The Rotary Club of Beaumont, TX, is a large and diverse fellowship of inspired business, professional, and civic leaders with significant community connections that foster the ideals of Service Above Self and high ethical standards.
The Rotary Club of Beaumont is pleased to hold weekly hybrid meetings. Members are invited to attend the meeting from home, office or car using the Zoom link, or you may choose to attend in-person at the MCM Eleganté Hotel.
If you are unable to complete the electronic form and would like to be added to the reservation list, please call the Rotary office at 409-842-1913.
MEETING PREVIEW
June 2, 2021
"No Child Deserves to Live in Fear”
Ms. French
President
Beaumont Chapter
"Bikers Against Child Abuse, Inc. (B.A.C.A.) is a non-profit, 501-C-3 tax-exempt organization that exists to provide aid, comfort, safety, and support for children that have been sexually, physically, and emotionally abused. We are dedicated to the principle that one of the basic rights of childhood is to be safe and protected, and when the child’s family or environment have failed them, we stand ready to provide it to them.
B.A.C.A. is a strong organization of dedicated individuals who are willing to sacrifice any and all in order to protect and secure a child’s basic right to a happy childhood.
The Beaumont Chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse was chartered in 2019 and is based out of Beaumont, Texas. We work in conjunction with agencies in Jefferson, Hardin, Orange, Jasper, Newton and Tyler counties to support and empower abused children. Our members are a diverse group of individuals from all walks of life who love their country, their bikes, their kids and share the common bond of motorcycling and a yearning in our hearts to help children.
We are not a weekend riding club, we are a volunteer organization that lends our time and biker image to empower children to no longer feel afraid of the world in which they live and give them the confidence to testify against their abuser."
Service Project: Some Other Place, 590 Center Street; 9:00 a.m.-Noon
3
Preparing Books for Martin students; 4:00 p.m.; Eleganté Vernada Room
7-8, 10-11
Service Project: Meals on Wheels with Nutrition & Services for Seniors, ride along with a driver or follow in your personal vehicle to deliver meals; 9:30 a.m. (meet at 4590 Concord)
14
"Show Your Colors" Flag project for Flag Day
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BOARD ACTION
The following action was taken at the Board of Directors meeting on May 26.
A new member proposal was approved:
Jacques Gagne, Buyer, Coburn Supply Company
Proposed by Jennifer Gregory
CLASSIFICATION: “Business Service – Building Supplies”
Three classification changes were approved
Shelly Vitanza
FROM: Director of Public Affairs, Lamar University
CLASSIFICATION: "University – Public Affairs"
TO: Manager, Community & Government Affairs, BASF TOTAL Petrochemicals, LLC
CLASSIFICATION: "Chemical Industry – Public Relations”
Virtue Alexander
FROM: Beauty Consultant, Mary Kay Cosmetics
TO:
Grant Writing Manager, Communities in Schools
Classification: “Associations – Communities in Schools”
Denise Berry
FROM: Sales, Acadiana Waste Service
CLASSIFICATION: "Business Service - Commercial Waste Disposal"
TO: Owner, Trinity Waste
“Business Service – Waste Disposal”
Membership was terminated for Kerry Moncla.
And, reluctantly and with regret, the Board accepted the resignation of Gary Moncla.
To complete Gary Moncla’s term of service on the Board of Directors, the Board approved the nomination of Diane Bass. Diane has been serving this year as Vice President and will serve in the new capacity through 2023.
On our continuing effort to transition back to ALL in-person meetings, the Board discussed that we will:
• continue NOT wearing our Rotary name badges for a little while longer;
• continue the practice of the “served” buffet with sneeze guards in place;
• start having 6 people per table (so there will be plenty of seating each week.)
Tell your friends we miss them at meetings and want them to come back as soon as they are comfortable!
Lastly, the board reconsidered the three-part project proposed by the Committee on Racial Understanding in a joint working relationship with 100 Black Men of Greater Beaumont and the Rotary Club of Port Arthur. It was decided to have the committee continue to study the proposed plan and the Board will reconsider it in three months.
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Meet the Newest Rotarian in the Club!
On May 26, Rotarians were happy to welcome a new member to the Club. Paul Freitag was proposed by his colleague, Steve Grantham. Paul is Vice President for Institutional Trust Relationship Manager at Hancock Whitney Bank. Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Paul and his wife of 36 years, Sharon, moved to Beaumont in 2020 from Columbus, Ohio. Paul is busy also with the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce and the Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center. He enjoys Cross Fit and watching college football.
