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.
Weekly meetings are being held using Zoom. Sign into the meeting between 11:30 and Noon and you can enjoy some social time with other members before the meeting starts at Noon.
PROGRAM PREVIEW
June 17, 2020
"The Struggle to Help People in West Africa"
Darius R. Maggi, M. D.
Founder
West Africa Fistula Foundation
"Many people want to help make the world a better place, but don’t know where to start. Often times, all it takes is an inspirational example.
The grandson of an Italian immigrant and blue-collar father, Dr. Darius Maggi was inspired by his familial mentors to put others first.
Beginning his medical career as a small-town Oklahoma physician, Dr. Maggi built a huge practice in North Central Texas, then moved on to making the world a better place through healing the poorest of the poor.
Spending most of his time and effort in Sierra Leone, Dr. Maggi has focused his energy on eradicating obstetrical fistula – a severely debilitating consequence of extended labor that no longer exists in countries where women have reliable access to safe, modern healthcare.
Dr. Maggi’s experience serves to remind us that a life of real meaning, purpose, and gratification can only come from unselfish giving."
- excerpt taken from Amazon.com
Dr. Maggi authored the book Basta!: A Doctor's Story of Giving Back (the proceeds of which go to support the West Africa Fistula Foundation.) Taking a quote from the book's introduction paints a clear picture of his passion about his work. He says, "Practicing medicine is not about the money. It's about relationships with people. That's why I founded the West Africa Fistula Foundation in Sierra Leone, because of the women whose lives we touch. They are extremely grateful for the work we're doing there. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve."
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Head Table for June 17
Invocation:
Mandy Clayton
Director of Development & Foundation
Lamar Institute of Technology
Pledges to USA & Texas Flags:
John Lee
Business Advisor
Lamar University Small Business Development Center
Introduction of Guest Speaker:
Randall L. Fluke
Assistant U. S. Attorney
United States Government
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. Link to the online signup systemor contact Jennifer Burch, Chair, at409-201-3016.
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CALENDAR OF ROTARY EVENTS
(Club events & opportunities for meeting makeups)
June
18
District Governor Becky Mason's Installation; 7:00 p.m. using Zoom (Register in advance.)
23
Board of Directors meeting; 11:30 a.m. online in Zoom meeting; members who would like to join in the meeting live, please send a request to receive the link by email to: admin@beaumontrotaryclub.org
July
FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR MEMBERS, CLUB MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE USING ZOOM THROUGH JULY.
1
Installation of 2020-2021 Club Leadership - President Cindy Cherry and Club Officers and Board of Directors; at meeting using Zoom
4
"Show Your Colors" Flag project for Independence Day
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On Thursday, June 18, Becky Mason will be installed as Governor of District 5910. It is an honor to have a member of our Club selected to serve as Governor and everyone is invited to attend her Installation using Zoom. Using the invitation image below, you can easily make a reservation to attend and the link will be sent to you.
Congratulations, Becky, and best wishes for a very successful year!
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Dues invoices will be sent out this week with payment due July 1. You will notice on your invoice that there will be a partial credit applied to the Room Assessment fee. The Board of Directors voted to refund this fee, which amounts to about $1 per week, for the weeks that we have been unable to meet at the Elegante.
If the pandemic has had a negative effect on your employment and you are unable to pay your dues all at once this time, you ARE able to spread your payment over the 6-month period. Speak with Jacque to arrange a payment plan.
If the worst has happened and you find yourself unable to continue your membership in the club now, we sincerely regret it. Please remember to submit a letter of resignation (an email will do also) by June 15 so you are not assessed July-December dues. Non-payment of International and Club dues creates a bad-debt on your Rotary financial record, and you cannot return to membership in this or any other Rotary Club until the bad-debt is paid. If you resign in good-standing before dues are assessed and your account is clear, you will be able to return to membership at a later time without a problem, and we will look forward to you doing so.
If you are leaving the club for any reason, please advise the office before June 15 so you are not assessed July - December 2020 dues.
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Thank you from Emergency Preparedness
The Food Distribution Project was a great Rotary Project, not only did Rotarians help pack the Food Boxes, we had the opportunity to distribute them.
We probably could not have picked a hotter day, but thanks to about 30 Beaumont Rotary Club and other volunteers we had a very successful Food Distribution on June 5. The Beaumont distributions served over 500 families by giving out 56,625 lbs. of food.
