Jim Berg — A Rotary History

Chairman of 2001 Rotary Convention - Sonny Brown (El Paso)

Sonny Brown - former VP of Rotary International - shows off his cowboy boots emblazoned with the Rotary Wheel at the opening ceremony attended by >20, 000 Rotarians from 135 countries. All were then seated for a two-hour show in the AlamoDome which started off with gun slingers in wild west garb showing off their "draw and shoot speed." There followed an exhibition by the very famous Charro Jerry Diaz and wife (both stars on ABC's GMA and the NBC Today Show) who showed their expert horsemanship and lassoing exhibition while standing atop his white stallion which wowed the crowd - see YouTube. These initial segments led to Rotary's annual parade of Flags of the 190 member countries. They were paraded by 3 local professional equine organizations: San Antonio Palomino Patrol, Bexar County Mounted Posse and San Antonio (men & women) Charros led by Diaz again whose bowing horse allowed Diaz to present the official Flag of Rotary International to its President - Frank Devlyn.

Facade of The Alamo is the open door to the 100,000 square foot House of Friendship

Each year the Rotary Convention is held in a sponsoring City - every 4th year it is in the USA. San Antonio was awarded the 2001 Convention in 1996. The five years of planning and organizing were key to the 4-day meeting's huge success - two key measurements were financial and general enjoyment by attendees. Rotarians from District 5840 volunteered in all matters - especially from the downtown Rotary Club San Antonio and the Rotary Club of Alamo Heights. About $200,000 was raised by the successful sale of 10,000 Rotary Texas Posse Pins throughout the USA but substantially in San Antonio, Houston, Japan and Argentina.

Inter Faith Service was held on the Opening Day of the Convention - June 24, 2001

Well attended was the Rotary Inter Faith service for Rotarians whose religious beliefs span the globe: from Hindu to Catholic; Buddhist to Christianity.

Flower the Tower (of the Americas)

For a minor contribution of just $20, 1,200 Rotarians received a commemorative T-shirt to wear for Rotary's Service Project: Flower the Tower. Many had just left the Sunday Inter Faith Service to join the large team to plant flowers and bushes all donated by Home Depot valued at $75,000 to beautify the much abandoned HemisFair Park. The Park would not get another face lift until 2025-26...thirty years later.

San Antonio Palomino Patrol and the Rotary's Parade of Flags

This annual 30-minute tradition - the Parade of Flags - was performed in the AlamoDome on horseback. But it was the Flag Parade opening at the 1996 Calgary Convention on ice skates which sparked the idea for SA Host Committee Chairman (and past Club President) to present the flags on horseback - which was a Rotary first.

Palomino Patrol member delivers the American flag to open the 2001 Convention in the AlamoDome.

In preparation for the Business Portion of the annual convention to commence, a Mariachi Band entertains the >20,000 guests as the American Flag is positioned for the National Anthem of the Host Country.

Entertainment was varied for over an hour

In preparation for the opening entertainer - Glen Campbell - dancers wowed the crowd even further.

The Kilgore State Rangerettes Perform as part of the continuing Opening Ceremony

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Each day paid Luncheons & Dinners are held to exchange ideas and make new friends

The President's Recognition luncheon is held annually to recognize Rotarians, Clubs and Districts which exemplify extraordinary Service Above Self.

50-75 booths are made available for ongoing Rotary Service Projects

There is no excuse for Clubs worldwide NOT to partner up to expend District Donated Funds (DDF) to support needy projects. A portion of Paul Harris donations to the Rotary Foundation are redirected to Districts to expend DDF funds for projects acceptable by Clubs. Thus, each Rotary International Convention makes room for local projects worldwide to appeal for more funds for Service Projects.

Common Interests?

From Chess to waterskiing; skeet shooters to book clubs...Rotarians love to exchange ideas.

African Rotarians were dressed to impress!

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All Rotarians come together.

Notice the outfit of the local Host Committee volunteer Rotarian: red vest, cowboy hat adorned with much in demand Posse Pin. At the close of the Convention, the Host Committee sold off our backs the complete outfit: vest, hat and Posse Pin for $50. Every one was sold.

GSE stood for Group Study Exchange

Districts exchanged teams of 4-6 Rotarians with a Past Governor leading the team to a paired country. While there, the paired country dispatched its team. This function of the Rotary Foundation has been discontinued.

Like Fiesta in San Antonio, Rotary has its pin collectors.

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Posse Pin and Hat were a popular combination

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Past President of RI in 1995-96 - Herb Brown

The Rodeo staged for 6,000 Rotarians at the Don Strange Ranch in Welfare, TX was a huge success. Once the crowd disbursed to find that food booths were numerous and beyond eyeshot, the live rodeo began. Our past president was Texas dressed to the nines!

