Junior League of Beaumont

June 1 is the first day of the fiscal year for the Junior League of Beaumont, Texas, Incorporated. Today, I am honored to step into the role of President. The ladies serving with me on the board and in leadership are some of the hardest working and most caring people I know, and I feel blessed to be able to serve with them. JLB is over 380 members strong, and each one is making a difference in our community. Together we will celebrate 80 years and growing! Welcome to year 80! 🌳

-Kate Thorne Brossard, President 2026-2027

To the women of the Junior League of Beaumont, you are the reason our League is so special. You bring joy, compassion, and a willingness to show up, even when life is full or heavy. This year, I watched you take care of each other in ways that cannot be measured, in small gestures that meant everything. You reminded me again and again that meaningful connection is not something we say, it is something we live. It has been the greatest honor to serve with you, and to be one of you.

Meaningful connections do not care about calendars. They do not end when a League year ends. They carry forward in the relationships we have built, in the way we continue to show up for one another, and in the lives we touch along the way.
This League, and each of you, will always be a part of me.
Yours,
Sarah Wells

Welcome to our newest Active members to our 2025-2026 Provisional Class. You stepped in with open hearts, ready to make a difference. The sensory room at Sallie Curtis will be an asset for years to come. I am incredibly proud of what you created together. We are so lucky to have you, and I cannot wait to see how you continue to grow and lead. - Sarah

To our Chairs, you are the ones who make everything happen. You are the steady heartbeat of this League, turning ideas into action and plans into impact. You gave your time, your energy, and so much of yourselves, often without recognition and always without hesitation. You created spaces where connection could grow and where members felt seen. You gave more than was asked, and more than will ever be fully known. This year exists because of you. I cannot thank you enough! - Sarah

As this amazing year comes to a close, I would like to take a movement to thank our amazing Board of Directors. You were more than I could have ever asked for. You led with strength and kindness. That balance is what made this year such a success. You showed up for each other in the big moments and in the quiet ones no one else saw. You made me better, and you made this League better. I will forever be grateful to have led alongside you. - Sarah

Serving as president during this year of meaningful connections has been one of the greatest honors of my life. The conversations before meetings, the laughter shared while setting up an event, and the leadership that blooms when women support each other.

Our impact in the community was broad and personal. Through more than $100,000 invested in our community with $50,000 awarded in Community Assistance Fund Grants, we continued to meet real needs of Southeast Texas. We also reinstated our Community Advisory Board to partner with like-minded women in our community. We distributed 4,500 pounds of food, assembled 200 PeriodPower Pantry packs, provided 800 loads of laundry, filled 200 holiday food baskets, purchased and distributed 100 Christmas stockings, delivered 125 backpacks to those in need, and so much more. These numbers tell the story of service, but behind each one is a connection between a League member and someone whose life was made a little brighter through our work.

We also strengthened our member experience. We opened more opportunities for leadership through additional co-chair and step-up roles for members to grow their skills. We launched our First Year Active Reunion and Sustainer Advisor Training, along with our creation of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, reflects our commitment to building a League where every member feels valued. Our communications efforts reached new heights, generating more than 2.4 million social media impressions across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This year, we rolled out our Redbook, the reimagined yearbook and highlighted our members’ stories in Spinnings. Through increased use of branded chair email communication and an expanded Canva team, we found new ways to tell the story of our League and invite others into our mission.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our members and the generosity of our community. Main Street Market, Dancing with the Stars, and Lagniappe Luncheon ensured that our programs could continue to grow. These events are more than fundraisers. They are celebrations of what can happen when a community believes in the power of women to do a world of good.

✨ Recognizing Our Neches River Festival Princesses ✨

During our Annual Meeting, we had the privilege of recognizing our Princesses that represented our League during the Neches River Festival LXXVIII this year.

Please join us in congratulating these wonderful young ladies on their graduations:
👑 Trinity Azariah Gilder — Daughter of Active LaSan Gilder
👑 Reese Caroline McCabe — Granddaughter of Sustainer Sharon McCabe
👑 Fallon Nicole Morrow — Daughter of Active Brooke Morrow.

We are so proud of each of you and look forward to seeing all the good you do! ❤️✨

✨ We Honored Laurel Rugg at May Dinner for Highest Raffle Ticket Sales ✨

At this year's May Dinner, we were proud to recognize Laurel Rugg for continuously selling the most raffle tickets year after year, in addition to all of her placements and contributions to the League. ❤️

Laurel is always willing to do “a little something extra” for the League — and by a little, we mean selling A LOT of raffle tickets!

Over the past four years alone, Laurel has sold an incredible $11,450 in raffle tickets, and that is only a small part of her overall total.

Thank you, Laurel, for your dedication, hard work, and unwavering support of the League. We appreciate you so much! ❤️👏

President Sarah Wells and President Elect Kate Thorne were honored to represent the Junior League of Beaumont at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Junior League International. Alongside women from around the world, they joined in a shared commitment to doing a world of good both globally and right here in our own community.

We were especially grateful for the opportunity to connect with our Gulf Coast neighbors, including the Junior League of Houston, Junior League of Galveston County, Inc., and Junior League of Corpus Christi, Inc. (JLCC) while also building international connections with the Junior League of London and the newest league, the Junior League of Nairobi. Together, these women are proof that when we come together, our impact reaches far beyond our own cities.

✨ Women Building Better Communities Scholarship ✨

Choosing just one scholarship recipient this year was no easy task, but Trinity Gilder stood out in an extraordinary way.

Graduating at the top of her class with an Associate Degree in Biological Science from LIT, Trinity has excelled both academically and in leadership through National Honor Society, Student Council, Top Teens of America Inc., and Epsilon Theta Xinos.

Beyond her achievements, Trinity’s heart for service truly made her shine. Inspired by her mother, Active member LaSan Gilder, she has dedicated countless hours to serving her community through volunteer work and outreach efforts.

After graduation, Trinity will attend Southern University A&M College to pursue her dream of becoming a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

"I want to care for people, support them, and make a difference, especially in communities that need it most."

Congratulations to Trinity Gilder, recipient of the Junior League of Beaumont's Women Building Better Communities Scholarship! ❤️🎓