There is NOT a meeting at the Elegante on Wednesday, November 14.
Come Celebrate the Season!
at the annual
Rotary Holiday Party
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Mary and John Gray Library
Lamar University
6:00 pm social
6:45 pm dinner
The Holiday Party will be Tuesday, December 13 at the Lamar University Reception Center, Mary & John Gray Library, 8th Floor. Social will begin at 6:00, followed by dinner at 6:45 and an entertaining program. Reservations are closed for this event.
Don your holiday party outfit or business attire and be ready to have a fun time!
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
(and opportunities for meeting makeups)
December 13
Board of Directors meeting, 11:45 a.m., the Beaumont Club
December 13
Holiday Party (and meeting for the week), 6:00 p.m. at Mary and John Gray Library, Lamar University, $50 per person-advance reservation
December 15
RYLA Orientation, 6:00 p.m.; Kelly High School Theatre
December 19
Done-in-a-Day project at Women's and Children's Shelter
December 21 & 28
Weekly meeting is cancelled because of holidays; no meeting makeup is required.
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LOOK
WHAT'S AHEAD!
There will NOT be
a meeting on Wednesday, December 14, 21 or 28.
Happy Holidays!
Weekly meetings will resume on January 4 with an exciting and informative program on the ExxonMobil expansion and the economic impact on the area.
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BOARD ACTION
On December 7, Board Secretary Cindy Jeanis announced membership changes approved by the Board of Directors:
NEW MEMBER PROPOSAL:
Michael Depew, CEO, TCS Consulting
Classification: "INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – Private Investigator"
Proposed by Rod Carroll
In accordance with our bylaws (Article 13, Section 8), please submit written objections related to the aforementioned proposal within 10 days (of December 7) to the board of directors, stating the reason for your objection.
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Election for 2017-2020 Boards
On December 7, the membership elected four Rotarians to serve on the Club's Board of Directors and one new trustee for the Beaumont Rotary Foundation for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2017.
ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kathleen Alsup
Rob Glassey
Mellie Bevilacqua
Cindy B. Jeanis
ELECTED TO THE
FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Michael Wolf
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Let's Give a Holiday Gift Together!
"Rotarians at Work" again! This quarter, the Club will be creating a real holiday gift for Family Services Women's and
Children's Shelter of Southeast Texas.
The Shelter is in the midst of some remodeling and they need help with completing the project so it can quickly be put to use.
We can make it happen! It can be our gift to this non-profit that assists victims of domestic abuse.
Rotarians are needed to paint a community room, install carpet squares and hang blinds. This is another "done in a day" project if we have enough people to help. Can you?
MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016
9:00 a.m.
The address for the facility is not public. Please call the Rotary office at 842-1913 to let us know you will volunteer for the project and the address will be provided to you.
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Hear that Ring-Ting-Tingling!
How is it possible to have this much fun and be doing sevice work?! Rotarians brought children, spouses, nieces, nephews, sisters and friends to help ring the bells, dance, laugh, and enjoy the holiday spirit while raising funds for the Salvation Army.
Thank you to Philip Long, our Chair for the project. The Salvation Army reports $612.53 was collected by Rotarian Bell Ringers, and expresses "appreciation to all participants for their support" and we do too!.
Volunteers: if you took photos, please send them to:
admin@beaumontrotaryclub.org.
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Support the Beaumont Rotary Foundation
We encourage you to "shop local" whenever you can but if you are doing some online shopping, please sign up and use an Amazon Smile account. Anything purchased through AmazonSmile earns 0.5% for the Beaumont Rotary Foundation and all you need to do is shop as you normally do with Amazon.com.
It's easy to start a "Smile" account. Go to: https://smile.amazon.com/ and select the Beaumont Rotary Foundation to receive your donation. Afterwards, when you place an order, simply log-in through smile.amazon.com instead of Amazon.com for your purchases to earn money for the Beaumont Rotary Foundation.
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DUES INVOICES SENT!
TO PAY DUES:
TO DONATE TO BEAUMONT ROTARY FOUNDATION
Invoices for January - June 2017 dues were sent out to Rotarians and payment is due by January 1.
There is a link built into the emailed invoice so you need only click on the link in order to be automatically directed to your personal payment page. Please check your email inbox; if you are not seeing it, please check your "spam" folder. Call the Rotary office if you need another copy emailed to you.
If you did not receive an electronic invoice today, it is likely because you have instructions on file to have it emailed to someone in your office, or a printed copy mailed, or perhaps you have credit card instructions on file.
Printed copies were mailed to those who requested that form of invoicing; call the Rotary Office at 409-842-1913 now if you do not have that directive in place. Those with credit cards on file should note that your dues will be charged on December 28 or 29.
If you would like to process your payment right away, please click on the image above and you will be automatically directed to the secure payment page. And if you would like to mail your check, please send to:
Rotary Club of Beaumont
MCM Elegante, Suite 213
2355 Interstate 10 South
Beaumont, TX 77705
If you need a printed copy of your invoice emailed or mailed to you, or a copy forwarded to another person/office, please phone the Rotary office at 409-842-1913.
On January 1, Rotary International automatically charges the club for dues for all members on the rolls on that date. If you are anticipating a change in your membership status, please call the Rotary office (409-842-1913) to advise us of the change immediately so we will not be charged for your dues. Resignation after dues have been assessed causes one to be terminated from the club in bad-standing because of bad debt.
