillo, enabling us to e-mail our weekly newsletter, Wheels, to members who request it.

Our ongoing programs fared well this Rotary year. Past President Wes Knapp - and his wife, Toni - took charge of the RYLA camp this summer. Past President Mark Haworth took three young people to Diabetic Camp. Of course, our Club's major fundraiser - our annual Shrimp and Catfish Roundup, was a success once again. The Rotary Club of Amarillo sponsored six kids for Camp RYLA. The students, all from Amarillo High School, were: Austin Fielding, Channing Martin, Bennett Valdez, Allison Blanchard, Halie David and Paige Bryant.

The Shrimp & Catfish Roundup was led by Bill Archinal, who employed a NASCAR theme to the event. He was assisted by Mike Good. Together, they assembled a team of volunteers who put on a great event at the Rex Baxter Building. The funds, as always, were dedicated to the YMCA Rotary Park project in south Amarillo, along with Life Challenge. This year, the club raised $15,500 for these organizations. Plans are ongoing to consider new fundraising opportunities, likely to replace the Shrimp & Catfish Roundup.

In May, Rotarian Rosemartha Cates led a team of non-Rotarians on this year's Group Study Exchange to Argentina and Uruguay. Rosemartha was selected by District 5730 to lead this effort, which she accomplished with her usual enthusiasm and good cheer. She returned in mid-June and presented 10 banners exchanged with Rotary clubs in Argentina and Uruguay. During the week of our District Conference in April, the Rotary Club of Amarillo - and specifically Club member David Woodburn and his wife, Alicia - played host to five GSE members from Argentina and Uruguay. They, along with President-elect Pam Rushing, went above and beyond the call of duty in making the many arrangements necessary for a successful GSE visit.

Pam Rushing, who took over in July 2007 as the second woman president in the history of the Rotary Club of Amarillo, did a fabulous job of putting together her leadership team for the coming year. She attended the Rotary International Convention in Salt Lake City in June after spending a weekend in March at the annual President Elect Training Seminar (PETS) at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport's Hyatt Hotel.

President Kanelis ended the year by inaugurating a new award in honor of Rotarian Dorothy Puckett. The Dorothy Puckett Membership Recruitment Award will go annually to the Rotarian whose efforts at recruiting members to our Club exemplify the best of Rotary. This year's winner, of course, was Dorothy herself, a Rotarian since 1993. Dorothy has worked tirelessly in finding and recruiting quality individuals to become part of the oldest and - obviously - the most distinguished service club in the Texas Panhandle.

One of the final acts of the Board of Directors for 2006-07 was to elect Dr. Winfred Moore as an Honorary Member of the Club. After many years of faithful and dedicated service to Rotary, his profession, and his communities, Winfred found it necessary to resign from the club. He carried with him the best wishes of the club and the hope that he will be a frequent visitor in the future. 

This year's Rotary Club of Amarillo leadership team included: President John Kanelis, Immediate Past President Wes Knapp, President-elect Pam Rushing; Treasurer Guyon Saunders, who was replaced in mid-year by Sam Lovelady; Secretary T. Paige Carruth; and four directors, Bill Archinal (who will serve as president-elect during the next Rotary year), Karen Hicks, John Early, and Rosemartha Cates. Sam Lovelady had to give up his treasurer post near the end of the year and was replaced by Gary Mitchell.

The year ended on a high note. Two new members were welcomed during our final luncheon meeting of the year. Blue Badges were awarded to two of our distinguished Rotarians -- Lane Boyd and Kerry Ormson. President Kanelis seemed especially pleased when he received his Past President's pin. Judge Don Reavis swore in the club's new officers and board members for 2007-08 and the curtain closed on another productive and enjoyable year of Rotary in Amarillo.