Quest Early College High School senior Sejal Gupta is the recipient of this year's Oran O. Bain Jr. Memorial Scholarship grant of $5,000. Ms. Gupta was presented the award by Mrs. Gloria Bain at the Rotary Club of Lake Houston Area's June 9th luncheon meeting. Mrs. Bain also shared how and why the scholarship was created in memory of her late husband, Oran Bain.
Sejal Gupta, a graduating senior at Quest Early College High School in Humble, received the 2020-2021 Oran O. Bain Memorial Scholarship grant of $ 5,000. The presentation to Ms. Gupta was made by Mrs. Gloria Bain, widow of the late Oran Bain at the June 9 meeting of the Rotary Club of Lake Houston Area.
Ms. Melinna Lopez from the Humble ISD Foundation introduced Mrs. Bain. The Oran O. Bain Memorial Scholarship Award was set up in memory of her late husband.
Before introducing Mrs. Bain, Ms. Lopez said Ms. Gupta was just one of 114 students helped by the Humble ISD Foundation. The Foundation has raised over $120,000 in donations. The Rotary Club of Lake Houston Area members have helped several of these students this year.
Ms. Gupta will be attending Houston’s Rice University majoring in Political Science in the fall. She hasn’t decided yet but she is considering a career as a lawyer, or maybe in government service or as political writer.
Mrs. Gloria Bain shared with Rotarians how and why the Oran O. Bain Jr. Memorial Scholarship was created in memory of her late husband.
Mrs. Bain explained her husband grew up in Texas, retired here from the military, opened and operated a bagel shop for a while and then sold it and became a full time Rotarian. While serving in the military, he received his bachelor and master’s degrees from Chapman College in Orange County, CA. He completed two tours in Vietnam where he earned two Bronze Stars and the Army Air Medal, among other awards and medals.
She said her husband always had a desire to help people in need, but he really began a life of service after joining Rotary. Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self” and he took that mission of service to heart. He worked to bring clean drinking water to villages across southern Africa. He also worked with the Wheelchair Foundation to provide wheelchairs to the disabled in South Africa and Angola.
Oran Bain became a district international chair and traveled the world for Rotary. “I think about how Rotary changed us,” said Mrs. Bain. The kids became part of the Rotary family too. “I don’t believe there is an organization any more responsible for global health with [Rotary’s] Polio Plus,” she said.
Money raised for this award is from private donations, including from many Rotarians. Club member Pam McNair of The Mint Bank helped to set up the account. The Humble ISD Foundation and the Rotary Club helped by providing input in choosing the award winner.
Club President Mike Kevlin closed the meeting by announcing the club had grown despite this past year’s Covid-19 pandemic from 75 members a year ago to 82 members today. He also reminded club members of the club’s meeting location change.
Starting Wednesday, June 16, Rotary Club of Lake Houston Area members and guests will hold their weekly 11:45 a.m. lunch meeting at the Lake Houston Family YMCA, 2420 West Lake Houston Pkwy in Kingwood. For more information about Rotary, visit www.LHARotary.com .