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.
"Leading the Horse to Water....The Rule of Law in Afghanistan"
Brit Featherston
Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
Eastern District of Texas
Brit Featherston started his career in law enforcement in 1981, at the Port Arthur police department. After serving the people of Port Arthur on the police force for many years, enrolling in Baylor Law School was an obvious choice for Featherston, whose brother, Tom Featherston, had graduated from Baylor Law School.
After graduating law school, Brit Featherston did a brief stint in a private law practice before returning to his true passion, law enforcement. Since then Featherston has built a career that is as fascinating as it is impressive.
When he is introduced at the meeting, you will learn about some of his experiences which led up to his position as the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney working for U.S. Attorney Malcolm Bales in the Eastern District of Texas.
Brit Featherston's presentation will be about his job as Justice Attaché for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he worked for a year with Afghanistan law enforcement and Justice sectors to improve access to the courts and civil rights for Afghan citizens. Despite 19+ years of efforts, progress is elusive!
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Head Table for January 22
Invocation:
Virtue Alexander
Director of Sales
InterMountain Management, Courtyard by Marriott
Pledges to USA & Texas Flags:
Kari Dolan
Grant Writer
Spindletop Center
Introduction of Guests:
Liz Fredrichs
President
Better Business Bureau of Southeast Texas
Introduction of Speaker:
Randall Fluke
Assistant U. S. Attorney
United States Government
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. Link to the online signup systemor contact Jennifer Burch, Chair, at409-201-3016.
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CALENDAR OF ROTARY EVENTS
(Club events & opportunities for meeting makeups)
JANUARY
28
Board of Directors meeting; 11:45 a.m. at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas (make reservation by Friday, January 24
29
Last day to sign-up to participate in Rotary Goes to Work on February 5.
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February 5: Rotary Goes to Work!
No meeting at the Elegante on February 5.
Where will YOU attend YOUR meeting?
Our 1.2 million-member organization started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.
In the initial years of the organization, Rotarians learned about one another and the various diverse professions of the members by meeting in the offices, factories, businesses and firms of the club members. How about doing as one of the original members did back in the early 1900s?
DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29.
Please sign up before the deadline to help the hosts with planning food/lunches.
SIGN UP:
HOSTS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Tim Sudela
American Valve & Hydrant
3525 Hollywood Avenue
Beaumont
Tour the manufacturing facility at AVH and learn about what they do. Lunch will be served!
Lynn Castle
Art Museum of Southeast Texas
500 Main Street
Beaumont
Lunch and learn about the art exhibits on display at this Beaumont showcase!
Jennifer Burch
Best Hospice Care of Texas
3120 Fannin
Beaumont
Come visit t Best Hospice in the new office complex and enjoy lunch while learning about the services they offer.
Pat Anderson
Jefferson County Sheriff's Department
5030 Highway 69 S
Beaumont
Have you been inside the Jefferson County Correctional Facility? Come take a guided tour with Sheriff Zena Stephens.
Lunch will be provided.
Coby Roberts
Sandy Moschettieri
Primerica
6432 Concord Road
Beaumont
This is one business and one event with two hosts. Come learn about Primerica and enjoy lunch.
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Rotary dues were due by January 1.
If you have not paid yet, please do so this week.
Thank you to those who submitted payment so promptly!
You can easily pay online using the link on your invoice or visit the secure payment page (click here).
If you prefer, mail a check to:
2355 IH 10 South, Suite 213
Beaumont, TX 77705
Please save the office staff and the Board of Directors considerable time and expense by paying your dues now!
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Calling all Rotary Superheroes! It's time to build upon your super strengths and gain new ones! Join us for our Mid-Year Meeting and Pre-PETS training on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Lone Star College--Montgomery.
This meeting is for everyone! Current Presidents, Presidents Elect and Presidents Nominee will build more muscle for their respective years. All will get a laser-focus on Rotary initiatives. Meet other Rotary Superheroes like Past Rotary International Director Greg Podd!
Registration is now open! $35 will build your Rotary Superhero Muscles! Credit card payments can be made online. Checks can be made payable to Rotary 5910 and mailed to: League City Rotary PO Box 643 League City, TX 77574. Please write Mid-Year Meeting in the memo line.
If you register to attend, we will try to arrange a group ride-share for those interested in traveling together.
