Bulletin for May 30, 2013

Rotary friends Don Jarvis, Paul Warner, Ray Beckham and Greg Hudnall.

Upcoming Provo Rotary Programs and Events

June 6: Juergen Korbanka, Ph.D., Executive Director, Wasatch Mental Health

June 13: Miriam Kramer, International Service Director, Youthlinc

Linda Palmer and Greg Hudnall

June 20: Jaren Pope, Assistant Professor in the BYU Department of Economics

June 27: Bill Hulterstrom, Executive Director United Way of Utah County

Report of the Provo Rotary Club meeting May 30, 2013

Today's meeting was held at Riverside Country Club with President Vaughn Park conducting. Jill Moon lead the singing, Ron Roberts provided dinner music. An invocation was offered by Dean Jackson.

Joan Dixon and Janette Beckham

Guests included Teresa Tavaras and Joan Dixon of Hispano Latino, guests of Linda Palmer, Adam Zaugg, son of Glen Zaugg, and Mary Redd, wife of Robert Redd.

The district is in need of adult team leaders for RYLA next September at Heber Valley Camp. If you are interested please contact President Vaughn Park.

Paul Warner distributed copies of this year's Freedom Festival Magazine.

The monthly meeting of the club's Board of Directors will be next Thursday, June 6.

President Vaughn Park announced that he is accepting applications for those interested in serving as the clubs secretary or treasurer (or both) to replace Stan Miller who is retiring from this post he has held for fourteen years.

David Rogers and Ray Beckham

Greg Hudnall served as sergeant for the day.

Steve Densley introduced Janette Beckham who gave a very generous introduction of her husband Ray Beckham, recipient of this year's Provo Rotary Service Above Self award.

Janette and Ray Beckham with Vaughn Park

Dr. Raymond E. Beckham was the first person to hold the title of BYU Sports Information Director starting in 1949, served as the chief statistician for football and basketball for seven years, was a member of the Athletic Council for 15 years and was the Alumni Director for 10 years.

Beckham also had a direct influence on the fundraising campaigns for what are now LaVell Edwards Stadium, the Marriott Center and the Smith Fieldhouse.

With Dr. Roger Parkinson, Beckham co-founded the Cougar Club in 1963 and has been a member every year since, including this year as a Legacy member. Beckham was also a member of the search committee culminating in the hiring of head football coach Tom Hudspeth and director of athletics Floyd Millet.

Ray Beckham and Dean Jackson

Not only has Beckham been a key player in the veneration of BYU Athletics, he has also contributed to BYU in a number of other ways. He is a Professor Emeritus of Communications and taught advertising and public relations for 21 years; served as the director of development and public services for five years each; founded the Aspen Grove Family Camp and worked for the travel studies department, evening school and the New York City Internship Program.

BYU has awarded Beckham with the Man of the Year Award, the Presidential Medal and the Alumni Distinguished Service Award. He has also earned Provo's Abraham O. Smoot Outstanding Citizen Award, Provo Rotary Club's Service-Above-Self Award, Scouting's Silver Beaver award, the Red Cross Clara Barton award and the Sons of Utah Pioneers "Modern Pioneer" award.

He served three terms as president of the Utah National Parks, Boy Scouts of America. In 2012 Beckham was also recognized at the Boy Scouts America Gala Dinner for his lifelong dedication to scouting. In 2012 Beckham was awarded the BYU Franklin S. Harris award. He also served as chairman of the Red Cross for nine years.

Ray was founding president of Provo Downtown Alliance, chairman of Provo's Downtown Beautification Committee for three years and member of citizen's committee for constructing Provo Recreation Center. He was advisory chairman of Crandall Historical Printing Museum for ten years and founder of Utah Printers Hall of Fame and Utah Golf Marathon. 

Janette Hales Beckham

In his business and professional career, he is a retired vice president of corporate communications for Nu Skin International, Inc., former chairman and board member of Deseret Federal Savings and Loan and former president of National Resources and Deseret Villages.

Beckham joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of 19 while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard and hasn't quit serving since. His Church service includes that of stake president, bishop, member of the high council, scoutmaster, mission president, regional representative of the Twelve, member of the adult curriculum committee, chairman of the home teaching committee, member of the Melchizedek Priesthood committee, minority committee, temple sealer and member of the Provo Temple Presidency. He also served nine years as a full-time missionary in the Church Public Affairs Department, the last four of which were on the Church Olympic Committee for the 2002 Winter Games.

Married to the late Ida Lee Jackson in 1947. The couple has five children, 19 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Following his first wife's death in 1994, Beckham married Janette Callister Hales, who has five children and 14 grandchildren.