​The Temple Chamber of Commerce is proud to host the 38th annual Military & First Responder Salute: An American Celebration, presented by the American Legion Post #133 and H-E-B on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. The event will take place from 11:15 am to 1:00 pm at the Mayborn Convention Center in Temple.
 
“The 38th Military & First Responder Salute is significant for many reasons,” said Rod Henry, President and CEO of the Temple Chamber of Commerce. “First, we are returning to the traditional luncheon event at Mayborn Convention Center.”
 
The annual event was last held in-person at the Mayborn Convention Center in 2019. As a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, both the 2020 and 2021 events were reimagined to virtual presentations and drive-thru lunch to go events. The past two years, the Chamber, H-E-B Partners, and business community volunteers prepared and served hamburger boxed lunches for Temple’s Central Texas Military Partners, veterans, first responders, and the community.
 
“Second, we continue the appreciation of the Armed Forces through representation from Fort Hood and the Texas Army National Guard in Temple and our local veteran community,” Henry continued.
 
Active-duty soldiers from Temple’s Central Texas Military Partners the 13th ESC/Fort Hood, 1st Medical Brigade/Fort Hood, and Garrison Command/Fort Hood, along with the 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ABCT)/Texas Army National Guard located in Temple, are invited as honored guests. As are veterans through local veterans’ organizations including the American Legion Post #133 and VFW Post #1820.
 
“Finally, we are embracing the women and men who as First Responders, protect and serve our community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” expressed Henry.
 
Beginning in 2020, the Chamber incorporated First Responders into this annual recognition event. Local law enforcement, fire and rescue, EMS, and medical and health care professionals will continue to be invited as honored guests.
 
This year’s event includes a special presentation by Major General John B. Richardson IV, commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Regiment/Fort Hood.
 
Through this annual tradition, the Chamber unites the business com­munity to give back and honor those who have given so much.
 
Further event information can be found at www.templechamber.com. For more information, contact the Temple Chamber of Commerce at (254) 773-2105.

​A New Day Fellowship Church was named 2022 Nonprofit of the Year by the Innovation Black Chamber of Commerce at their inaugural banquet at the Cultural Activities Center this past August.
 
The banquet celebrated and honored those in the community for their great deeds and service in ten categories - Social Responsibility, Nonprofit, and Economic Impact, among others.
 
Dr. Robert H. Beamon and Dr. Teresa Beamon, pastors of A New Day Fellowship Church, were recognized for their innovative approach to ministry, which they started in East Temple 22 years ago. A New Day Fellowship Church is a multi-cultural congregation located at 510 E. Avenue J in Temple.

Driven by their strong faith and a purpose to help those who have limited resources during these unprecedented times, Dr. Teresa Beamon stated that this award “shows our passion of giving back to the community faithfully and why it is so important to them, now that they have been recognized.”
 
Their ministry, which started with door-to-door outreach, is now a campus that houses A New Day Learning Academy, a childcare and preschool facility that has helped children learn Christian values that embraces education through various concepts and appropriate age-base curriculum over the past five years, and a new Affordable Healthcare Clinic that saw its first patient on September 29, 2022. The Healthcare clinic will be run by Nurse Practitioners and Healthcare providers.
 
Both spiritual and physical health, education, and community are pillars of their purpose.
 
Dr. Robert Beamon and Dr. Teresa Beamon received their education locally. Pastor Robert Beamon received his Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate in Biblical Studies from the Institute for Teaching God’s Word Theological Seminary in Rockdale, TX. Teresa Beamon received her BSN, MSN-Ed, and DNP from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB). Pastor Beamon is in fulltime ministry while Teresa continues to work as an adjunct nursing faculty at UMHB and is in a nursing leadership role at the Central Texas Veterans Healthcare Administration in Quality, Safety and Value.
 
Both feel their personal experiences and education has impacted how they connect with their congregation and community in reaching lifetime dreams spiritually and holistically.
 
They host Embrace Health, which is offered through Texas A&M College of Medicine, Baylor Scott & White Health, and the UMHB Mayborn College of Health Sciences.  This program is designed to serve the community through health teaching and to provide an interprofessional education (IPE) experience for health professional students. It exposes students to the challenges individuals/families encounter with respect to their health, as well as difficulties accessing healthcare.  Students will work in interprofessional teams and gain a better understanding on how social determinants contribute to poor health outcomes.
 
Fifteen families go through these sessions during the school year and are provided a meal and fellowship prior to each class. The families are shown how to prepare nutritious meals and are provided a care plan from professional students to include: physician assistants, medical, nursing, physical therapy, and occupational health. The series also includes sessions on financial literacy to equip families with tools to live a holistic healthy lifestyle.
 
