The BREAK-9 for February-March front page had a whale spouting "You'll have a whale of a time in Corsicana March 1st." Chris and Lee White of California were there to insure it. The heavily laden tables in the hospitality room made State REACTors and guests feel very welcome. With the Silver Anniversary Convention dates set for July 27-30, 1987, it was time to get to work with all the advance planning possible. Dickie George asked all Texas REACTors to pick the committee that they felt most comfortable with. She planned evening workshops after each State Council meeting during 1986 and the March and June meetings of 1987. Those who could go to Canada to "drum up" business for the next convention or just observe how the hosts did their jobs, were encouraged to make their plans early. Convention registration forms and tour and souvenir reservation forms were also included in that BREAK-9. In fact there was some talk of chartering a bus to take 30 or more Texans to Calgary. Sesquicentennial events were listed along with the REACT meetings in our enlarged Calendar of Events.

Smiley Jones talked to REACTors in Corsicana on March 1st at the Econo Lodge about how they could "Keep Texas Beautiful" through the Adopt a Highway program. Many REACT Teams were inspired by his pep talk and wound up adopting more than just one mile of highway to keep litter-free. Ector County REACT sent a message to the meeting that they planned to contribute $500 to the Convention fund and $1000 worth of doorprizes.

Chuck Thompson had brought his folding machine the evening before and taught Lee White, Jerry and Barbara Jennison and some others how to use it for folding the 11,000 brochures that were ready for distribution. Kathy and Aubrey King told of their planned move to Oklahoma. Kathy resigned as VOAID Chairman and Ways and Means Chairman.

Chris White asked all REACTors to try to get advertisers for The REACTer. It was one of the most expensive parts of the REACT operation. Awards Task Group Leader Lee White said that only eight Teams out of 800 sent in nominations for awards in 1985. He asked Teams to list and document their projects for the quarterly awards. President Jennison asked Richard Pratz to serve as interim Publicity Chairman until another one was appointed.

Since Jerry Reese had served REACT for more than seventeen years when he resigned, the Council passed a Resolution to express their thanks and appreciation and wish him a happy future.

BREAK-9 got a big boost when Gene Coates of Dallas County REACT donated his part of the Texas Stadium booth income to the BREAK- 9. The funds were used to buy one-year subscriptions for doorprizes at the next several meetings of Dallas County REACT. The growing number of contributors of articles, stories, poems, etc. really made it the voice of REACT in Texas! The April-May issue of BREAK-9 was dedicated to Gerald H. Reese.

Different boots graced the front page of the June/July '86 BREAK- 9. They were made for walking to the Camelot Inn in Amarillo on July 12th. President Jerry Jennison said that the spring storms, particularly the one that hit Sweetwater taught him some things:

1. Training is important.
2. It really does count when you are under the gun.

He expressed his appreciation for those who worked in the storm's aftermath and those who stood-by to help as back- ups.

The Council was ten years old in June, 1986.

Team of the Month Awards for

• March, 1986 was Navarro County REACT for their "Keep Texas Beautiful" Program. They sponsored a Jeanie C. Riley concert and it was well received.
• April's winner was Brazos County REACT for their assistance to fire departments in putting on and removing their smoke equipment, helping to reload used hoses and collecting food and drinks to provide refreshments for the men fighting fires.
• For providing communications for 200 miles of roadway during the Hands Across America Program, Potter County REACT was chosen Team of the Month for May. Because Area VI Council and its member Teams gave them assistance, they share in an honorable mention!
• In June, there was a tie between Sweetwater REACT and San Angelo REACT Ass'n, both for their participation in the clean-up following the Sweetwater tornado.
• San Angelo won again for July for their 24 hour coverage of Ch 9, and for furnishing security for the Girl Scouts on overnight campouts while providing communications and security for the city's week-long Fiesta Del Concho.
• Brazos County REACT was the August winner for their work in helping recapture two escaped convicts.
• The September winner provided traffic control and communications during a fire in the Houston Ship Channel; Houston Metro Emergency also provided a whirlpool to a former REACTor who needed it.
• Brazoria County REACT's support of Special Olympics, the County Fair and frequent rest stops earned them Team of the Month for October.

Team of the Year for 1986 was San Angelo REACT Ass'n.

Castro County REACT of Dimitt became a new Area VI Team.

In Amarillo on July 12, 1986, Miss Billie Ray, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Chapter there, told of the good relationship and long association between REACT and the Red Cross Chapter. Longview Area REACT had 100% of their members (all eight of them) at the council meeting.

President Jennison noted that among the other losses in Sweetwater were 96 dumpsters. He advised Teams to go over their city's disaster plans to be sure that Teams are prepared to offer shelter, electricity and communications. He appointed Rena Pittman as Ways and Means Chairman and Richard Pratz as Awards Chairman. He also asked Richard to chair the nominating committee of: F. E. Healer, Dickie George, Charles Thompson and Ivan Knox. He announced that eight more REACT Teams disbanded in the past year.

Only 15 Texans attended the International Convention in Calgary, but they were enough to fill the roles of the skit that Barbara Jennison had written to spark some interest in our invitation to San Antonio. In newsletter competition, BREAK-9 took second place in Councils, The Dallas County REACT-O-Gram took second place for large Teams and Bell County ACTIONS took third place for small Teams. Richard Pratz was named Life Membership Task Group Chairman for the third year.

New Members of the State Council Awards Committee were: Lilly McCartney, Area II; Robert Beran, Area IV; Frank Graves, Area V; Bob Hayes, Area VI; Frances Riley, Area VII; and Curtis Bell, Area VIII.

The new REACT Road sign was on the first page of the August- September, 1986 BREAK-9 with the question, To Be or Not To Be? That is the Question. The Answer is up to us. Teams that have twenty-four hour coverage of Channel 9 and their county road supervisor's permission may be able to put up the road signs.

A sleeping Mexican on the front page of the October-November, 1986 BREAK-9 reminded us that the State Council met in San Antonio on November 1, 1986 to get acquainted with the Gunter, the site of the 1987 REACT International Convention. Meeting there made the upcoming convention seem even closer and gave an impetus to the planning sessions.

New Council officers were elected:

• President, Jerry Jennison;
• Executive VP, Curtis Bell;
• Vice President, Frank Stamps;
• Recording Secretary, Yvonne Speer;
• Treasurer, Judy Thompson; and
• Sergeant-at-Arms, Rick George.

The Council voted to support Richard Pratz's nomination as Field Director of REACT International, if he were nominated by his Team. They also voted to move the date of the summer Council meeting to June 13, 1987.

Jim Tanner was looking forward to the International Convention while he wrote a little about his illness for publication in the holiday edition of BREAK-9. A list of committee chairmen for the convention, their addresses and a telephone where REACTors could call to volunteer their assistance was also a part of the holiday BREAK-9.