Weekly Rotary Foundation Thought
Educating Rotarians about the work of The Rotary Foundation is one of the most effective tools in gaining and broadening support of our Annual Programs Fund and the Every Rotarian, Every Year effort.
The Weekly Rotary Foundation Thought is designed to inform our members of the many ways in which we impact the world.
Current Thoughts:
Week 26:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Humanitarian Programs in East Asia related to education. The Japanese Rotary club of Omiya City Rotary (as reported through The Rotary-No-Tomo, the English language Rotary Magazine) has built schools and provided books in Bang Kong, Cambodia. The Nabari Chuoh Rotary has built a library for children of the Suoi Day Elementary and Junior High School in Vietnam. So many projects like these show Rotarians’ dedication to education and literacy. Rotarians are proud of their long history as sponsors for Educational Programs. Yearly support to the Annual Programs Fund's Every Rotarian Every Year initiative ensures the tradition of educational excellence is upheld.__
Week 25:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about why there continues to be growing support among Rotarians for The Annual Programs Fund. I'm sure that you share my pride in the wonderful programs of our Foundation, such as PolioPlus, Group Study Exchange and Matching Grants. Did you know that:
1. Your gift is wisely invested, so the full amount is directed to support the programs of your Rotary Foundation. Only a portion of the investment earnings pays for administration.
2. After a three-year investment cycle, half of your contribution comes back to our district to be spent on programs identified by Rotarians in our community, and a portion can be spent locally.
3. For those who live in countries with favorable charitable tax laws, sending in your gift before December 30th will ensure you receive a tax receipt for the current year and qualify you for year-end tax benefits. Most important, our continuing support of The Rotary Foundation and our continuing involvement in the Foundation’s programs is an investment in our children’s future by making the world a safer and healthier place.
Week 24:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about using District Simplified Grants to help communities in need. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many Rotarians are interested in developing projects to alleviate the suffering and hardship of individuals in the affected communities. Many of the needed items, such as basic necessities and medical care, can be provided through a District Simplified Grant (DSG). District Simplified Grants (DSG) are one means by which Rotary districts can support short-term, humanitarian projects that benefit local or international communities. DSG funds can be used for disaster relief efforts as long as Rotarians clearly identify the proposed grant-funded expenditures and there is active Rotarian participation in the project. Clubs interested in receiving DSG funds must contact their district leadership. Let’s learn more about our own district’s projects and how to get involved.
Week 23:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about how Rotary helps communities impacted by disasters long after many relief agencies have moved on. Shortly after the deadly tsunami struck south Asia on 26 December 2004, The Rotary Foundation established the Solidarity in South Asia fund to assist Rotarians in supporting long-term recovery efforts in affected communities. In addition to $4.8 million in contributions from Rotarians around the world, more than 75 Rotary districts allocated over US$700,000 in District Designated Funds (DDF) for rebuilding efforts. This DDF was a result of Annual Programs Fund contributions made three years ago, in which the districts had not yet allocated to a specific TRF program. As a result, Rotarians were able to respond quickly to the disaster, and provide much needed financial support, through The Rotary Foundation. Rotary Sri Lanka set the pace for the massive rebuilding effort of schools destroyed by the tsunami; with 25 schools spread across the country allocated to Rotary for rebuilding. The first batch of schools is scheduled to be completed by the end of November 2005. Rotarians can expect equally worthy projects in Indonesia, India and Thailand and in areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina. We can all be proud to be a part of an organization that is so responsive to needs in our own country and those around the world.
Archive of Past Thoughts:
Week 22:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about what OUR Rotary Foundation does with the money we contribute.
Last Rotary year, The Rotary Foundation spent over US$110 million on program awards and expenses. $27.8 million was spent on educational programs, including Ambassadorial Scholarships and Group Study Exchange; $46.1 million was spent on humanitarian projects, such as Matching Grants and District Simplified Grants; and $36.1 million was spent on polio eradication efforts. Our annual contributions are what make these programs possible. TRF carefully invests our gifts for three years, with the investment earnings going to pay administrative expenses, and the full amount of our contributions going to fund the projects. This is OUR Rotary Foundation; Let’s be a part of it!
Week 21:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about putting the ‘fun’ in fundraising. RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar is now auctioning off a unique piece of clothing that is truly a collector’s item: a reversible blue-and-gold Jacket in Rotary’s and Sweden’s colors of blue and gold. Proceeds of the online auction (ending 30 November 2005) will benefit The Rotary Foundation. This is not the first time Stenhammar sold his clothes for charity. At a District 5010 conference in Alaska, USA, when Stenhammar learned that the district was just short of its Rotary Foundation donation goal, Stenhammar promptly offered the shirt off his back, literally. His Italian dress shirt raised US$1,500 for the event. This is a good reminder to us all that raising money can also be fun and creative. And, if anyone is interested in placing a bid for RI President Stenhammer’s jacket, please check out the Rotary website for more information.
Week 20:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about HIV/AIDS projects.
Through a variety of humanitarian grants awarded by The Rotary Foundation, Rotarians around the world have found creative and effective ways to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and care for its victims. Rotary districts in Colombia and the
U.S. have partnered to receive a Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grant aimed at implementing an HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign in Colombian high schools around Bogotá. Through the use of guided moral exhibitions, over 200,000 students were reached with life-saving messages about HIV/AIDS. Separately, in an effort to meet the needs of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, Rotary clubs in Ethiopia and Spokane Valley-Sunrise, USA obtained a Matching Grant to help provide a used van, clothing, food, furniture, a computer and office supplies to an orphanage serving AIDS orphans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The opportunities to make a difference are limitless. Let’s continue to get involved in international projects of merit.
