From Flannery O'Connor to Muddy Waters, “Myth, Magic, & Mojo" explores the ways myths and legends rooted in East Texas lore help give voice to creative expression and a rich cultural legacy.
"A self-taught photographer turns Beaumont's small-town life into visual poetry.
Keith Carter, a Texas native with a modest background, became a world-class artistic photographer. Many years later, he has not forgotten his roots; Carter still lives in Beaumont, Texas. He transforms the mundane details of small-town life into the sublime, revealing mystical, quirky, and difficult facets of human (and animal) nature.
Carter grew up watching his single mother scrape by as a child portrait photographer, but he never considered photography as a possible career for himself until college. At age twenty-one, the light in one of his mother’s prints caught his eye and inspired him to begin photographing his own pictures. For 15 years afterwards, he assisted his mother’s business around the state.
With no formal photography training, Carter learned to make art from a mentor and his own investigations. A local sculptor let him borrow from a private library of art books and literature. Carter would try to match the tonal range of famous photographs in his own prints. When he was twenty-five, he went to New York with special access granted to the archived prints at the Museum of Modern Art. He spent three weeks examining the work of great photographers first-hand.
Despite the lack of an artistic photography community in Texas at the time he began his work, Carter decided to make his home state the center of his artistic world. According to Carter, he 'started looking at where I lived as an exotic land, almost as an allegory.' ” (source: Keith Carter Photographs, Introduction, Joseph Bellows Gallery, http://www.josephbellows.com/artists/keith-carter/bio/)
Would you like to take part in the weekly meetings in a more active role? Don't wait to be asked. Volunteer for one of the weekly assignments! Choose your role and a date that is convenient. Contact Barry Bryant at 409-656-4108 or bbryant@billclarkbugsperts.com.
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CALENDAR OF ROTARY EVENTS
(Club participation & opportunities for meeting makeups)
DECEMBER
6
ELECTION DAY; attend meeting to cast your ballot
9
Rotarian Service Above Self as Bell-Ringers for Salvation Army Red Kettle drive; Parkdale Mall main entrance
11
DEADLINE FOR PURCHASING HOLIDAY PARTY TICKETS
13
Holiday Party; 12:00 NOON, MCM Elegante
14
RYLA Orientation at Kelly High School cafeteria; 5:30-6:30 p.m.
19
Board of Directors meeting, 11:45 a.m., The Art Museum of Southeast Texas
20
NO MEETING - HAPPY HOLIDAY
27
NO MEETING - HAPPY HOLIDAY
JANUARY
3
WEEKLY MEETING SCHEDULE RESUMES
5-7
Camp RYLA! at Woodlake
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On November 28, 2017, the Board of Directors approved a new Mission Statement for the Rotary Club of Beaumont as proposed by the Strategic Planning Committee.
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Election for 2018-2021 Board of Directors and Board of Trustees
On Wednesday, December 6, the membership will elect four Rotarians to serve on the Club's Board of Directors and one new trustee for the Beaumont Rotary Foundation. The newly-elected will serve for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2018.
The Nominating Committee selected qualified candidates who appear on the ballot (sample below).
You must be present at the meeting on December 6 to cast a ballot, according to Michele Cobb, Sergeant-at-Arms, who will oversee the election.
Click on the image below to view the ballot in full screen.
As you consider your vote, please remember that according to the Club bylaws, a person must have been elected to a 3-year term on the Board of Directors to be selected to serve as Club President. Article 3, Section 4 reads: ".. the president-nominee shall have been a director elected by the membership at some time previous to his or her election."
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Salvation Army Bell-Ringers Needed
Close your eyes for a minute.
Do you hear them?
It's the familiar sound of the bell-ringing at holiday time!
Chair Twila Baker announced the date of Saturday, December 9 as the day when Rotarians will work the kettle at the main entrance of Parkdale Mall.
Rotarians and friends who volunteer are asked to work for a one-hour shift between the hours of 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
We want to have a minimum of two people for each shift, but the more the merrier!
Aprons and bells will be provided! The schedule is filling but we still need workers. Please
sign up for your hour shift at: , or phone the Rotary office at 409-842-1913.
