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.
Due to extensive renovations underway at the MCM Eleganté, the weekly meeting will be held at the Broussard's Centré, 1775 Calder Avenue through and including December 11.
Christmas lights and a festive holiday atmosphere welcome visitors to Shangri La each December for the annual Christmas Strolls. Visitors can meander through gardens transformed with dazzling light displays and festive, community-decorated Christmas trees lining the pathways of Shangri La as well as wander through the greenhouses adorned with poinsettias and seasonal flowers. Director Rick Lewandowski will provide a glimpse into the festive gardens for 2019 and entice you to bring your friends and family to see the spectacular displays at Shangri La Botanical Gardens.
Rick Lewandowski has spent over 30 years in the public garden/horticulture field. He began his career and spent 16 years with the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, eventually serving as Director of Horticulture and Curator of the Living Collection, where he conducted horticultural and medicinal plant research, collaborative plant evaluation, and led several plant exploration trips to Asia. Prior to Shangri La, he was Director of the 587-acre Mt. Cuba Center for 13 years. He oversaw the transition and enhancement of this premier native plant garden from private du Pont family estate to non-profit organization.
Rick is an experienced environmental horticulturist, plant explorer, and plantsman. He has lectured nationally and published widely in the field of horticulture. Rick is a passionate advocate for the conservation of natural habitats as well as the role that native plants can play in creating more sustainable and attractive landscapes.
There is no doubt you will leave with the holiday spirit and ready to decorate your home with some holiday cheer!
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Head Table for December 4
Invocation:
Colten Renner
General Manager
Lamar University Athletics
Pledges to USA & Texas Flags:
Deborah Drago
Executive Director
Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center
Introduction of Guests:
Jennifer Gregory
Financial Analyst
Coburn Supply Company
Introduction of Guest Speaker:
Patrick Calhoun
Executive Director of Development/Foundation
Lamar Institute of Technology
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. Contact Jennifer Burch at409-201-3016.
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CALENDAR OF ROTARY EVENTS
(Club events & opportunities for meeting makeups)
DECEMBER
4
Election of 4 Board members and a Foundation Trustee; at meeting (A member must be present to vote.)
14
Salvation Army Red Kettle Bell-Ringing; 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Parkdale Mall, Food Court entrance
17
Board of Directors meeting, 11:45 a.m. at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas
17
Holiday Party; Amelia Farms and Market; 6:00 p.m.; make reservation and pay online or at meeting
18
No meeting; please attend Holiday Party as the meeting for the week
25
No meeting; Happy Holidays!
JANUARY
1
No meeting; Happy New Year!
10-12
Camp RYLA!
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Election for 2020-2023 Board of Directors and Board of Trustees
On Wednesday, December 4, the membership will elect four Rotarians to serve on the Club's Board of Directors and one new trustee for the Beaumont Rotary Foundation. The newly-elected will serve for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2020.
The Nominating Committee selected qualified candidates who will appear on the ballot. A sample ballot appears below and if you click on it, you can open a larger version that is more easily read.
You must be present at the meeting on December 4 to cast a ballot, so please make plans to attend.
As you consider your vote, please remember that according to the Club bylaws, a person must have been elected to a 3-year term on the Board of Directors to be selected to serve as Club President. Article 3, Section 4 reads: ".. the president-nominee shall have been a director elected by the membership at some time previous to his or her election." In other words, you could be voting for a future club president!
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FIRST REHEARSAL IS DECEMBER 2.
We are still welcoming all who would like to join the
Rotary and Friends Chorus
for the Holiday Party performance!
It's the Return of the Rotary and Friends Chorus!
One performance only:
Beaumont Rotary Club Holiday Party
Tuesday, Dec. 17
Amelia Farm & Market
8600 Dishman Rd.
If you enjoy singing or just being part of a festive group here's all you need to do:
Step 1: Sign up (link here) with your name and the part you like to sing.
Friends and family, including children, are welcome to participate, so sign them up, too!
Step 2: Join us for the rehearsals (all at 1665 Thomas Rd.)
Monday, Dec. 2 at 6:30
Monday, Dec. 9 at 6:30
Monday, Dec. 16 at 6:30
(No worries if you can't make all of them. Rehearsal tapes will be provided.)
Questions?
Becky Mason 409-781-4360
BeckyLMason@mac.com
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The Rotary Club of Vidor has invited Rotarians from our Club to join with them in service to the homeless men and women in Beaumont. What a great opportunity to serve those in need! They call the project "Strike Night for the Homeless!"
On Friday night, December 6th, from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Rotarians from both clubs will distribute sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and 1- or 2-man tents to those who must bear the frigid temperatures. Leaders with the ministry tell us they know of 1,000 homeless in Beaumont, and average over 100 who come to the Friday evening "feeding ministry" on the corner of Liberty and Magnolia in downtown Beaumont (where the downtown Sears store was once located.)
Can you help with a donation of one of these items? John Lee, Service Projects Chair, will collect all donations at the Rotary meeting on Wednesday, December 4th. Please bring a sleeping bag or small tent with you to donate and know that it will be put to very good use by someone in desperate need.
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Service Above Self
You hear it everywhere - that ding-a-linging at the doorway of a business.
Every year, nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army in the form of meals, shelter, after-school programs, job referrals, youth shelter intervention programs, rehabilitation services, and more. The gifts you help collect through the Red Kettle will enable these local Salvation Army programs and services to continue providing help and hope to those in need.
For a number of years, the Rotary Club of Beaumont has been one of the many organizations that tend a booth at Parkdale Mall and participate in the collection process. It is a demonstration of "Service Above Self."
Stephanie Shoemaker is our Chair and Phil Dunlap is assisting her. They ask you to sign up in advance for the hour(s) you can help on Saturday, December 14. Many spots are filled but "the more, the merrier!" Please go to the online sign-up or add your name to the paper list at the meeting, or phone the Rotary Office (842-1913) to volunteer an hour. Thank you.
It's the most wonderful time for the year! To celebrate together is a special highlight of the season! There will be delicious food, fabulous music by the Rotary & Friends Chorus, and friends to share in the merriment! Those in attendance get to hear first the announcement of who will become the 2021-2022 Rotary Club of Beaumont President. You don't want to miss!
Members of the Rotary Chorus need to make a reservation.
This year, we will participate in the Home Instead Senior Care program which will be providing gifts to the seniors in the areas. Pick a tag from the tree at the Club meeting, purchase and bring that item to the Holiday Party. Please wrap the gift, put the tag on it and holiday elves will take care of the rest!
Reservations can be made at any of the Rotary meetings, by phoning the Rotary Office at 409-842-1913, or online through our event page. Reservations need to be made by Wednesday, December 11 so don't hesitate!
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Jennifer Burch, this year's Chair of recruiting volunteers for the head table duties at each week's meeting, is wanting more people to get involved! Volunteer your service and serve in the capacity and on the date you prefer. All you need to do is link to the Sign Up Genius tool she has designed for this purpose. You'll find the link here:
What an awesome response! Thank you to all who responded to the email and selected a date already. If there are not any open slots when you open the sign-up, please check back soon! The dates for more meetings are being added soon and there will be more opportunities to serve.
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Support the Beaumont Rotary Foundation
We encourage you to "shop local" first and 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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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
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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You hear it everywhere - that ding-a-linging at the doorway of a business.
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