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 Long Shadow: The Lutcher-Stark Lumber Dynasty"
Ellen Rienstra
Author & Historian
Writer and historical consultant Ellen Rienstra graduated from Lamar University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in History. She earned a Master of Arts in English Literature from LU. Her education prepared her for a career rich in history and literature, specifically involving the history of her hometown, Beaumont.
Rienstra is currently a contractor for historical research and writing for the Nelda C. and H. J. Stark Lutcher Foundation.
In her career, she has published more than 10 historical non-fiction books, journals, plays, and articles, and has written many more. Her book Giant Under the Hill: A History of the Spindletop Oil Discovery at Beaumont, Texas, in 1901 was named the second Best Book in Texas History in 2002 by the Texas State Historical Association and received the Otis Lock Award for the Best Book in East Texas History in 2003 from the East Texas Historical Association. A Pride of Kin was chosen by Texas A&M Press as one of three books to launch their Frank Wardlaw series, and The Long Shadow: The Lutcher-Stark Dynasty won an Award of Merit for Leadership in History from the American Association of State and Local History in 2017.
She has been a keynote speaker, led programs, workshops, and seminars, and presented information to a variety of clubs and organizations, including the East Texas Historical Association, the Texas State Historical Association, Daughters of the American Revolution, Beaumont area schools, TV and radio stations, and more. Rienstra was also honored with an award for Outstanding Contribution to the Humanities in 2016 by the Southeast Texas Arts Council.
Besides her work in literature and history, Ellen has been a contract violinist for more than 30 years in the Symphony of Southeast Texas, Lake Charles Symphony, and several freelance orchestra, solo, and small ensemble performances.
In 2018, she was named to the elite group known as the Lamar University Distinguished Alumni.
Ellen's presentation to the Rotary Club of Beaumont will be about her latest publication titled The Long Shadow: The Lutcher-Stark Lumber Dynasty. It is a three-generation family saga of the Lutcher and Stark lumber dynasty: the patriarch, the visionary Henry Jacob Lutcher, who came to Orange in 1877, built a large lumber mill, and established the Lutcher & Moore Lumber Company; East Texas mill worker William Henry Stark, the business genius who married the boss's daughter; and their son, Henry Jacob Lutcher Stark, who became a legendary philanthropist. These three generations significantly altered the course of the economic and cultural history of Southeast Texas.
You are certain to enjoy Ellen Rienstra's presentation. Come, and bring a friend!
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After fifteen weeks away
(including holidays),
the Rotary Club of Beaumont
will resume having weekly meetings at the
MCM Elegante Hotel & Conference Center
on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.
The Hotel management and staff
extend a warm "Welcome Home!"
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Head Table for January 8
Invocation:
Ann Scoggin
Broker/Owner
Coldwell Banker Southern Homes
Pledges to USA & Texas Flags:
Virtue Alexander
Director of Sales
InterMountain Management
Introduction of Guests:
John Lee
Business Advisor
Lamar University Small Business Development Center
Introduction of Guest Speaker:
Ted Moor, III
Managing Director
Higginbotham Insurance
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
8
First meeting of 2020; MCM Eleganté Hotel
10-12
Camp RYLA!
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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 took care of submitting your 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
If you have not done so yet, please save the office staff and the Board of Directors considerable time and expense by paying your dues now!
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The RYLA Team and students are packing their bags and making all the necessary preparations for RYLA 2020! The District-wide event, attended by hundreds of students and Rotarians, is chaired by our Club member, Michael Perez! We are proud of you, Michael, and wish you a great weekend with clear weather and moderate temperatures!
We thank Randy Shelton and Teresa Simpson for leading the RYLA committee this year, and for making the plans and preparations for this student leadership experience possible. They have worked with a great committee of volunteers including Sharon Almquist, Roger Bemis, Lynn Castle, Cindy Cherry, Ruby Martin, Sheree Pierce, and Tim Sudela.
Good wishes for a safe and enjoyable experience for all those attending the weekend event with the students: Pat Anderson, Cindy Cherry, Ruby Martin, Chuck Mason, Randy Shelton, and Tim Sudela.
Thank you to Rotarian Roger Bemis, principal of Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, who arranged for bus transportation for the student delegation from Beaumont.
At our club meeting on January 15, we will get to hear all about the weekend and the learning experiences for the students, which is funded by your charitable donations of Service Above Self to the Beaumont Rotary Foundation. If you can spare a meal ticket for one of our many guests next week, please drop it in the container at the buffet line on Wednesday. Thank you!
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Kathy Chessher
January 6
Robert Worley
January 6
Bob Spina
January 8
Mary Poole
January 10
Bobby Celli
January 12
Kerry Moncla
January 6
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CELEBRATING ROTARY ANNIVERSARIES!
Your membership in our Club is important to us!
Edward Edson
January 1, 2003
17 years
Benny Hughes
January 2, 1986
34 years
Michael Depew
January 4, 2017
3 years
Crystal Thibodeau
January 4, 2017
3 years
Buz Brown
January 6, 1993
27 years
Ted Moor
January 6, 1993
27 years
Robert Hambright
January 7, 1987
33 years
Jimmy Simmons
January 8, 1986
34 years
Amber Clark
January 9, 2019
1 year
Tisha Self
January 9, 2019
1 year
Hubert Oxford
January 13, 1988
32 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.
Denise Berry
Roy Huckaby
Charles Locke
Charlie Weinbaum
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.
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The Beaumont Rotary Foundation, Inc.
gratefully acknowledges a donation
in memory of
Nancy Burns
from
JoAnn McClain
Vivian Hulsopple
Dolores McKnight
Raoul Ochoa
Ann Phillippi-Warren
Sara Thompson
David Weaver
in memory of
Stewart Montgomery Chisum
from
Sharen Kirksey & Leonard Juncker
If you would like to make a gift in honor or memory of a friend, please make check payable to Beaumont Rotary Foundation, Inc. and mail to 2355 IH 10 S, Ste. 213, Beaumont, TX 77705 or give to Jacque at any Rotary meeting. Gifts are acknowledged and the family is notified of your memorial gift.
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In the event that you are just returning to "normal" after the holiday season, we are re-running the Program Review article from the December 25th issue of the RotaryGrams.
Additionally, we are soliciting your opinions on the 2019 Holiday Party so we might have some member opinions to assist the committee in planning the next event. Whether you attended or chose not to, and while the event is fresh on your mind, please take this brief poll and let us know your opinion.
Link to the poll here:
PROGRAM REVIEW
December 17, 2019
"2019 Holiday Party"
Past President Ted Moor
Chair
by Tim Sudela
Without an empty chair in sight, the Rotary Club of Beaumont celebrated their 2019 Holiday Party at Amelia Farm and Market. The event, organized by Past President Ted Moor, featured the ever popular (and growing) Rotary and Friends Chorus. The group was led by James Hahn, director of choral activities for Lamar University. If we are not careful, someone is going to suggest that we become a 'Singing Club'.
The theme for the casual party was 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year'. The party planning committee did a fantastic job, and the Amelia F&M family were gracious hosts who provided some wonderful food.
By tradition, the President-Elect Nominee is revealed at this event. Through several cryptic hints, the Rotarian who will serve as President during the 2021-22 year, was slowly revealed. Brad Brown, Senior Vice President at First Financial, will take the gavel following Cindy Cherry. Mr. Brown, a prominent community volunteer, has been a Rotarian since August 1993, and has served the club in various leadership roles. Congratulations to Brad Brown!
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