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 damage to the MCM Eleganté caused by the flooding the area experienced last week, the meeting for September 25 has been moved to the Broussard's Centré at 1775 Calder Avenue.
PROGRAM PREVIEW
September 25, 2019
"Private/Public Partnerships - the Benefit
to Our Community and to Lamar University"
Juan Zabala
Vice President for University Advancement
and
CEO, Lamar University Foundation
We welcome Juan Zabala to speak about the amazing things that happen when Lamar University and the community partner to solve problems, and he’ll give some really impressive examples.
Why have the Times Higher Education and World University Rankings identified Lamar University as one of 20 universities worldwide and one of just nine nationally that could “challenge the elite universities” and become globally renowned by 2030? Juan Zabala will tell all. Come to Rotary to hear him talk about innovative problem-solving and community enhancement through partnerships like the Mason STEM Initiative.
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Head Table for September 25
Invocation:
Bel Morian
Director of Events and External Relations
Lamar University
Pledges to USA & Texas Flags:
Robert Spina
Dean of the College of Education & Human Services
Lamar University
Introduction of Guests:
Uliana Trylowsky
Development Officer
Lamar University
Introduction of Guest Speaker:
Floyd McSpadden
Past President
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)
SEPTEMBER
24
Board of Directors meeting, 11:45 a.m. at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas
25
Last Rotary meeting before deadline to return Wine ticket money or unsold tickets.
25
Wine Down With Rotary Committee meeting; following Noon meeting; Broussard's Centre
30
Money due for Wine Down With Rotary tickets sold; please return all unsold tickets.
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The much anticipated annual fundraiser, Wine Down With Rotary, will take place on Thursday, October 3, 2019 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Beaumont Event Centre. The proceeds from this fundraiser go to the Beaumont Rotary Foundation, Inc. which provides the financial support for the Club's service projects.
PLEASE REMEMBER WE NEED YOUR DONATION OF A $20 BOTTLE OF WINE FOR THE WINE PULL!
We are asking for all ticket sales to be completed, and unsold tickets returned, no later than September 30th, making this week, September 25th, the last meeting before the deadline.
A BIG thank you to those who are sponsoring this event! We appreciate your support!
The Committee would love to make this our most profitable Wine Down With Rotary yet! Won't you please support this fundraiser by donating a $20 bottle of wine or by purchasing a bundle of tickets?
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At Wine Down With Rotary, we will have a raffle of items like we have done in previous years. If you can make a donation of an item, please bring it on Wednesday, September 25 so our committee can get busy organizing the donations into handsome baskets or featured items. It can be anything at all! Be creative!
A new addition to Wine Down With Rotary this year will be an exciting Wine Pull! Rotarians are asked to help make it fun and successful by donating a bottle of wine, valued at $20 or more. We hope everyone will also buy a $20 cork and win a mystery bottle matching the number on their cork.
Wine Down With Rotary proceeds go to the Beaumont Rotary Foundation and is our second largest fundraiser. The monies earned fund the many service projects of the club including Camp RYLA for high school students, college scholarships, the Non-Traditional Scholarship, service projects throughout the year, the literacy project at Martin Elementary, the Layette project, and our Rotary efforts to End Polio Now.
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No one has to tell you that Southeast Texas again had a major weather event last week with the name of Imelda. And no one needs to tell you that Rotarians were quick to respond to the call to service that went out soon afterwards. On Saturday and Sunday, Rotarians helped at homes in Vidor and Beaumont, and on Monday morning, a large number were able to help at the Women's and Children's Shelter. Thank you to all who were able to give Service Above Self.
Where will you find Rotarians next? Angela Baker was asked to serve as the Club's Disaster Relief Coordinator. She will be working to find the places and ways that Rotarians can serve the needs of the community in the coming days and weeks and will call upon your assistance as needed. Please respond when you are able to serve.
A few photos of the weekend work are available here with credit to Larry Beaulieu.
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Last Wednesday at our weekly meeting, Rotarians were empathetic to the needs of the residents of the Bahamas who are suffering because of the devastation brought on by Hurricane Dorian earlier in September. A total of $1,000 was collected from generous Rotarians. Thank you for giving so generously.
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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.
Roy Huckaby
This week we particularly want to send wishes for a quick recovery from the damages brought on by Imelda.
Lori Allen
Bobbie Applegate
Amber Clark
Rob Glassey
Van Greer
Cindy Jeanis
Norma & Alan Sampson
Dana Timaeus
Dana Tucker
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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Mark Hall
September 24
Robert Hickman
September 24
Twila Baker
September 25
Butch Cherry
September 25
Shedrick Evans
September 25
Rhonda Marks
September 25
Hubert Oxford
September 25
Bridget Johnson
September 27
James Henges
September 29
Van Greer
September 30
Charles Wall
September 30
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PROGRAM REVIEW
September 18, 2019
"Addressing Transportation Challenges
in Beaumont"
Donald L. Smith
Beaumont District Engineer
Texas Department of Transportation
by Chuck Heare
Texas is growing rapidly. As a result, $8.1 billion has been authorized for projects in Texas over the coming year. These funds have been authorized in spite of highway revenues trending down. Most highway revenue comes from gasoline taxes, and as vehicles become more fuel efficient, they burn less gas, which results in reduced highway revenues. While revenues are trending down in Texas, the need for repairs, maintenance and new construction is going up. TXDOT is doing something right, according to Mr. Smith by allocating this much to projects.
Mr. Smith emphasized that he is committed to helping this area by doing the right projects at the right time. He is aware that industry in this area has made and is making major investments in expansion projects in the neighborhood of $50-70 billion. The highway infrastructure in this area needs to be able to handle the anticipated increasing demand.
Numerous widening projects have been completed, a number are underway, and a major project is in the design/build stage for the 69/IH10 interchange which is expected to cost between $500 and $600 million. This project will involve expanding lanes, moving entrance and exit ramps, and removal of the Liberty/Laurel overpass (also known as the Maury Meyers Bridge) in order to allow access to freight of any height to travel on the interstate. In fact, the plan is to eventually remove all overpasses along the interstate highway. Construction on this project is expected to begin in 2021.
Mr. Smith said he has only been here a month and is still becoming familiar with the area and ongoing projects, so he was unable to give many specifics about the projects, but he had an able assistant present to answer any specific questions Rotarians had. We should expect delays during these construction projects. It is a good idea to be tuned into the news about potential delays and where to expect them.
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