Rotary Club of Boca Raton West
The AAMEE APARECIDENSE band started in 2015, after the break up of the Aparecida City band.
The new band agreed to continue the objective of propagating culture, through education and
music. They established the Aparecidense Arts, Music, Sport and Education Association. It was
in 2017 that President David Brun baptized the band with the name AAMEE APARECIDENSE.
The grand opening of AAMEE took place in January 2018, on the occasion of the reception of
the Governor of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, Márcio França. From there, several presentations,
competitions and awards were received.
In November 2019, the Band launched the DONATE UNIFORMS campaign and, through Maestro
Keith Bearden, they managed to get a donation from Castleberry High School, in Fort Worth,
TX, USA. Getting the uniforms from Fort Worth, TX to Aparecida, SP presented a challenge. This
challenge was met through donations and fundraising by the Aparecida Rotary Club to send
someone to pick up the uniforms. Therefore AAMEE conductor André Oliveira went to Fort
Worth to get a portion of the uniforms donataded by Castleberry High School.
In 2021 the remaining portion of the donated uniforms were still in Forth Worth. Cecília Lopes,
an honorary member of the Aparecida Rotary Club, reached out to the Rotary Rotary Club of
Boca Raton West in Boca Raton, FL, USA. Cecília Lopes call for help was met with cooperation
and support by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton West.
With the collaboration of the Rotary Club of Fort Worth International, the Castleberry High
School Band, and the Castleberry High School Band Boosters we were able to get the remaining
uniforms that André Oliveira was not able to transport in 2019. This preparation and logistical
support would not have been possible without the help of Ms. Abby Crawford for the Boosters
and Mr. Eric Short the active President of the Rotary Club of Fort Worth International.
A portion of the uniforms were transported by a supporter and great fan of Rotary Services,
Jimmy Beuke. Jimmy found the time during a work trip to Fort Worth to coordinate with Eric
Short and brought a portion of the uniforms to the Rotary Club of Boca Raton West for further
transport to Brazil. Then I, the President of The Rotary Club of Boca Raton West had the
opportunity to transport the uniforms to Brazil where I delivered them to Maestro David Brun.
An honorary member of Both, the Rotary Club of Boca Raton West and Aparecida Rotary Club,
Mr. Amario Cassimiro da Silva made it possible to transport the remaining larger portion of
uniforms through a significant financial donation.
On behalf of the Rotary Club of Boca Raton West I would like to extend a very special thanks to
all the people mentioned above. All of their combined efforts formed a “task force” that made it
possible to deliver donated band uniforms from Fort Worth, TX to the AAMEE Band in
Aparecida, SP, Brazil. Working together can make dreams come true.
This is Rotary! Together we are stronger, but United we are Super Powerful!
By Luciana Beuke – RC Boca Raton West President
