THE EMAIL PUBLICATION OF THE WHEEL
ROTARY CLUB OF PORT ARTHUR
MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2012
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
Achievable goal are the first step to self improvement.
Harvard Commencement Address 2008
UP FRONT
President Craig Noble presided over the January 26th meeting. The invocation and pledge to the U.S. And Texas flags were led by Vice President Mark Porterie. Past President Bill Coons led the club in singing "O, Rotary Town". Janie Johnson introduced our visiting Rotarian and guests and Past President Bill Coons gave the attendance report. Past President Clayton Salter reported no anniversaries this week.
FRIENDSHIP DOLLAR
Pete Yates the Friendship Dollar and gave it to Janie Johnson.
GUESTS
Ted Meeks (out of town Rotarian and guest of President Elect George Newsome), Mayor Deloris "Bobbie" Prince of Port Arthur (guest of John Comeaux), and Officer Partrick Britton of the Port Arthur Police Department.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Good news was reported by Past Presidents Jeff Hayes, Frank Cricchio, Ike Akbari, Ed Boone, and Floyd Marceaux.
President Elect George Newsome went over the committees chairs for the up coming Taste of Gumbo and he will have copies at our next meeting to hand out.
Past President Jeff Hayes told the club that an article on eradicating polio from the world and can a businessmen's club do it, appeared in The Economist magazine this month. Our club should think of project we can do for our upcoming 100th anniversary in a few years.
President Craig Noble presented a check from the club in the amount of $200 to help purchase a drug dog for the department and Officer Patrick Britton accepted the check from President Craig Noble.
President Craig Noble told the members that the club received a thank you note from Director Libby Arnold thanking the club for the check she received for the Community Care Prayer Outreach from the remainder of funds from the Holly Day Fund.
@MAKE UP LOCATIONS
MONDAY
North Port Arthur at Southeast Texas Medical Center at noon.
TUESDAY
Beaumont-Spindletop at ElegantefHotel at noon. Port Neches and Groves have combined and they meet at the Pompano Club at noon. Orange meets at the Sunset Groves Country Club at noon.
WEDNESDAY
Beaumont-Downtown meets at the Elegantef Hotel.
THURSDAY
Bridge City at the Community Center at noon.
FRIDAY
Nederland meets at the Pompano Club at noon. Remember you can make up on the Internet at www.rotaryeclubone.org. You can make up 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after. Please visit our website at www.portarthurrotary.org in your spare time.
FELLOW ROTARIAN MCCOY ADDRESSES CLUB
Director Russel Buss, Program Chairman for the month of January, introduced Fellow
Rotarian Bill McCoy as our guest speaker. Director Buss told the club that he had the privilege to attend the annual Port Arthur Chamber Banquet and it was a wonderful event. Mr. McCoy joined our Chamber of Commerce in July, 2011 and is a 30-year veteran of running other chambers. Mr. McCoy has been a Rotarian for 27 years and is also a Paul Harris Fellow. Mr. McCoy was glad to see the Mayor at the meeting because it got him and her in trouble unintenually when he got in Port Arthur, the banquet was already set and he had no idea it was on a City Council night. In support of the Chamber, the Mayor changed her City Council night to a Wednesday night and he apologized and his banquets will be on Thursday nights. Mr. McCoy found Past President Ed Boone plaque of 2007 when Past President Ed served as the Chamber President. Mr. McCoy has been cleaning out the Chamber. The first Chamber of Commerce was founded in France in the 1500fs. New York is probably the oldest Chamber in the United States in about 1800. Port Arthur Chamber was charted in about 1899 and the first banquet was in 1900. This year marks the 112th banquet. Mr. McCoy told his wife he wished he was in Port Arthur 35-40 years ago and saw the businesses in downtown Port Arthur. The Chamber is not a charity but an economic development organization. If they donft have any good relationships with the city, schools, county, the state, they get nothing done. That is why they answer to their members but work with all agencies in the community equal.