Team of the Month for January, 1983 was Dallas County REACT for being the largest and one of the oldest Teams in the state and doing their share of community service. A very fine communications Team with CB and GMRS equipment, lending assistance in emergencies, keeping DWI's off the streets during heavy holiday traffic AND receiving National recognition for their fine newsletter.

Seventy-three REACTors registered on March 5, 1983 at the State Council meeting at the Holiday Inn in Tyler. Areas represented and their delegates were: II, Mark Scott and Gary Pittman; IV, Robert Beran and Vernon Cochran; V, Dickie George and Vern Pederson; VI, Frank Stamps and Ivan Knox; VII, Charles Thompson and Frances Riley; VIII, Nell Pessink and Curtis Bell. Jim Ellis of the Henderson County Sheriff's Dept. talked about crime in Texas and Jack Horn of the Smith County Sheriff's Dept. talked about neighborhood watch programs and ways to prevent home burglaries. Jim Tanner resigned as Treasurer and Frank Stamps was elected to the position. The Council voted to send flowers to Martha Wann who was in the hospital. A card was circulated for Bobby Jones who missed the meeting because of the death of his aunt.

It was announced that there were five new Life Members in Texas: Buddy and Doris Lindblad of Ark-La-Tex REACT, Reba Moseley and Gay Vaughn of El Paso REACT and Charlie Markham (deceased) honored by Arlington REACT.

Jim Tanner resigned as BREAK-9 Editor and Team of the Month and Year Committee Chm. Don Gawlick, also of Guadalupe County REACT, was appointed his successor with Karen Smith of Spring Creek REACT as an assistant. Kathy and Aubrey King of Houston Metro Emergency REACT volunteered to accept the chairmanship of Ways and Means and Public Relations, respectively.

The Council voted to pay the registration fees of $42.50 each for Jerry Jennison and Bobby Jones to attend the Volunteer Organizations Active In Disaster (VOAID) meeting in Denton on March 17-18, 1983. Ed Pessink would serve as alternate. Buddy Lindblad was elected delegate to the REACT Forum which would meet in Wichita, KS July 25-29. Richard Pratz was elected alternate delegate. Effective March 1, 1983, the REACT Liability Insurance policy was upgraded from $250,000 to one million dollars.

There was a proposal from Area VII that the Council consider restructuring itself into separate, independent Councils, like those in California with cooperation between Councils accomplished by a Council of Presidents. The proposal was taken back to the Area Councils and Teams for discussion.

The profit from the sale of tickets for the afghan that Kathy King won and the ceiling fan that Della Beran won was $348.50.

Some of the Team announcements included a Jamboree in Tyler, a Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Derrick Days in Corsicana, a Bell County REACT Law Appreciation Dinner, Safety Breaks planned by many Teams. Ark-La-Tex donated $100 to the Salvation Army and collected $800 more for them, and Piney Woods REACT #4545 was recognized as the state's newest Team. Ed Pessink presented a Tyler rose bush to Keren Pratz.

Later Childress XIT REACT was honored as April's Top Team and Piney Woods REACT was chosen as Team of the Month for May. The information gap was closed for the remainder of the year, since not only was a complete write-up done in the final BREAK-9 of the year for the June through October winners, but the file also contains actual copies of congratulatory letters from Don Gawlick to the winning Teams!

The REACT International Convention in Wichita, Kansas had a very different tone from others that many Texans had attended. President Pratz gave a lengthy report in the BREAK-9 for July/September '83 that captured the "flavor" of the changes. While monitoring CB Channel 9 was still a principle purpose of REACT, membership was opened on a discretionary basis to public service teams who would help in emergencies, though perhaps not on CB radio. It was necessary to raise dues and General Manager Gerald Reese took a voluntary pay cut. Life Membership funds were borrowed to pay part of REACT International's debts this year. A spirit of compromise closed the meeting. One of the best reports of this convention was written from the eyes of Allison Smith (age 6).

All Board members received updated State Directories in Corsicana on August 13, 1983 at the meeting sponsored by Area VIII and Navarro County REACT at the Holiday Inn. The rest of the remaining Team Directories would be sold for $1 each. Two outstanding features of this meeting were the first ever printed program at a State meeting and the speech by COL. James B. Adams of the Texas Dept. of Highways and Public Transportation entitled "Your Voice Does Count" as an individual or as a group on the value of REACT and methods of home and self protection. Sixty- six people registered, including twelve members of the Dallas County Repeater Corporation and a reporter from the Corsicana Daily Sun.

Henderson County REACT had sponsored their second annual Miss REACT Pageant and presented 4 of the 5 winners. The Council voted to have the girls represent State REACT, as well.

The new order of State Council patches had arrived, but the Supply Chairman was out of "We Monitor Channel 9" patches.

Don Gawlick announced the Teams of the Month. They were:

• January - Dallas County REACT for being the largest and one of the oldest Teams in the state and doing their share of community service. A very fine communications Team with CB and GMRS equipment, lending assistance in emergencies, keeping DWI's off the streets during heavy holiday traffic AND receiving National recognition for their fine newsletter.
• February - Gonzales County REACT;
• March - McGregor REACT
• April - Childress XIT REACT
• May - Piney Woods REACT
• June, Brownwood REACT for storm watch and damage assessment
• July, Bexar County REACT for super monitorship records and establishment of CB communications system at civil defense headquarters
• August, Brazoria County REACT for twenty-four hour involvement, distribution of food to the jobless and safety breaks
• September, Houston Metro Emergency REACT for promotion of Child Restraints, March of Dimes Team Walk and participation with Muscular Dystrophy and Cyctic Fibrosis Foundations and
• October, Henderson County REACT for installing a base station in a local retirement center and training the operators

The Team of the Year 1983 was: Piney Woods REACT for rest stop activities, blood pressure clinics and promoting REACT.

It was no longer necessary to have a license to operate a C.B. radio. New fines were set at a minimum of $600 to encourage Federal prosecution of violators, especially interference on Channel-9.

The State Council met at the Sheridan Hotel in San Antonio on November 5th. All officers were present except F. D. Lindblad. The guest speaker was Leland K. Wood, Director of the Texas Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, Southwest Texas State University, who spoke on crime prevention. There were forty-nine REACTors and six guests present. Aubrey King sang his first singing telegram for Martha Wann. The Dallas County Repeater Corporation appeal background was reviewed. The North Central Texas REACT Council speaker was Chuck Thompson. The speakers for Dallas Repeater Corporation were E. H. Nail, Ray Slaughter, Mike Lucky and Sharon Cherry. Questions from the floor preceded delegates meeting with REACTors from their Area Council. The secret ballot results were twelve against approval of the Charter Application and no votes in favor of the Charter application. A new Team in Area IV was Magnum REACT, Charter 4576 in LaSalle. Jerry Jennison reported that he had attended a VOAID meeting in Dallas. The spring meeting would be in Austin, March 13th and 14th, 1984. A discussion on the best ways to handle requests for aid from other REACT Teams during a disaster got everyone involved.