Folsom's Rusty Bloomquist fills tall order, earns Tall Clubs International award

Folsom resident, six-foot-four Rusty Bloomquist, a Sacramento Tall Club (STC) member and a Tall Clubs International (TCI) national member, has been selected as Tall Clubs International's "Man of the Year." He was presented with the Frank Winker Lifetime Achievement Award this summer. Bloomquist said he was unable to attend the annual TCI national convention in Louisville, Kentucky but "was delighted" to learn he had been given the honor and a commemorative plaque. "It's a great honor and I'm proud to have been recognized," he said. Bloomquist, an active member of Tall Clubs International for more than 30 years, has served terms as treasurer, vice president and sergeant-at-arms for the international organization. He was specifically recognized for his work as national Tall Clubs International vice president to encourage membership during the challenging times of 2020 and in providing helpful, practical advice to those seeking to launch new local Tall Clubs International chapters. "We're very proud that Rusty was selected for this honor. It's very well-deserved," said Sacramento Tall Club President Bob Huggett. Sacramento Tall Club is a member of Tall Clubs International. Established in 1982, the Sacramento Tall Club lists some 80 active members, including Bloomquist in the Greater Sacramento region, and a few members from Reno and Stockton. "Open to singles and couples, the STC is an active group of people who share the special attribute of being tall and love getting together and having fun," Huggett said. "Anyone at least 21 years of age may join if they meet the club's height requirements." Women must be at least 5′ 10″ tall and men must be at least 6′ 2″ to join. Measurements are taken barefoot. A spouse of a regular Sacramento Tall Club member can be considered an associate member without meeting the height requirement. Local club members also support a wide range of community activities and causes, including California's adopt-a-highway program and provide academic scholarships to graduating high school seniors. "Graduating seniors must meet our height requirements and write an essay on 'What Being Tall Means to Me,'" Huggett said. Local scholarship winners can then compete for a second national scholarship award. Sacramento Tall Club also supports research concerning Marfan syndrome, an inherited genetic disorder that afflicts those who are usually tall. Bloomquist first joined a tall club while living in Milpitas. A career change and a relocation to Santa Rosa led him to join the Redwood Empire Tall Club. When he later relocated to the Sacramento area, Bloomquist joined the Sacramento Tall Club. "Here in Sacramento, we have several incredible leaders which has caused our Sacramento Tall Club to be one of the largest and most active clubs within TCI International," Bloomquist said. During 2020, it had been especially difficult for members of social clubs such as Sacramento Tall Club to get together, Bloomquist said. "We often held our monthly meetings via Zoom." Within homes all around the world, tall men and women have found TCI through social media and the web, asking how to become a member. "I'm always amazed at how many had not heard that there was a social club for tall people," Bloomquist said. "I responded to hundreds of these inquiries, directing them to where they could find a local club or just how to become a TCI member-at-large." "I also gave advice how they might start a new tall club within their own region, and hope that they do," Bloomquist said. Bloomquist describes his fellow members of the Sacramento Tall Club and Tall Clubs International as an extension of his immediate family. Tall club members typically enjoy house parties, dance events, "TGIF" dinner outings and other social gatherings of tall friends. "I'm always looking forward to our next get together," he said. Upcoming events for the Sacramento Tall Club are posted on social media, including Facebook and Meetup, Huggett said. Call 916-469-8255 to learn more about upcoming events or visit the web page at sacramentotallclub.org.