A New Day Fellowship also hosts flu vaccine clinics annually and was a hub for COVID-19 vaccinations in East Temple during the Pandemic.
 
“Pastor Beamon and I were the first in line to receive our COVID-19 vaccines,” said Teresa. “Someone has to take the first step, and we have been the ‘First-Steppers’ in many areas.”
 
“Some of the first steps led to opportunities of improvement within ourselves and others. From those opportunities there has always been a purpose and lesson learned to keep going. We want to be examples individuals and their families can look up to,” she continued.
 
Taking the first step may be difficult for various reasons but through mentoring and guidance, they both have helped families through difficult times. “Our strong faith has helped us through many trials; therefore, we impart these Christian principles to others for growth in their own lives. We have continued to believe that God has a purpose for us to be accomplished through this ministry.”
 
The same character and purpose to serve and give back to the community were also instilled in their two daughters Keverly Beamon and Kayla Beamon. Kayla has led a Back-to-School Extravaganza at their church each Summer for the past three years.
 
This event started as a backpack and school supply giveaway serving a few hundred children and grew to serve over 1,000 children in 2022.
 
Not only does this event provide backpacks and school supplies to children in need in the community, the Beamon’s lean on their guiding pillars and purpose for spiritual and physical health, and this event also provides no-cost healthcare services such as physicals for school athletics, vision screenings, and more through healthcare provider volunteers coordinated through Feed My Sheep and the Lion’s Club.
 
Plus, the 2022 event kicked off with a parade, steppers, games, music, food, petting zoo, inflatable bounce houses, and gift card giveaways for parents, and served as a positive way to the build community. This could not have been done without the assistance of local businesses contribution, individual donors and our church support.
 
In addition to a new Affordable Healthcare Clinic on their campus, the Beamon’s plans are to continue to “raise up the east side”. They will break ground in 2023 on the Noire Development – East Heights, a residential development that will provide 42 affordable homes in East Temple. 
 
“Pastor Beamon and I were raised here and are intentional about being part of a growing   community.  We are rooted in this community serving on various Boards and Committees, and we have built a network of connections that enable us to give back and fulfill our purpose,” said Teresa Beamon. “God has been good to us, and we have a community that believes in what we are doing - we are stronger together!”
 
A New Day Fellowship Church falls under the leadership of Covenant Connections International, Inc., the Late Bishop Nate Holcomb, and Pastor Valerie Holcomb in Killeen, TX. Visit them online at www.anewdayfellowship.org and follow them on social media.

Learning about the inner workings of the community by “taking a look under
the hood” is crucial in setting a foundation for future and current community
leaders. The Leadership Temple (LT) Class of 2023 had the opportunity to see
how the “well-oiled machine” that is the City of Temple operates on Sep. 13,
2022.

An informative meet and greet with Temple Mayor Tim Davis and City Councilmember
Susan Long started the day. The morning continued with presentations
from several City Leaders - City Manager Brynn Myers, Finance Director
Traci Barnard, and Performance Excellence Director Stacey Hawkins.

The experience, leadership, and details in the presentations highlighted the
time, talent, and energy it takes to run the City of Temple. Most noteworthy
was not the management or the processes but the passion each leader demonstrated
about what they do and how their contributions enable the City to
thrive.

The morning concluded with Parliamentary Procedure 101 and a Mock City
Council meeting led by Deputy City Secretary Liz Caraway and City Attorney
Kathy Davis.

“Even role-playing as Temple Mayor, I gained a greater understanding of how to
lead an effective City Council meeting,” noted Caleb Smith, First United Bank &
Trust and LT Class of 2023 participant.

A tour of Temple Water Treatment Plant (WTP) with WTP Division Director
Colton Migura kicked off the afternoon. The group learned about the process
of drawing surface water from the Leon River, treatment, all the way to the
consumer. They also heard first-hand the role this division plays in providing
adequate water supply to meet current and projected demands. This critical
city infrastructure is another essential function that happens everyday to “keep
the machine running”.

“I was fascinated by the Water Treatment Plant tour, and I have a newfound
appreciation for what all goes into assuring we have safe and clean water,”
remarked Jodi Brazeal, Magnolia Realty Temple-Belton and LT Class of 2023
participant.

To conclude the day, Leadership Temple headed to the Historic Post Office for
presentations from Parks & Recreation Department Assistant Director Chuck
Ramm, Housing & Community Development Director Nancy Glover, and Transform
Temple Director Buford Craig.

“My eyes were opened by the numerous programs our city offers,” commented
Jentry Davis, Temple Area Builders Association and LT Class of 2023 participant.
“There are so many opportunities to serve the community and be able to
make a difference.”
​
Leadership Temple left the days event with a greater understanding and appreciation
for all that goes into the “well-oiled machine” that is the City of Temple.