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Past President Vernon Pierce cordially invites you to the 2017 Rotary Holiday Party!
Taking a cue from the events of the year, the annual party is going to be eventful too! If you haven't yet "caught" the holiday spirit, this party will certainly help you do just that! So make plans now to attend on December 13 at Noon at the Eleganté Hotel. We will enjoy a very special menu of:
Expansive Salad Bar
Carved Peppercorn-Crusted Prime Rib
Amalfi Shrimp Scampi
Scalloped Potatoes
Grilled Asparagus
Assorted Holiday Desserts
Coffee & Cordials Station
Spouses and guests are welcome! Wear your holiday finest or your business casual. Entertainment will be special with performances by the Martin Elementary children's Choir and Paul Vick, local musician. A highlight of the party each year is the announcement of the Club's President-Nominee, a well-guarded secret until this occasion.
The cost is $25 per person. ADVANCED TICKETS ARE REQUIRED BY MONDAY, DECEMBER 11 because we are obligated to submit a guarantee by Monday. If you wish, you can trade a ticket from your meal ticket book and $10 for a "Holiday Party" ticket, but this must be done in advance as well. Please purchase online or at the sales table at the entry of the Fountainview Room at the December 6th meeting. Tickets can be purchased online by linking here; your ticket will be available to be picked up at the Party.
While you are out-and-about doing your holiday shopping, please consider picking up a $25 gift card to WalMart, Target, M & D Supply, Home Depot, Lowe's, or any other favorite place to shop. We will be sharing gift cards with the employees of Martin Elementary, the elementary on Pine Street that we "adopted" following Harvey's devastation. Bring cards, or make a donation of $25, on December 6 so we have time to purchase the amount of cards that will be needed.
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DUES INVOICING AND THE BILLING CYCLE
Rotary operates financially at the club, district, and international levels. Dues, along with contributions to the Beaumont Rotary Foundation, support the work done at each level. Dues are billed to the individual at the club level, andthe club pays District and International dues on behalf of every member who is on the membership roster on January 1 and July 1.
In order for the club to pay dues to Rotary International and District 5910 on January 1, each member must be up to date on his/her dues to the Club no later than December 29, in advance of the January 1 assessment by Rotary International.
If your July 1 dues are still unpaid on Friday, December 29, you will be terminated in bad-standing, meaning you are ineligible for membership in this or any other Rotary Club until your past due amount has been paid.
In order to make it as convenient as possible for you to submit a timely payment, the Board of Directors has requested that the invoices be sent to members 30-45 days in advance so that each member has adequate time to budget for the expense, process payment, and assure that the invoice is paid by January 1, 2018.
Electronic invoices were sent out last week; thank you to all who have submitted payment already. If you requested to have a printed invoice mailed to you, it should be received within the week. Please phone the office or email admin@beaumontrotaryclub.org to request a different method of billing or payment. Members with a credit card on file will receive a receipt by email when your card has been charged.
If you wish, you can submit your credit card information to be kept on file so that payments are processed for you in advance of the deadline.
Didn't receive your invoice, have questions or need to change your membership status? Call 409-842-1913. Thank you.
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BECOME A PAUL HARRIS FELLOW OR A MULTIPLE PHF
Have you considered becoming a Paul Harris Fellow or perhaps adding another Paul Harris Fellow to those you have earned? A Paul Harris Fellow can be earned by a combined contribution of dollars and points totaling 1,000.
If you have ever given money or if money has been given in your name to The Rotary International Foundation, you have an account balance. If that balance reaches 1,000 through additional money or point contributions, you will become a Paul Harris Fellow or a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.
The Beaumont Rotary Club has points which the Board of Directors will consider using to match your contribution so that your balance plus additional contributions plus points equals 1,000. Call the Executive Director at 409-842-1913 to determine what additional contributions you must make by December 31, 2017, in order to take advantage of this offer.
All such donations are tax-deductible, but must be received by December 31 for 2017 taxes. (Please make note that December 31 is on Sunday.)
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Welcome to the Newest Rotarians in the World!
