The role of Tall Clubs.

Bill Moehle was always the tall kid in his class, reaching the height of 6-feet-8 by the age of 15. He put up with teasing and nicknames like Herman (as in Munster) and Lurch (the butler for The Addams Family).

While in high school in Plymouth, Mich., he read a newspaper article about a social club for tall people in the area. “It seemed pretty cool that tall people would get together in that way,” said Moehle, a Brighton resident.

Today, Moehle serves as the president of the Tall Club of Rochester, which has about 25 members. To join, men must be at least 6-feet-2 and women must be at least 5-feet-10.

Club members go on outings and to weekend gatherings hosted by other clubs around the globe.

Brighton resident Walt Narog, who’s 6’ 2’’, is the treasurer of the Rochester Tall Club. He said he travels to at least seven weekend events a year.

“I enjoy travel and the club allows me to go to places I normally wouldn’t go because of the connections all over the country,” said Narog, who was wearing a T-shirt that read “Life Is Short ... I’m not.”

Tall Clubs International was founded in the 1930s by Kae Sumner Einfeldt of Oakland, Calif.; the Rochester chapter was founded in 1991.

Every summer, there is an international convention, and this year’s was in Long Beach, Calif. Moehle attended and was honored with the Frank Winker Lifetime Achievement Award — also known as the man of the year.

“That was a real honor that my peers gave me that kind of recognition,” Moehle said.

The Rochester club will host its annual weekend July 31-Aug. 2 at the Hyatt in downtown Rochester, with “Weekend About Nothing,” following the Seinfeld TV show, as its theme.

Previous years’ themes have been “Harry Potter and the Tale of the Tall Travelers,” “Rock and Roll Tall of Fame,” and “Take Me Out To The Tall Game.”

More than 50 people have come to Rochester for the club’s event. Club members are accustomed to questions from shorter people.

“People will ask me, ‘Do you play basketball?’ ” said Moehle. “I get that all the time. Of course the answer is, ‘Yes, do you play miniature golf?’”

Tall Clubs International also helps give back to the tall community. The clubs support research of Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that is common among tall people. They also provide scholarships for tall college-bound students through the Tall Club International Foundation.

What keeps Moehle and the other local tall club members involved is the friendships they create.
“The only real connection is our height,” he said. “Yet the bonds we form throughout the international organization are tremendous.”