Congratulations, Paul! We are glad to have you serve with us!
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A New Cardinal N.E.S.T. is Under Construction at Martin Elementary!
What is a N.E.S.T.?
N.E.S.T. stands for Navigating Excellence Success and Triumph and it is an innovative learning lab.
Dedicated to precocious kids learning in areas applied to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)
The elementary and middle school labs provide an ENGAGING environment that SPARKS “the love of learning” in the areas of STEAM-related fields
Includes faculty development that promotes STEAM-related curriculum that encourages teachers to seek additional certification in the STEAM areas.
Won't you please make a donation to help build the N.E.S.T. at Martin Elementary?
We have much to be thankful for here in Beaumont and especially within our Rotary Club.
Following the ice storm that hit Texas in mid-February, our friends and fellow Rotarians in the Rotary Club of York, Pennsylvania, heard of the disaster. As they did following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, they asked our club to be their "boots on the ground" and use a large financial gift to help those who found themselves victims of the bad weather conditions. The York Rotarians specified their gift be spent for food and water so the Board of Directors investigated some ways which we can be of service on behalf of these fellow Rotarians with a generous heart.
With that in mind, the Board made arrangements for Beaumont Rotarians to serve with three local agencies who continue to serve those in need on an on-going basis. We invite you to put on your "boots" and join together with other Beaumont Rotarians to serve at one or more of the selected agencies and demonstrate Service Above Self for the York, PA Rotarians who have been so generous to our area in our time of need.
Project 1 was a great success and thoroughly enjoyable for our volunteers. They worked at the Market To Hope run by Catholic Charities in the South Park neighborhood. You can enjoy some photos of the group here. We send a big “thank you” to: Twila Baker, Cindy Cherry, Ty Coudrian, Cindy Jeanis, Sheree Pierce, Mary Poole, Tim Sudela and Kristie Young.
Project 2: On Thursday, June 3 from 9:00 a.m. until Noon, volunteers will prepare take-out meals for those in need at Some Other Place, 590 Center Street. After meals are handed out, there may be some kitchen clean up to do. Thank you to the volunteers who have already committed to serving at Some Other Place.
We still need volunteers for the third project. During the week of June 7 - 11 (except for Wednesday), volunteers will ride along as a sort of "celebrity volunteer" with a regular volunteer and deliver meals for Meals on Wheels for Nutrition and Services for Seniors. You may choose to drive and follow in your own car if you prefer. Volunteers will meet at the Center at 4590 Concord at 9:30 a.m. to help load up meals and learn about the service you are about to do. The length of time will depend on the route but it is expected that you will complete your task well before 1:00 p.m. Choose the day - or more than one day - when you would like to take part - either Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday.
To volunteer for any or all of these opportunities, please go to the online SignUp Genius at:
The "Rotary Goes to School" project at Martin Elementary is continuing strong! The young students we started this project with were first graders and now they are completing fourth grade.
This year, Chair Lynn Hill worked with the administrators of Martin Elementary to select the books for the children. On Thursday, June 3rd at 4:00 p.m. we will personalize a set of 10 books for each child and bag them in a backpack tote for each child.
Then, on June 9 following the Noon Rotary meeting, volunteers will take part in "Rotary Goes to School" when we deliver the books full of some wonderful summer reading to the children. Plan to take part if you can in the distribution as you get to see the excitement of these youngsters when they receive their bag of books.
Sign up to serve at either the book preparation day (June 3) or the book distribution (June 9) using our SignUpGenius form.
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THANK YOU, FLAG VOLUNTEERS!
Thank you to the Rotarians who demonstrated "Service Above Self" by posting the flags for "Show Your Colors" subscribers this morning.
We are appreciative and proud of this team:
Virtue Alexander
Dena Hughes
Pat Anderson
David James
Larry Beaulieu
Dan Jeans & Paula
Brad Brown
Robert Kocot
Carlos Caballero
John Lee
Lynn Castle & Kris
Debbie Maxwell & Howard
Cindy Cherry
Rebekah Maxwell
Ty Coudrain
Gigi Mazzola
Deborah Drago
Gary Moncla
Phil Dunlap
Lane Olson
Andrew Edwards
Michael Perez
Amanda Ellis
Vernon Pierce
Carolyn Fernandez
Stephanie Shoemaker
Scott Hall
Tim Sudela
Chuck Heare
Mitch Templeton
Gary Hidalgo
Dana Timaeus
Allan Higgins
Ellen Zimmerman
We are grateful for the spouses of so many Rotarians who love this project and helped with today's "Show Your Colors!"