Your prompt payment of dues saves the office staff a tremendous amount of time collecting delinquent payments. Thank you for your assistance by doing that!
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Pay Dues Easily: Credit Card Authorization
How would you like to be assured your semi-annual Rotary dues are automatically charged to your credit card? You have that option and we can take one concern off your mind. Payment will be completed according to your instructions.
Use the Authorization Agreement to provide the credit card information along with your instructions.
Are you considering making tax-deductible gifts before the end of the year? Please consider the Beaumont Rotary Foundation (a charitable foundation) as a recipient of your generosity!
Gifts can be designated to go to The Rotary Foundation for End Polio Now. You can earn a Paul Harris Fellow award or move closer to the next level of recognition for your donation.
Alternately, you can designate your donation for the Beaumont Rotary Foundation and "keep it local" for the work our club does in the community. We will acknowledge your gift with a letter for tax-documentation.
The Beaumont Rotary Foundation is now able to accept your gift of appreciated stock. Please call the Executive Director for instructions. (Remember, it takes a little longer to make a stock transfer than it does to write a donation check and there are multiple bank holidays before the end of the year as well.)
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Congratulations to Newest Rotary University Graduates!
Dean Lynn Castle conferred a Bachelor of Rotary Science degree and one Master of Rotary Science on Wednesday. Receiving the coveted Blue Badge was Jerre Croley and Tony Clark.
Rebekah Maxwell earned her MASTER of Rotary Science degree and is on her way to a Doctorate!
We congratulate, Rebekah, Jerre and Tony on the fine accomplishments!
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In case you are not aware, even long-time Rotarians can earn advanced degrees. Who is the next Master or Ph.D. degree candidate?
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R
Members Welcomed to the Club!
It was a great way to bring a close to the weekly meetings of 2016 as we welcomed THREE new members to the Club on December 7. How exciting!
Kathy Bachelot, President of The Laurels/K & K Designs, was welcomed to the Club by President Ted Moor. Kathy stays quite busy with her business and lovely facility but is still eager to get busy as a Rotarian! Kathy was sponsored by Past President Bobbie Applegate. Welcome, Kathy!
Tressa Clarke (center), is newly appointed Executive Director of the Anayat House though she has been with the medical hospitality service for over three years. She is welcomed by her sponsor, Mary Ellen Robertson, and President Ted Moor. Welcome, Tressa!
You likely have already met new member Craig Hatcher as he has attended several meetings already with his sponsor, Jay Wilson (pictured left). Craig is Chief Revenue Officer of the Beaumont Enterprise/SoutheastTexas.com. Welcome, Craig!
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Bert Smith
December 15
Derrick Barber
December 16
Joyce Hafford
December 16
John Quigley
December 18
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FAMILY OF ROTARY
We send wishes for a quick recovery to our friends and fellow Rotarians who have been ill, had or are facing surgery, or just need our thoughts and prayers. We hope you are better soon!
Lee Freeland
Ernest Hymel
Stephanie Shoemaker
Joshua Taub
Please let us know if you or another Rotarian should be included in our weekly good wishes article!
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PROGRAM REVIEW
December 7, 2016
"TxDOT: Past, Present and Future Projects"
Tucker Ferguson
DISTRICT ENGINEER TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (TxDOT)
It’s been two years since Tucker Ferguson addressed our Club and there have been changes in that time with a new Executive Director and Assistant, and a new Chief Engineer. But the main focus of TxDOT remains:
Deliver the right projects
Focus on the customer
Foster stewardship
Optimize system preference
Preserve our assets
Promote safety
Value our employees
Our Southeast Texas District (8 counties) covers 80,000 miles and 1,560 bridges and employs a total of 286 people throughout the District.
The following are projects in progress:
Interstate 10 at Major Drive flipping the Highway and Major Drive. This project was mainly a result of safety in that the “stacking” of vehicles for events at Ford Park was better on frontage roads than on the highway itself. The 31 million dollar project is set for early completion.
Purple Heart Bridge. East bound lane is fully operational and carrying all traffic and they are working on the west bound lanes. This is a total bridge replacement that should be completed by the end of next year.
IH 10 widening in Orange. 3 lanes are being added to the outside of the highway.
Reconstruction at the Louisiana state line. The bridge is being replaced here and the structure will be able to support 3 lanes each way when the funds are received to the additional lanes. The finishing date for this project is 2020.
Eastex Ramp Reversal. This project is based on safety and mobility by replacing short ramps with longer ramps and better frontage road space. Also the bridges are being stabilized over Lucas and Dowlen.
US 69. Slab repair is being done on Cardinal Drive where earlier this year a lane was closed due to a dangerous 10 foot drop. This is an emergency contract to reinforce the area. The project should be completed early next year.
Concord Road. This long-lasting project (delayed by the firing of the previous contractor) is finally due to be finished in February or March of 2017. This project is being overseen by TxDOT even though it is being done with city funds but the funds are in part federal.
SH 63 and FM2626 in Newton County. These bridges are currently and emergency contract after the flooding in 2016. The first is bridge reconstruction and the second is total bridge replacement. Both should be completed in the first part of 2017.
The following are Future projects:
Winnie to Beaumont will eventually be three lanes, done in stages.
The controversial Vidor Grand Parkway is also being considered.
Although the projects greatly disturb normal traffic patterns, when they are finished they will serve the public well.
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