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Rotarians wait with great anticipation each year for the International President-Elect to announce the theme of the upcoming year. RI President-Elect Holger Knaack, a member of the Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln, Germany, did just that today when he revealed the 2020-21 presidential theme, Rotary Opens Opportunities, to incoming district governors at the Rotary International Assembly.
At the start of 2020, several of our members began the new year with a blue badge! Congratulations to the most recent graduates of Rotary University. (Remember, earning the coveted "blue" doesn't need to be your ultimate goal. You can earn a Master of Rotary Science or a Doctor of Rotary Science degree if you are ready to enroll in our graduate program of study! See Dean Trylowsky if you have questions.)
Virtue Alexander received her Blue Badge from President Joe Domino. Virtue was an active member of the club before she officially became a member in October 2019. She assisted with the Wine Down With Rotary event, the NEST project, the Show Your Colors project, in addition to the 2019 Rotary Chorus.
Polly Grissom has been an active member of the Rotary Club of Beaumont since April 2019. She was awarded her Blue Badge by President Joe Domino. She served on the Wine Down With Rotary committee, she has served at the head table, and she was a tremendous help in the program for the Toast to Past President Lynn Castle.
Kimberly Huber (also known as Kimber or Kim) was presented a Blue Badge by President Joe Domino. Kim supported the InterACT project, the supplies for the homeless project this past December, and was a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army Red Kettle drive in December. She has also served at the head table during meetings.
Ellen Zimmerman joined the Rotary Club of Beaumont in April of 2019, and she has taken the "service above self" motto seriously. She was awarded a Blue Badge by President Joe Domino. As a member of the Programs committee, she has recruited speakers for the weekly meetings. She served at the CASA Carnival and was a member of the Wine Down With Rotary set-up committee. Ellen has served on the Show Your Colors flag project on multiple occasions and she even visited a Rotary Club in Belize to learn more about our worldwide organization.
Congratulations to our graduates!
If you are not aware, you should know even long-time Rotarians can earn advanced degrees. Who is the next Master of Rotary Science or Ph.D. degree candidate? Talk with Rotary University Dean, Uliana Trylowsky, about the next step in your Rotary education.
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Diane Bass
January 21
Mary Ellen Robertson
January 21
Cindy Jeanis
January 23
Stephanie Shoemaker
January 25
Scott Mann
January 26
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CELEBRATING
ROTARY ANNIVERSARIES!
Your membership in our Club is important to us!
Roger Bemis
January 20, 2010
10 years
Paul Eddy
January 20, 2010
10 years
Ernest Hymel
January 20, 2010
10 years
Craig Lively
January 20, 2010
10 years
Eddie Arnold
January 21, 1998
22 years
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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, support and good wishes.
Beverly Hatcher
Roy Huckaby
Ray Baker* (Angela Baker's husband)
If you know of others who should be added to this list, please advise the office staff at 409-842-1913.
*Ray is home! We are so happy to hear he was released from TIRR on Thursday, January 9 and is continuing therapy locally. He has made a great deal of progress but still needs your prayers for a full recovery.
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PROGRAM REVIEW
January 15, 2020
"The RYLA 2020 Experience!"
Teresa Simpson & Michael Perez
by Marianne Laine
On January 15, 2020, Rotarians enjoyed a fantastic presentation on Rotarian Youth Leadership Awards or RYLA, an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where youths develop their leadership skills while having fun and making connections. RYLA 2020, which was held from January 10 through 12, included approximately 400 attendees, with 268 comprised of students. Of course, RYLA 2020 would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of numerous passionate Rotarians, including but not limited to Teresa Simpson, Judge Randy Shelton, Michael Perez, just to name a few.
Now in the 29th year of participation, our district sent 22 participants or “scholars” from four area high schools: Beaumont United, Early College High School, Monsignor Catholic Kelly High School, and Westbrook High School.
Rotarians viewed photos from the three-day weekend and heard from three RYLA 2020 participants: McKenna Cross, Cameron Simpson, and Braden Sheldon. Cross and Simpson attended RYLA 2019 and served as counselors for RYLA 2020. Each expressed a sincere appreciation for the opportunity to attend RYLA and shared the benefits of the experience, which was described by our district’s scholars as amazing, life-changing, memorable, and unexpected. Sheldon ended the presentation by speaking about the Four Way Test and how it was applied at RYLA 2020 as well as in all aspects of life. We look forward to seeing how these bright young men and women will positively affect our club, community, and the world in the future.
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