If you would like to be a Flag volunteer, sign up now to help on June 14th for Flag Day or July Fourth for Independence Day. We always need good volunteers! Call or text Pat Anderson at 409-782-4057.
You are great examples of Service Above Self!
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PLEASE VOLUNTEER FOR FLAG PROJECT!
If you have learned that you will be able to help with the "Show Your Colors" flag project on Monday, June 14 for Flag Day and you haven't yet told Pat Anderson, please let him know as soon as you can.
This is a wonderfully patriotic way to start your own personal recognition of these days of great significance. Don't be concerned if you have not served as a flag volunteer before. You will be paired up with another person or team of people who have experience. You will have a great time being a part of this effort!
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Kevin Reed
June 2
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PROGRAM REVIEW
May 26, 2021
“Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine”
Dr. Rodolfo Sotolongo
Cardiologist & Surgeon
Advanced Cardiologist
by Marianne Laine
At our May 26 meeting, Dr. Rodolfo P. Sotolongo of Southeast Texas Cardiology Associates, provided a fascinating summary of the newest advancements in cardiac medicine. Dr. Sotolongo, a graduate of the medical school at University of Santiago, and residency and fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital, is a local cardiologist affiliated with multiple hospitals in Beaumont, including Baptist Hospital and Christus St. Elizabeth.
Dr. Sotolongo, who has been practicing in Beaumont since 1982, explained several new procedures for treating various conditions of the heart. For example, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement or TAVR is a technique used to treat severe aortic valve stenosis (due to calcification). A cardiac valve is replaced without the necessity of an invasive surgery, generally reducing a patient’s hospital stay from 5-7 days to a few days. TAVR, described as a simple straightforward repair, results in reduced recovery time and a longer life span. PEVAR, or Percutaneous Endovascular Aneurysm Repair, is used to correct a bulge in the aorta. An aortic aneurysm is a condition that carries a high risk of rupture and sudden death. To treat this condition, PEVAR is used to insert stented grafts. Like TAVR, a benefit of PEVAR is significantly reduced recovery time and can even be done with conscious sedation instead of general anesthesia.
Dr. Sotolongo also discussed a condition called “Hostile Neck,” in which a prior radical neck surgery or scar can be fixed with a carotid stent. An impella, a “pig tailed” catheter is inserted into the left ventricle with a small motor, generating 3-5 liters of blood flow. He also discussed strokes, which are caused by clots from the heart and result is less blood flow to the brain. 15-20% of all strokes are due to atrial fibrillation. Many times, cardiac surgeons will treat this condition with an ablation procedure, which has a high rate of success. Deep venous clots (generally located deep in the leg or pelvis) are corrected with powerful clot dissolving drugs. PAD or Peripheral artery disease is yet another condition involving blockages and can lead to amputations and death if not treated. A “roto rooter” device is used to remove the plaque in the subject blood vessel
P.A.D. AWARENESS – latest passion is peripheral artery disease. He published a paper on this. Many with the disease experience heart attacks. The condition also leads to amputations. It involves blockages of the arteries. Mortality is every bit as bad as cancer if one is not aware of it and does not seek treatment. 50% of patients who get an amputation never received an angiogram!!! In cardiac medicine, many amputations are prevented or minimized. Roto-rooter devices are used to remove plaque and insert balloons.
These are but a few examples of the advancements in cardiac medicine available to our community. The future of cardiac medicine is positive and inspiring, as young scientists continue to research new methods of treating heart conditions. As explained by Dr. Sotolongo, the future of cardiac medicine lies in genomics, proteomics, molecular biology, stem cells, minimally invasive surgery, and diagnostic artificial intelligence.
Photos by Tim Sudela
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Link to the Zoom page which includes this and all the recorded meetings for April - June 2021.
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Rotarians in the Rotary Club of York, Pennsylvania, heard of the disaster. As they did following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, they asked our club to be their "boots on the ground" and use a large financial gift to help those who found themselves victims of the bad weather conditions. The York Rotarians specified their gift be spent for food and water so the Board of Directors investigated some ways which we can be of service on behalf of these fellow Rotarians with a generous heart.
If you have learned that you will be able to help with the "Show Your Colors" flag project on Monday, June 14 for Flag Day and you haven't yet told Pat Anderson, please let him know as soon as you can. .jpg)
