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.
Members of the Rotary Club of Beaumont are invited to return to in-person meetings at the MCM Eleganté Hotel where we gather weekly to
JOIN LEADERS,EXCHANGE IDEAS,
AND
TAKE ACTION.
You may choose to attend using the Zoom link which will be emailed to members on Tuesday prior to the meeting.
MEETING PREVIEW
June 23, 2021
"Celebrating An Amazing Year!”
Cindy Cherry
2020-21 President
June 30 marks the end of the Rotary year, and as we bring 2020-2021 to a close, it is time to celebrate a very successful year!
President Cindy Cherry will recognize and "toast" those Rotarians who have greatly contributed to the Club's success and made significant contributions this year. And, the Club would like to "toast and roast" President Cindy Cherry at the conclusion of this remarkable, memorable year - all in good fun, of course!
The Toast Planning Committee asked me to convey two things to you:
please plan to wear red to the meeting;
the "performance" will be much more enjoyable for those attending in person than for those watching on-line using Zoom. Please, if you are comfortable going out in public places at all, you will be comfortable at the Hotel as the Ballroom is as safe as any restaurant. We seat only 6 people per table (a table that can hold 8 or 10), the buffet is served, and we ask members to refrain from shaking hands and hugging.
PLEASE make a reservation if you are planning to attend. This meeting is typically very well-attended so please honor this request with your response before 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29.
Awards and Toast to outgoing President Cindy Cherry; Noon at the Elegante; MUST have a reservation because we expect a larger crowd than usual.
July
7
"Passing of the Gavel" - the Installation of 2021-22 President Brad Brown and Board of Directors; Noon at the Elegante; MUST have a reservation because we expect a larger crowd than usual.
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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 on July 1, each member must be up-to-date on his/her dues to the Club no later than July 1, in advance of the July 1 assessment by Rotary International.
If your January-June 2021 dues remain unpaid on Wednesday, June 30, you will be terminated in bad-standing which means you are ineligible for membership in this or any other Rotary Club until your past due amount has been paid. If your January 1 dues were not paid on time or if you have not responded to the emails sent to you or the phone call messages, you will be sent a letter by certified and registered mail with the past due invoice and the new July 1 invoice within the week. You are required to pay both invoices or be terminated on June 30.
Members will notice the Room Assessment fee is charged for July-December 2021 with a credit applied for January-March 2021 when we were unable to have in-person meetings at the hotel. The Room Assessment fee is assessed to all members so that everyone - whether attending in person or on Zoom or absent, whether eating or only attending to hear the speaker - will share equally in the cost of the physical arrangements and related expenses for the weekly meetings. When the club began meeting at the hotel in-person on April 7, the fee again became applicable.
Electronic invoices were sent to all who are in good-standing and do not have instructions for other payment procedures in place. If you requested to have a printed invoice mailed to you, it is being mailed to you. 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, or you will be contacted if your credit card information needs to be updated.
If you do not have a credit card on file, you can submit your credit card information to be kept on file so that payments are processed for you in advance of the deadline each time. Additionally, if you wish, you can make arrangements with the Executive Director to have your charge card processed for your dues in regular installments until the account is paid in full.
If you do not receive your invoice, have questions, or wish to change your membership status, call 409-842-1913. Thank you.
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What a great day! The N.E.S.T. at Martin Elementary is officially underway!
On Saturday, June 26, a few Rotarians gathered at Martin Elementary to begin a project that will have a HUGE impact for students of Martin Elementary school. Lynn Castle, Cindy Cherry, Amanda Ellis, Sheree Pierce and Fundraising Chair Kevin Reed took on the task of paining a traditional classroom in the elementary to begin the transformation into an innovative learning lab or children of Martin. The group was joined by photographer Tim Sudela and Teresa Simpson, who had the dual role of Rotarian and Lamar University project administrator. Also working hard for the children of the school was Principal Tamara Long and other teacher/administrators.
The Rotarians prepped the walls for the talented artist Suzette Broussard who will now come into the classroom space and transform it into a creative and innovative learning laboratory for the students with background scenes of the neighborhood where the school is located. The outcome will be amazing and we can't wait to see it!
You've got to see this!
Check out some photos here.
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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.
At our most recent meeting, Rotarians were mesmerized by a profoundly motivating speech presented by LaQuita Thompson, the founder and CEO of Xtreme Heat Sports, an organization established to provide sports training to aspiring athletes of all backgrounds and levels of experience. LaQuita is a native of the small town of Morton, Texas, where she participated in all sports and was a freshman member of the 86’-87’ First Girls State Championship Basketball team. She continued her basketball career at Abilene Christian University, during which time she attended the NCAA Division II tournament twice. She graduated from Abilene Christian with a Bachelor’s in Biology. She attended the WNBA's Detroit Shock try-out camp in its first year and the ABL training camp in the early 90's. Later she played in a Semi-Professional Basketball league, WUBA, with the Houston Blaze, until a recurring knee injury ended her career as a player.
After college, LaQuita became the first female coach in the Fort Bend Independent School District and in the State of Texas to coach high school boys’ basketball at Hightower High School, where she helped lead the boys’ basketball team to victory, winning the District Championship and losing only one game by one point.
While LaQuita’s resume and achievements are impressive, she has not lost sight of how she felt as a young girl growing up in a small town. She explained that she often felt invisible as a girl, but that with the encouragement of her grandfather, she pushed past any self-doubt and fear to achieve her goals. Fear and doubt, she explained, plague many young people—young people that she is on a mission to help succeed in life.
Through her organization, LaQuita principally focuses on teens with a desire to play sports, but who are perhaps insecure or are plagued by fear and self-doubt. Through introspection, coaching, teaching, and life experiences, she has learned how to reach young people and bring out their talents. In short, she inspires young people who come to Xtreme Heat Sports to dig inside themselves to find their purpose, strength, and dedication. She teaches these young people how to succeed through education and hustle, two valuable lessons she learned from her beloved grandfather.
LaQuita has also started a podcast, I AM, which is geared toward young rising basketball players to share their stories of triumph of life’s hardships and love for the game.
Through her powerful presentation, LaQuita encouraged Rotarians to reach out to young people, inspire them to follow their dreams and to embrace their talents through love and positive energy.
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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On Saturday, June 26, a few Rotarians gathered at Martin Elementary to begin a project that will have a HUGE impact for students of Martin Elementary school. Lynn Castle, Cindy Cherry, Amanda Ellis, Sheree Pierce and Fundraising Chair Kevin Reed took on the task of paining a traditional classroom in the elementary to begin the transformation into an innovative learning lab or 
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