RotaryFoundation News

                                                       Robert E. Smith

                                                  R.I. Foundation Chairman

February 2007

With our successful Foundation matching campaign in November, Rotary Foundation Month, in addition to submitting annual $100 contributions of 38 members (one donates more through the dues payments) from the second quarter dues payments, the Club has met and surpassed its goal of $10,000. We actually exceeded that goal by $1000. While we could congratulate ourselves, it is more a strong statement that we do the right thing when it comes to providing financial support to the Foundation. It’s what we are called by membership in Rotary to do, and we respond very well to that part of Rotary participation, as we do to all parts.

With about 4 months of this Rotary year left, what should we do?  In 2002-03 we responded in giving by meeting our Foundation Goal and also meeting a $10,000 Polio Plus Goal. Last year we raised in excess of $9000 as part of the effort led by the Mountaintop club to provide funds for the Rotary Wheelchair Program. This by the way was started by a Rotarian in California who saw and need and found a way to get wheelchairs manufactured at a bargain price, $75 per. Raising and providing funds is a good thing. Any club member who wants to, can become a member of the District 7670 Bequest Society, which is a pledge to donate $1000 each year. You couldn’t find a better place to donate your funds to improve the lives of people in the world that the Rotary Foundation.

I think though that several of you might really be interested, given the increased leisure time we enjoy, in being more active in actually using the funds raised to implement these projects which are so needed. In Rotary, this is the way it is done. This year the main targets set by RI president Bill Boyd were Health and Hunger, Water Management, and Literacy. I bet it will be very similar to this next year. RF has a program called Volunteer Service Grants whereby individual Rotarians can visit a location which is in great need, has a nearby Rotary Club which needs to partner with any other club to make a difference in meeting that need. Many of you have contacts around the world, or know people who know people. We even have a list of projects still from the GSE team visit from Ecuador several years ago. There’s nothing required except doing some research in a part of the world which interests you, and seeing what you can determine about the need there. Then we complete a simple grant application to get funds to go there and make arrangements, that is, determine actually what is needed and establish contacts with the local club and district.  This then leads to a District grant, after which you work to get the supplies, materials, whatever, actually in place. RF now has water package plants and other easily transported, set up and maintained systems to provide the basic necessities of life, and these are needed more and more every day. It really is just up to you to get it going.  I look forward to several of you getting the hook to investigate these opportunities and get your make-ups by being in another part of the world using Rotary to make lives better.

November 2006

November is Rotary Foundation Month.  This club is matching $100.00 donations on a first come basis.  Members must give their checks to Robert E. Smith, Foundation Chair.  This opportunity will go through November.  This is a great way to increase your contributions to the Rotary Foundation and get closer to your next Paul Harris Award.  For your current status, you can go to the Rotary Foundation website, and find your current giving amount.  If you haven't done this before, you'll have to create your user identification and get a password.  There is a link to the RI website on the Club website "Useful Links" page.  You may also see Robert E. for this information.

Robert E. Smith

September 2006

Fellow Rotarians, fall in the world of Rotary is that time when the Foundation gets the most emphasis. November is Rotary Foundation Month, and is a call to us to be aware and become more aware and familiar with the work done through the Foundation. Just to name one, in the recent outbreak of violence in Lebanon, Rotarians in that country immediately came to the aid of their neighbors and got foundation support to help provide assistance. This happens countless times around the world as Rotarians do what needs to be done and have your financial support to make it happen. Your contribution is not limited to funding; you and a group of club Rotarians can pick a project in almost any country, make contact with Rotarians there and submit a proposal for a foundation grant. Dr. John is our best example with his work in Bolivia, but unfortunately his is the only one of us. Grant funds will pay for site visits and other necessities to make arrangements with the host club or district and get the information to make a specific grant request. This year our President Bill Boyd has emphasized literacy, clean water, and other basic necessities as important areas for Foundation support. I encourage you to become more familiar with these programs which can provide the needy and yourself with a sense of Service Above Self.

In November the club will again provide matching funds. My plan is provide each of you, in the Members’ Section, information about your foundation giving level to date and your last gift. Many of you take this opportunity to make an increased gift, and I’d encourage all of you to consider it. The more we give, the more comes back to us at the District level to be used by our clubs. We consistently are near the top in our Foundation support, but we basically meet the RI expectations that each member is a Sustaining Supporter of the Foundation, $100 per year. As the best club in District 7670, I think we should demonstrate leadership and not be restrained to doing simply what is minimally expected, even if that does make us one of the top Foundation donors. I hope you will consider doing more, and I’ll be glad to hear from you about what I can do to make you more aware of Foundation activities and opportunities.”

Robert E. Smith

RE:  Foundation Benefactor

We all know the wonderful work that the Rotary Foundation provides in the world. I think we are to a member most proud that the Foundation has become this force for making peoples of all nationalities enjoy a better life, providing basic necessities such as clean water, better housing and basic medical care to name but a few. However, as we all know, there is much more that can be done. The Foundation has the capacity through Rotarians all around the world to do so much more.

Our speaker on the Land for Tomorrow initiative, March 28, mentioned that one of the mechanisms that is will make this bold vision possible is the leverage that comes from combining the work that land trusts, state parks and state agencies have already done. Leveraging is a multiplier that makes doing very large-scale projects more feasible politically and economically.

This brings me to the Foundation Benefactor Program. A Benefactor is a Rotarian who has provided in a will or trust for a payment of $1000 to the Foundation. This program provides a leveraging for the future capacity and strength of the Foundation by knowing what it can count on in the future.
The Benefactor funds are invested, and the interest is used to further the work of the Foundation. 

I encourage you, when you are making periodic reviews of estates, wills, and trusts, to consider adding a codicil or other provision that you want to leave $1000 to the Rotary Foundation. You'll get recognition as a Benefactor by completing a pledge card to be sent it. There is visible recognition, both a device for your Rotary pin and a Benefactor certificate. Much more importantly, you have promised to see to it that the critical work of the Rotary Foundation will go on.

If you have any questions or are ready to complete the card, please let me know.

Robert E.