When we got to the Babe Zaharias Stadium the line of cars stretched for over a mile, waiting on us. We gave each family: a family-size box of food, cheese, apples, watermelon, 2 gallons of milk, a box of meat, and a Hurricane Preparedness Charts.
Rotarians saw the need in our own community, we saw the delight in the eyes of children and adults when a Rotarian put food in the car.
The Southeast Texas Emergency Relief Fund, the Jefferson County Long-Term Recovery Group, thank you for helping make this project a success.
Vernon Pierce
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Athena Mathews
June 19
Roger McCabe
June 20
Shannah Quinn
June 20
Wes Shipley
June 20
Ashley Thornton
June 20
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CELEBRATING ROTARY ANNIVERSARIES!
We celebrate your membership in our Club!
Tony Clark
June 15, 2016
4 years
Van Greer
June 16, 2004
16 years
Ruby Martin
June 17, 2009
11 years
Ana Perada
June 19, 2019
1 year
Mary Poole
June 19, 2013
7 years
Diane Bass
June 20, 2012
8 years
Karyn Husbands
June 20, 2012
8 years
Rebekah Maxwell
June 22, 2016
4 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.
Diane Bass
Kari Dolan
Stephanie Shoemaker
and all Rotarians who are not able to join us using Zoom.
We miss you and look forward to when we will be able 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
June 10, 2020
"A Slice of History - Here at Home!"
Troy Gray
Director
Spindletop Gladys City Museum
by John Lee
The Spindletop – Gladys City Museum is a re-creation of the original Gladys City which was built soon after oil was discovered at the Spindletop salt dome just south of Beaumont on January 10, 1901. The Museum is located on the Lamar University campus and is run by the University. Troy Gray is the Director of the Museum and he explained some of the history behind Gladys City. He explained how it was to be a planned oilfield town, envisioned by Patillo Higgins as a place where families could live and work, with all aspects of the town connected to the oil he was certain he would find beneath the Spindletop salt dome. Although Mr. Higgins was unsuccessful in his quest to be the first to discover oil at Spindletop (that would fall to Anthony Lucas and the Hammill brothers), the re-creation of Gladys City is based on his original drawings and pictures from the era. Troy said he is fortunate to have a job where he gets to meet people from all over the world, many of whom learned about the Spindletop discovery in their school textbooks.
Gladys City Museum was built in 1975 as a bicentennial project and to help commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Lucas Gusher. You can visit the museum for free Tuesday through Sunday. There are 15 buildings filled with turn-of-the-century items depicting what life was like during that time period in an oilfield town. A prominent feature of the museum is a replica oil derrick built by Mason Construction that “erupts” and re-creates the original gusher by shooting a stream of water into the air the same height as the Lucas Gusher sent oil when the well came in and gushed uncontrolled for 10 days, spilling about 300,000 barrels of oil on the grounds until they could get it capped. You can find the schedule on the website for gusher re-enactments, or you can request a re-enactment on your tour for $50.00!
In addition to the annual celebration on January 10th to commemorate the anniversary of the discovery, Gladys City hosts Halloween and Christmas celebrations with re-enactors in period costume who can show what life was like in 1901. There is also “Gladys City Live” every spring where re-enactors are in every building and even stage a gunfight in the street. For a small donation guests receive replica 1901 money which they can spend on root beer at the saloon, ice cream at the parlor, and other merchandise at the various buildings. It is a great place for a family outing right here in our backyard!
Several Eagle Scout projects have been completed at the Museum, including new benches, sidewalk repairs, and even a new replica derrick! Troy said he very much appreciates the involvement of the local scouts and noted that there are more Eagle Scout projects scheduled to be completed soon. Anyone wishing to learn more about the history of Spindletop and Gladys City and the origins of such companies as Texaco, Gulf Oil, and ExxonMobil should read the book “Giant Under the Hill”, written by local authors Ellen Walker Rienstra, Jo Ann Stiles, and Judith Walker Linsley. So, take a quick trip to the past and visit the Spindletop – Gladys City Museum on the Lamar University campus. It’s a slice of history right here at home!
You can watch and hear the video here:
or link to the Zoom page which includes all of the past recorded sessions
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Dues invoices will be sent out this week with payment due July 1. 
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