By Rhonda Rubin They excitedly open the small packages. Their eyes widen, and their smiles beam as they pull out the shiny prizes inside. Are they children tearing into birthday presents? No, they are Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo volunteers receiving their gold committeemen's badges. Every year, just prior to the Show, they receive gold badges that grant them certain privileges and set them apart from other Show visitors. Whether the badge is worn on a necklace, on a leather badge holder or simply pinned to a shirt, it is an eye-catching accessory that just gets better every year -- a fact not overlooked by the volunteers! In fact, the excitement of receiving the badge is matched only by the curiosity of what it will look like.
What most people don't know is the amount of work and planning that goes into a badge that's only worn for two or three weeks. Designing and producing the gold badges is a collective effort among the Show's marketing department, the general manager's office and the vendors -- one that begins almost a year in advance. It all starts with the development of an artistic theme to be used for the souvenir program and all brochures and publications promoting the Show. Once the theme is established and the artwork developed, the concepts are sent to the badge vendor to determine which design elements from the artwork can be reproduced in metal. "Sometimes specific concepts in the artwork either don't reproduce well in metal or are cost prohibitive to include in metal," said Lori Renfrow, assistant manager of the Show. By working with the vendors, Show personnel can select design elements relevant to the theme while making sure the badge looks its best. "We know people wear their badges proudly, so we try to make a design that symbolizes the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and is distinctive every year," said Renfrow. Each year, between 17,000 and 18,000 badges are ordered. "What most people forget is we have badges for the 12,000 committeemen, but we also have badges for people such as guests, judges and superintendents," said Beth Schaefer, director of membership for the Show. Also included in this number is a silver version of the badge made for VIPs -- sponsors, corporate contributors and donors. Unlike its gold counterpart, the VIP badge does not grant access to rodeo and entertainment events. However, it does allow entry to the livestock and horse shows, and it identifies the wearer as someone who has made an important and significant contribution to the Show. Schaefer orders the badges in August, and they arrive in a series of shipments. As the badges arrive, she inventories each by type and badge number. Once all the badges have been received, committee staff coordinators distribute them to their committee members at badge meetings, where each volunteer signs for an envelope containing a numbered badge, a parking permit and badge rules. Then, every badge number and its owner's name are entered into a computer database. This allows the committee members who missed their committees' badge meetings to pick up their badges at the membership office. Badges have been a part of the Show since its inception in 1932. Initially, they were made of paper, not metal, and were issued only to officers, directors and others who needed access to the Show. Metal badges were introduced in the 1940s and were issued only to members of the Executive Committee and officers and directors. Committeemen were eventually issued silver badges, which allowed them entry into the Show only for committee business. The policy changed in 1966, and since then all official Show badges have been gold, sometimes with a splash of red, white, blue or black. In keeping with the 1999 musical theme, the centerpiece of the badge featured a guitar surrounded by piano keys. The badge sported other familiar icons, such as a red, white and blue Texas state flag and the Show's signature "Bowlegged H" logo. Renfrow said these touches distinguish the Show's badge from all others and help keep each Show's badge unique. "There are a lot of livestock shows around that use badges to identify their volunteers and staff, but we make sure each year's badge is different," she said. Wearing the badge means different things to different people. For some, the badge represents a reward for a year of hard work. For others, it signals the beginning of their hard work during the Show. Many committee volunteers perform the bulk of their duties behind the scenes, ensuring that events, competitions, exhibitions and auctions run smoothly, but for each committeeman there is something special about the badge. While badges are worn during the Show, they tend to have a life beyond it. Some people have an extensive collection of badges, but possibly the most complete collection of gold badges -- almost every badge issued since 1956 -- resides in the Show's archives. This impressive collection currently hangs in the Show's offices. As the gold badges for the 2000 Show are issued during the next few months, more than 12,000 volunteers on 91 committees can, once again, take special pride in having earned the distinction of being part of the greatest charity and entertainment event in the Southwest -- the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
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While it is difficult to imagine that an object so small could conjure up so much pride in so many people, it is hardly surprising. The gold badge is a symbol of a committee volunteer's dedication to the mission of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Volunteers consider it an honor to wear the badge and work hard to support the Show. To those who wear the badge, it signifies a mutual commitment to the organization and creates an instant bond with other committee volunteers.