PArade of Flags in Welfare at Don Strange Ranch

The rodeo commenced after the American flag was presented.

A Japanese Director of Rotary became a rodeo fan that Tuesday night in Welfare, TX

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Bull riding wannabe Rotarians got their chance to last 8-seconds aboard this machine

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Polio Plus Luncheon was held to inform the world of its status

The campaign to eradicate Polio was approved at the Philadelphia Rotary Convention in May 1988. By 2001 it was only in its 13th year and still had at least 4 endemic countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria and India. In the succeeding 10 years, Nigeria & India were declared Polio free.

Closing Ceremony featured San Antonian Vicki Carr.

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Glen Campbell was the Opening Ceremony Super-Star!! (It's on YouTube)

Glen's act was opened / preceded by Rotary Club of San Antonio Past President Rick Cavender and his Band. Rick did a great job promoting the 2001 Convention when he took his Band and 60 other local Rotarians in June 2000 to Buenos Aires, Argentina to give the assembled crowd a Taste of Texas promised if they'd sign up before they left Argentina. Sign up they did and the 2001 Convention was off and running / galloping.

Glen and his daughter Ashley were just spectacular (see YouTube)

Host Committee Chairman Jim Berg posted Glen's total performance on YouTube. To date it has been viewed 111,000 times and has gathered 122 comments.

Rotary Rodeo in Welfare's Don Strange Ranch - Armadillo Races

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Flower the Tower on Sunday at noon

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Commemorative Plaque was OK'd by the City of San Antonio - Flower the Tower

Yes, the Plaque is still in HemisFair Park marking the event where 800 Rotarians planted $75,000 worth of donated plants and shrubs on Sunday, June 24th, 2001.

The official Host Committee Cowboy Hat

With the assistance of our Mexican President Frank Devlyn and his devoted brother, Jesse, these hats were made and purchased in Mexico for just $10 each. We bought 1,000 hats for the host team and others to sell - all with Posse Pins. Without Jesse, it would not ave happened.

RI President and Vicki Carr

Also pictured is Convention Chairman Sonny Brown (top row - far LEFT & his wife, Anne, far RIGHT). President Devlyn is accompanied by his wife, Gloria Rita. President Frank and Sonny are astride of Vicki Carr in top row.

Vicki Carr sings a final song to the Children of the world

Host Chairman Jim Berg's two daughters, Laura & Jennifer (top row 2nd & 3rd from right) were part a children's choir ensemble assembled by Jim's wife, Ruth, who directed this children's choir for the Closing Ceremony.

The official pin of the 2001 Rotary International Convention - Rotary's 92nd annual convention

Host Chairman Jim Berg awarded the design to a local studio who had been hired to brand the Final Four in San Antonio in 1998. Its chief executive, Erik Darmstetter, became a Rotarian in the wake of his involvement.

(L-R) Sonny Brown, Jim Berg and Frank Devlyn onstage during the Closing Ceremony

As is custom at the close of each annual Convention, its Host Committee Chair is awarded an 'ATTA BOY' to thank the entire team and the Host City for a job well done. But Frank and Sonny are in for a surprise because in my hands are two checks each made out for $50,000: one for Frank's favorite charity, Avoidable Blindness, and the other to the Annual Fund of the Rotary Foundation, which funds service projects worldwide. That $100,000 gift as well as a $75,000 check to the Rotary Club of San Antonio's Educational Foundation (which staged all major events as a tax exempt body resulting in that amount of sales tax not being assessed) resulted in a Net Profit from Operations of the 2001 Convention to $320,000 which the HOC conveyed into a Donor Advised Fund at the Rotary Foundation to benefit solely Clubs in District 5840 in perpetuity.

First SA River barge to sail down the newest River extension

Rotarian Janet Holliday whose firm assisted with Convention public relations photo Rotary making the maiden voyage on the SA River extension to the newly completed Convention Center ---JUST IN TIME.

The infamous and hugely popular Rotary Texas Posse Pin

Over the course of 2.5 years prior to the June 24-27, 2001 Convention, the Posse Pin's idea and popularity raised nearly $200,000. That free cash allowed the HOC (Host Org. Com) to publicize and produce materials and advertising in the airport and downtown signage and 1 perfectly placed billboard facing all southbound US 281 / IH35 South traffic for one month leading up to the event. The attendance of nearly 24,000 was the most ever for a USA based RI Convention by many thousands.

Closing Ceremony - Children's Choir

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Sonny Brown, Convention Chairman

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Closing Ceremony - Vicki Carr, singing

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RI President's Convention Committee at the Argyle for lunch

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