You might have wondered where the money donated to the Beaumont Rotary Foundation is spent, but wonder no more! Not only are funds allocated to projects like layettes, water wells, books to first graders, and scholarships; it is also spent on the RYLA experience for sixteen exceptional students to attend, participate in, and learn from the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program.
The student participants and their parents are invited to join us for the meeting as we hear about the 2016 program and the experiences of the weekend. The program will be lead by our energetic and exceptional team that took part as well. Come hear of the fun, see pictures and welcome the students, and perhaps future Rotarians, to the meeting to re-live the fun. You won't regret it!
Bridget Johnson FROM: Executive Director, YWCA; "Associations: YWCA" TO: Non-Profit Consultant, Self-Employed
"Consulting - Non-Profits"
PROPOSALS APPROVED:
Chance Henson, Director of Marketing and Development, Habitat for Humanity
CLASSIFICATION: ASSOCIATIONS – HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Proposed by Shannon Williamson
Gary Moncla, President, Moncla’s Properties
CLASSIFICATION: REAL ESTATE – DEVELOPMENT
Proposed by Pat Anderson
Kerry Moncla, Real Estate Salesagent, Re/Max One
CLASSIFICATION: REAL ESTATE – COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL
Proposed by Pat Anderson
In accordance with our bylaws (Article 13, Section 8), please submit written objections related to the aforementioned within 10 days (of January 6) to the board of directors, stating the reason for your objection.
The next Board meeting is January 26. Any member is welcome to attend for information or as a meeting make-up.
The RYLA team and students will be officially welcomed home from their weekend experience. This is always a great program with a number of guests attending, including the student delegates and parents.
A number of Rotarians have generously donated a guest meal. If you have not yet and can spare a lunch ticket or two in order for us to graciously accommodate these guests, please donate at the meeting on Wednesday.
Do you know of a young lady entering the Neches River Festival as a princess?
If your daughter or granddaughter is a student at a Beaumont school, graduating in May, and planning to take part in the annual NRF festivities, perhaps she could be sponsored by the Rotary Club of Beaumont!
Please submit her name by calling the Rotary Office at 842-1913 before January 22.
Regina’s first six months back in Beaumont have been a period of analysis, reconnection, introduction and learning what is going on in the area. She thanked Beaumont for the warm welcome home. She expressed her major areas of focus as determining economic strength, projects of change to work on, the “perception of the community” outside, global network commitment, and the Downtown area.
In 2015, the area’s economic strength was fantastic. Quoting Mayor Becky Ames: “It’s another great day in Beaumont,” Regina agrees there are many reasons that this is true. The economic development in the city and the region has seen $51 billion in investment and 2,000 jobs. 2016 looks like another great year with many projects in the works in the area of petrochemical, manufacturing, maritime, healthcare and textile. Beaumont has been listed as the 7th best place in the nation to do business.
The project most needed in the region is the change to the Sabine Neches waterway which will allow our ports to take advantage of the new Panama Canal changes for larger ships. This project has been started and it needs a push for legislation and appropriation. Regina is confident that she has made connections in Washington DC which will enable us to move this project into the main stream, even though it may still be 5-6 years away.
The perception of the community is an issue that Beaumont continually battles. It is a problem for Lamar University as well. She plans to flood the region and nation, as well as international contacts, with public relations stories that good things are happening locally. This program has started and has received recognition already from just one article. The Chamber has begun working on a global network in order to introduce Southeast Texas to the world. Three delegations have already been received: Turkey, Brazil and China. These types of events can be beneficial to show the diversification that our community can receive.
The Downtown area is another area of concern. Some good things are happening there and the City is making a commitment to increase more housing in the downtown area. Residential life must occur in order to create more “life” at night in the area. The Museums have certainly been a focus for the City in many ways but in order to create more retail, restaurants, etc., more residential housing is needed.
The Southeast region is known throughout the state as “the calm in the storm of Texas.” Changes are taking place in the region and the Chamber that are positive now and for the future.
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