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.
Ready? Let's go visit the Beaumont Children's Museum and learn what is going on there! Executive Director Amanda Yarbrough will take us on a virtual tour and let us see how the museum is growing into an incredible place for the Southeast Texas community. Put on your walking shoes and let's go!
Amanda Yarbrough has been Executive Director of the Beaumont Children's Museum for three years. She firmly believes that the future of Southeast Texas is in the hands of our children. She knows that their success begins with a good foundation which is supplemented with the help of the museum.
Amanda joined the museum in 2017 and came with a wealth of non-profit and business management knowledge and experience from her time with BG Foods, the Julie Rogers Gift of Life Program, and the American Diabetes Association in Austin. Amanda was among one of the recipients for the 40 under 40 Award in 2019. Amanda is a founding member of the Small Children’s Museum Texas Collective and has been invited to speak at the Association of Children’s’ Museums national conference, InterActivity, twice now. She is working to bring exciting new exhibits, growing educational programs, and sensational events that are generating lots of enthusiasm through our community.
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Head Table for December 9
Invocation:
Jennifer Gregory
Human Resource Officer
Beaumont Housing Authority
Pledge to USA Flag:
Deborah Drago
Executive Director
Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center
Introduction of Guest Speaker:
Lynn Hill
Co-Owner
NuVation Tek
If you would like to serve on the head table at a date in the future, please sign up online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054ba5a62fa3f49-head or phone chair, Mandy Clayton at 409-718-7056 or email arclayton@lit.edu
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CALENDAR OF ROTARY EVENTS
(Club events & opportunities for meeting makeups)
For the health and safety of members, CLUB MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE WEEKLY USING ZOOM until further notice.
December
9
ANNUAL MEETING: election of Board members and Trustee member
12
"Ring that Bell!" Salvation Army Bell-Ringing; the front entrance of Parkdale Mall; 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; sign up online or phone the Rotary office at 409-842-1913
15
Board of Directors meeting; on Zoom; contact the Rotary office to receive the link to join the meeting
16
"It's a Magical Holiday", the 2020 Annual Holiday Party; Noon-1:00 p.m.; on Zoom
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Election for 2021-2024 Board of Directors and Board of Trustees
On Wednesday, December 9, 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, 2021.
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. While the ballot shows the nominees for the two Boards, we will not be able to use printed copies of the ballot this year. We will be voting electronically using Zoom on December 9.
You must be present at the Zoom meeting on December 9 to cast a ballot by voting on the electronic poll, 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 selection." In other words, you could be voting for a future club president!
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If you are doing holiday shopping, you are surely hearing that familiar sound of bells ringing at the doorways of businesses. That's right, it signifies that the holidays are upon us and that the Salvation Army has started their "bell-ringing" campaign!
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. It is certain that the number of people needing assistance from the Salvation Army will be considerably more because of the COVID pandemic. 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."
Gary Moncla is Chair of the project and is asking YOU to volunteer to help this year. Please sign up for the hour(s) you can help on Saturday, December 12. We have one hour with no volunteers yet! Can you help?
This is an outdoor service project so everyone should be safe from COVID spread, but you are encouraged to also wear a facemask and distance yourself from others while serving. Sign up your spouse or a friend or two to work with you, and if the sign-up form does not allow enough room, phone the Rotary Office (842-1913) and ask that the number of spaces be expanded for your group. Thank you.
The Coronavirus may have us staying a safe distance from one another but even that cannot dash our holiday spirit! The annual fun and festivities of the 2020 Rotary Club of Beaumont Holiday Party will be like none we've ever had before! Chair Tim Sudela has pulled out the stops and is bringing to our "stage" interactive magic by the Amazing Scott Tokar! Mr. Tokar will surprise, astonish, and amaze you!
If that wasn't enough, those attending will enjoy beautiful music of the Rotary Chorus under the direction of Dr. James Han. Party goers will also get to enjoy a beautiful musical presentation by the Martin Elementary Children's Choir.
You are welcome to have your spouse or significant come to the party with you, and children are invited too! While there is no charge for this year's party, due to our Zoom license we can only admit the first 100 computers or mobile devices.
Wear your favorite holiday attire and fix a special lunch to enjoy while we party together. No one will care one bit if you enjoy a little eggnog during the show!
*Please be aware that Mr. Tokar does not allow his show to be recorded so while you will be able to watch the rest of the entertainment on our page of recordings, his presentation will not be included in the recording. Be sure to attend so you don't miss a minute!
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BOARD ACTION
In membership matters, the Board terminated three members:
Lori Allen
Kathy Chessher, and
Stephanie Roberts.
The Board set the date of the Annual meeting for next Wednesday, December 9. The Annual meeting is when elections for incoming Board members and one new Trustee to the Beaumont Rotary Foundation Board are elected. For the first time in Club history, the Board approved holding the election electronically during the meeting. Members are reminded they must be PRESENT at the Annual meeting in order to vote to fill these important positions.
The Board voted to refund the Room Assessment fee that was charged to members for July-December because we have not been able to meet at the Eleganté. You will see that reflected on the next invoice for your January-June 2021 dues. The invoices will be prepared soon.
Members are asked to inform President Cindy Cherry or Executive Director Jacque Chapman now if you intend to change your membership status. We are invoiced by Rotary International for every person who is on our membership roster on January 1. Those making membership changes after January 1 will incur debt if your invoice is not paid on or before January 1.
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Chris Ayers
December 8
Evelyn Lord
December 8
Dee Lane
December 11
Marcia Crone
December 12
Lori Higgins
December 12
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CELEBRATING
ROTARY ANNIVERSARIES!
We celebrate your
membership in our Club!
Doug Chase
December 9, 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.
Butch Cherry
Bo Weinbaum
Jay Wilson
All Rotarians
especially those who are unable to attend meetings via Zoom
We miss you and look forward to when it will safe for Rotary to meet in-person again!
If you know of members who should be added to this list, please advise the office staff at 409-842-1913.
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PROGRAM REVIEW
December 2, 2020
"Empowering Lives With Financial Dignity"
ShaRhonda Walker
Financial Wellbeing Coach
Operation Hope
With the use of Zoom, the Club was pleased to welcome ShaRhonda Walker to the weekly meeting from her office in Houston, Texas. She explained the mission of Operation Hope, a non-profit which focuses on financial literacy in the low-and moderate income community. It is a nationwide organization with Coaches around the country teaching people how to reduce debt and increase savings. She shared what "credit coaching" sessions cover and emphasized that there is no charge for the services of an Operation Hope Coach.
John Hope Bryant is the founder of Operation Hope and she encouraged Rotarians to find the video (or another of the many you can find on the Internet) about Mr. Bryant and learn more about him and his organization, Operation Hope.
Ms. Walker's presentation is embedded in the meeting video below. Enjoy learning about Operation Hope and their work in the United States.
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Link to the Zoom page which includes this and all the recorded meetings for October - December 2020.
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If you are doing holiday shopping, you are surely hearing that familiar sound of bells ringing at the doorways of businesses. That's right, it signifies that the holidays are upon us and that the Salvation Army has started their "bell-ringing" campaign!
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