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ASSIST
history and origins By
Ann Ball and Susan Griswold
When Dave Scepanski asked Susan and I to take over from Dale Watson in writing this column, I wanted to yell �Oh no! Not again!� For me, it wouldn�t be the first time I had to follow Dale in doing something � and his are really big shoes to fill. And I don�t just mean his size 12 boots. When I first joined ASSIST back in 1980, Dale was writing, editing, printing and mailing a publication for the organization called the Update. He did a great job and when I took it over a few years later; his was really a tough act to follow. At least Susan is young enough to have a good memory.
Dale already mentioned our trip to Austin in the 1980s to meet with the comptroller about the sales tax. He left out the funny part. I wanted to hire a professional photographer for our upcoming convention, but the rest of the ASSIST board thought it was too expensive. So I decided to raise the money by myself. I made some dart boards with a picture of the Executive Director of TBPIPSA, Clema Sanders, and the slogan �Dart the Board.� While in Austin, I sold them to the other ASSIST board members for $10 and a pledge of secrecy.
A few weeks later, Clema came to Houston and invited me for cocktails. Halfway through a relaxing sip of scotch, Clema asked me, �So what�s this I hear about a new dart board?� I considered faking a heart attack, but finally managed to croak, �Err, just a joke.� Nothing else was said about it, and my office was not immediately overrun with state board investigators, from which I concluded that Clema really did have a good sense of humor.
In spite of our gripes, we all owe Clema a big debt. Among many other things she did for the industry, she is the one who came up with the provision for civil fines which were not allowed for in the original law. Without that provision, any of us could have had our license revoked over a single paperwork mistake.
We all had a great time at the Corpus convention. R.C. Jones and I both brought our pre-teen sons who won several cash drawings. My son also won $40 for catching the biggest fish on the deep-sea fishing trip. When I asked how he managed that, he honestly admitted that most of the men got too busy to fish because they were trying to keep one of the ladies (who had drunk several cocktails) from falling off the boat.
A photographer from the Caller Times was hired to take pictures at the cocktail party. When I paid him, his bill was about half of what he had quoted me. Asked about the reduction, he responded, �Lady, next time I will pay you to let me come! I have never seen a group like this. First of all, I never saw people bring little kids to a cocktail party. Secondly I was watching this one guy who was drunk as a skunk. His pager went off and he snapped to sober, went to the phone, barked a few orders, hung up and went right back to being drunk! Plus a teacher from a Security Academy kept showing karate moves to Sanders. In the photo I took, it looks as if he is fixing to punch her lights out! I had a blast. Thanks for inviting me.�
In September 1991, the local chapters were re-instituted. In Houston, Herb Kelpen, Jerry Cooper, Floyd Fenwick, Bailey Elkin and I met to set up by-laws and appoint the first set of officers. Roland Contreras couldn�t attend because he was in the hospital. So we named him president.
I agree with that photographer that we were, and still are, a most unique group. And as Roland will tell you it�s always wise to go to the meetings.
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