After my initial meeting with the managers of the Seafarer's Center, Mr. Ivan Mobley and Mr. Carol Gary, I knew that it was the perfect organization for me to get involved in.

 

For the first two years of my term, I served as a non-voting board member. The role as a non-voting board member allowed me to learn more about how a nonprofit operates, and the responsibilities held for board members.  This year, I was voted in as an official board member of the Seafarer's Center! I am excited to officially be part of the team and do my part to continue the mission and goals of the center.​

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Take a look at some of the key highlights from being part of the Seafarer's Center!

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Summer Board Meetings (May-June)

• Arriving at the Port of Beaumont, I was instantly mystified by the huge ships that were docked at the port. Because the port is an army base, I must always be accompanied by a representative to ensure safety and security. Coming into the first meeting, I was nervous, however, I soon realized that I had just joined part of a family. The first thing on the agenda was to discuss the budget and the planning of the annual Seafarer's Center Gala held at the Elegante Hotel. This gala brings in the majority of the funds the center needs in order to stay in operation. As a nonprofit, it is important that we show appreciation to our donors and supporters that help keep our mission alive.

• This year, the board decided to vote on a change of location for the Gala to be held instead at the Holiday Inn. By making this change, not only would it save us money, but also provide more accommodations to our guests as we introduced our first private reception room. In addition, the Holiday Inn includes decor for the ballroom as part of their price.

Fall Board Meetings (August to December)

• The Gala was held in August and featured our guest speaker Dade Phelan, as well as many other high-profile guests. On the day of the gala, my job was to assist in registration and guide people to their seats. Overall, with the fees collected for the Gala and the Silent Auction that was held on the side, we raised over $30,000!

• After the Gala, the next order of business was to prepare for the Taste of Triangle Tasting. Normally, our organization prepares and serves salsa and chips for the event. By participating in this event, we were able to raise awareness and promote the ideas of the center to those who attended the event! I had an extremely fun time being able to work with the other board members, and eat delicious food!

• Finally, for the Christmas season, the board made the decision to gather donations consisting of toiletries and other goods to hand out to mariners who were at the port during the holiday season. For this project, I reached out to my former NHS supervisor, Ms. Jean Bryant, and asked if she would be willing to help out in gathering donations. Thankfully, Ms. Bryant said yes and I was able to gather two boxes of supplies by the end of the month.

Winter/ Spring Board Meetings (January to March)

• To show appreciation to all the workers who help the Port of Beaumont maintain function, we voted to host an appreciation lunch! At this appreciation luncheon, we all made dishes such as turkey and casserole to give to others.

• The next order of business was to prepare for the Sea Scouts arrival to the Port of Beaumont. The Scout Master of the local chapter reached out to Mr. Ivan asking if we would be willing to give a short presentation and provide lunch to students who were participating in the Sea Scouts program. The board voted yes on this matter, and was able to provide pizza while discussing the goals of the port.

• Finally, we decided it was time to start planning for our St. Patrick's day fundraiser that is held annually. Some items that had to be taken into consideration include music, food, bar, and activities for guests to do! Although I was unable to attend the event, I did hear that it was a major success and more people came in attendance!

Current Day

• As of now, the Seafarer's Center has recently reopened at full operation for all mariners to come in! At the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we initially had to pause our operations out of the safety of the staff working within the Port of Beaumont.