Jennifer Gregory is among the newest Rotarians in the world and in the Club. Jennifer is a Lamar graduate in marketing and has a strong background in finance. She is currently Financial Analyst at Coburn Supply Company. She is a member of Southeast Texas Young Professionals and enjoys crafting, crossfit, and all things Disney!
Marianne Laine is currently Law Clerk for the US Courts, Judge Marcia Crone, who proposed her membership. She will soon be joining Strasburger & Price LLP. Marianne is an Aggie and a Sustaining member of Junior League. She enjoys boot camp, reading, riding horses, and baking.
(Isn't is a coincidence that both new members have a son named Sam?)
Welcome, Jennifer and Marianne!
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BOARD ACTION
In recent action, the Board approved a classification change:
Kristie Young
From: Director of Development, Lamar University
Classification: “University – Advancement”
To: Business Partner for Public & Government Affairs,
SNC Lavalin at ExxonMobil
Classification: “Oil Industry – Public Affairs”
If anyone has an objection to this membership change, please provide the board with the reason for your objection in writing within 10 days. Thank you.
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Rotary Club of Beaumont proudly sponsored Ryan Nunez' application to become a Global Grant Scholar for 2018-2019, studying in the Netherlands. We learned she was selected by the District 5910 Committee and will receive this scholarship to continue her education! We wish Ryan a wonderful learning experience and will look forward to hearing about her experiences and her studies.
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Lauren Brooks
December 4
Michele Cobb
December 4
James Fuller
December 4
John Weitzel
December 4
Craig Hatcher
December 5
Chad Blanchard
December 6
Fred Kristiansen
December 6
Josh Smith
December 6
Robert Turner
December 6
Chris Ayers
December 8
Evelyn Lord
December 8
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We send wishes for a quick recovery to our friends and fellow Rotarians who are ill, are anticipating or recovering from surgery, or just in need of encouragement and support.
Roger McCabe
If you know of others who should be added to this list, please advise the office staff at 409-842-1913.
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PROGRAM REVIEW
November 29, 2017
"The Role of the Sabine River Authority"
Clayton Henderson
Assistant General Manager
Sabine River Authority
by Chuck Heare
The Sabine River Authority (SRA) was created in 1949. It is responsible for the management of the Sabine River Basin which runs from Sabine Lake on the Gulf Coast to Celeste, Texas near Dallas and covers all or part of 21 counties. The board of directors is chosen from the counties of the five main divisions of the basin. Besides the Sabine River, the SRA has three lakes in its area of jurisdiction – Toledo, Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork. Toledo is the largest man-made body of water in the south and is on the border of Texas and Louisiana. Consequently, it falls under the jurisdiction of both states and requires that the SRA work closely with Louisiana in the management of Toledo. The Toledo dam also has a hydroelectric project which supplies electricity to Entergy. Toledo is a 185,000 surface acre reservoir and the dam has the capacity to deliver 383 million gallons of water per day.
Lake Tawakoni (also known as the Iron Bridge Dam) was completed in the 60's and has the capacity to supply 230,357 ac. ft. per year of water. It is a 39,879 surface acre reservoir, has a fixed spillway, and can deliver 213 million gallons of water per day.
Lake Fork was completed in 1980 and is a 27,690 surface acre lake. It has the capacity to deliver 168 million gallons per day. It has the dependable yield of up to 188,660 ac. ft. of water per year. Lake Fork is also well known for its bass fishing and has yielded 34 of the top 50 bass in the country, with the largest catch weighing over 18 pounds.
Both Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork supply water to Dallas on an annual basis and are the primary revenue generators for the SRA, amounting to around $26 million per year. Toledo does not currently supply water to any municipalities like the other two lakes, but the Sabine River has a 360 million gallon per day pumping station that lifts water 22 feet to a system of canals which supply water to agricultural and industrial entities in Orange County.
According to Mr. Henderson, in most flood situations, as long as the lakes are trapping more water than they are releasing, they are doing the job they were designed to do and making a bad situation better than it might be otherwise. This was apparently the case in the recent Hurricane Harvey flood.
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