Club History
West U Rotary Club was founded May 17, 1995, under the name Rotary Club of West U Place (Houston), with Beverly Denver serving as the inaugural President. The first year was an amazing time of building the club’s culture: sponsoring a youth exchange student, participating in West University Place’s Fourth of July Parade, hosting a GSE Team, and serving the community through projects such as refurbishing a senior resident’s home, assisting with an inner-city immunization project, and fundraising through a garage sale in partnership with the University Area Rotary Club.
West U Rotary established the US Flag fundraising program soon after the club’s founding and added the Texas flag to the program in 2012. Today, this program raises over $100,000 each year to support local, national, and international projects.
The annual golf tournament launched in 1996. Currently, the Club President selects the beneficiary of the more than $40,000 raised annually. Recent beneficiaries include Weekley YMCA, Emergency Aid Coalition, Women’s Program at Lockhart Prison, and Easter Seals.
West U Rotary Club has been recognized as the “Best Large Club in the District” multiple times over the years: Rotary Year 2002-2003 (President Gene McFaddin), 2004-2005 (President Terry Ziegler), 2006-2007 (President Margit Winstrom), 2007-2008 (President Rick Shanks), 2012-2013 (Kathy Kokas), and 2023-2024 (President Essi Kwabi).
Community Service
Rotary International’s motto is Service Above Self and West U Rotarians have always rolled up their sleeves in service to others. Over the years, projects ranged from cleaning up the Wildlife Sanctuary at West U Elementary School, building a Habitat for Humanity House, distributing toys for the Jingle Bell Express, providing practice interviews for women in domestic violence and substance abuse programs, delivering bagels to Star of Hope Mission, packing food for Rise Against Hunger, staffing the Snack Shack to support Challenger Baseball, to packing pallets for Books for the World.
Donations
Grants reflect the club's commitment to supporting various community projects and initiatives over the years. A sampling of grants includes $10,000 to the Children Assessment Center, $13,000+ to the City of West University Place’s police department, $30,000+ to Easter Seals, $10,000+ to the Women’s Home, $5,000+ to Operation Turkey, and $20,000+ to Engineers without Borders University of Houston Chapter.
West University Little League: Challenger Division Centennial Project
In 2005, Rotary International celebrated its Centennial and each club was challenged with implementing a signature project. West U Rotary undertook a $125,000 effort to build the Rotary Field House for the West University Little League. First Lady Barbara Bush joined little league players in tossing out the first pitch for the dedication of the Field House. In 2005, the West University Little League Challenger team (special needs youth) was invited to play T-Ball on the South Lawn of the White House. Club President Mike Woods, and members Dick Cancelmo and Terry Ziegler attend representing West U Rotary Club.
Exchange Students and Group Study Exchange
Exchange students have been a part of the West U family since the club was started. These students have contributed to cultural exchange and global understanding here in Houston and in the students’ hometowns. West U Rotary Club recognizes the immense contribution of St. Agnes Academy for providing an annual tuition scholarship for the club’s exchange student. Students have been hosted from Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Taiwan, Thailand, and Venezuela.
The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program was a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 in the early stages of their careers. The program provided travel grants for teams to exchange visits. West U Rotary participated with groups from Argentina, Chile, England, India, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, and Uganda. Rotary International ended this program in 2013.
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