Week 19:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about how Group Study Exchange can make a difference. A Rotary district in western Australia and a district in Arizona planned a unique cultural exchange with indigenous peoples from their countries. The Australian district recruited a team of all aboriginal Australians and the U.S. district recruited a team of Native American members. Through Group Study Exchange, these young professionals were able to share their own experiences and learn about the cultures of the indigenous peoples. The Group Study Exchange program is a one of a kind experience for the team members and the Rotarians who participate in sending and hosting these groups of young men and women. Now more than ever we need to increase our knowledge and understanding of different countries and cultures. We are fortunate to have that opportunity by participating in the programs of our Foundation.
Week 18:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about becoming a Paul Harris Fellow. When you complete your first US$1,000 gift to The Rotary Foundation you can be named a Paul Harris Fellow – or choose to name someone else. Your first US$1,000 is a very important benchmark because it gets you started on the lifelong journey of supporting our Rotary Foundation. Each time you reach another US$1,000 level, a new recognition pin is awarded. While some donors are capable of giving US$1,000 at once, many Rotarians make smaller gifts regularly to reach higher PHF levels. Every Rotarian, Every Year is a reminder to all of us to donate generously to the Foundation and to do so annually.
Week 17:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Polio Plus Partners. PolioPlus Partners was created in 1995 to allow Rotarians in polio-free countries to partner with Rotarians in polio-endemic 7 countries by providing support for National Immunization Days and other critical activities. Over US$33 million has been contributed to more than 400 projects since then, yet there is still a need today. The Partners program allows Rotarians to choose a project of interest by reviewing and selecting from the Open Projects list available on the Rotary website. These projects support our fellow Rotarians in the final battles against polio. Let’s consider giving them our support.
Week 16:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about the SHARE system. Through SHARE, Rotary districts share in the decision making process by choosing which Rotary Foundation programs they wish to support and participate in. Fifty cents of every dollar contributed to the Annual Programs Fund is returned to the district in the form of District Designated Funds (DDF). DDF can be used by the district and clubs to fund Ambassadorial Scholars, Group Study Exchanges, Matching Grants, and District Simplified Grants. The other half of the funds raised through APF-SHARE, remain in the World Fund for matches to Matching Grants, funding for 3-H Grants and the yearly Group Study Exchange award. When you make a contribution the Annual Programs Fund you are helping support worthy Foundation projects all over the world and also in your own community.
Week 15:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about what US$100 can help provide:
- Textbooks for one elementary school in Zambia
- Hearing aids for children in Pakistan
- De-worming tablets for over 100 children in the Philippines
- Three cataract surgeries in India.
A gift of US$100 or more changes and saves lives every minute of every day.
As we strive to achieve a US$100 per capita goal, it is vitally important that Every Rotarian, make a gift to the Annual Programs Fund, Every Year. When every Rotarian participates, our Foundation will be able to sustain and grow the great work we do around the world and be prepared for future challenges in the years to come.
Week 14:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about becoming a Benefactor. A Rotary Foundation Benefactor is a person who has notified The Rotary Foundation that he/she has made provisions in their final state plans, or made an outright gift of US$1000 or more to The Rotary Foundation’s Permanent Fund. Benefactors receive a commemorative certificate, letter of appreciation and a blue and gold recognition insignia to attach to their Rotary or Paul Harris Fellow pin. A US$1000 gift to The Foundation creates a legacy of helping people lead better lives around the world. There are over 68,000 Benefactors in the Rotary world today. Are you one?
Week 13:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about literacy projects. The Rotary Foundation has provided a great number of grants to support literacy projects around the world. A Matching Grant was awarded to provide 1,400 textbooks for a secondary school in Amawbia, Nigeria. Students who were unable to afford the high cost of textbooks are now able to borrow these books for the entire school year. As a result, the academic performance of the students has improved significantly. In Nepal, Rotary clubs received a Matching Grant to help provide scholarships for students at the Manasarovar Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal. This grant helped facilitate the education of approximately 150 students, mostly Tibetan refugees. In a country where young men and women have limited access to education, this project represented an invaluable opportunity for students wishing to further their education.
Week 12:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Ambassadorial Scholarships. The Rotary Foundation began in 1917, but didn’t become a major component of Rotary until founder Paul Harris’s death in 1947. Upon Paul’s death, more than $1 million was contributed in memorial gifts. Shortly thereafter the first program of the Foundation was established: Fellowship for Advanced Study -- the forerunner to the now-popular Ambassadorial Scholarships program. The Rotary Foundation’s Ambassadorial Scholarships program is one of the World’s largest privately funded international scholarship programs for university studies. Since 1947, approximately 37,000 students from some 110 countries have studied abroad. Did you know that film critic Roger Ebert; journalist Bill Moyers; and Sadako Ogata, the former UN High Commissioner on Refugees were Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars?
Week 11:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about District Simplified Grants. The Rotary Foundation District Simplified Grants program allows Rotary clubs to identify, plan and fund worthy projects in their own communities or internationally. All Rotary clubs are eligible to apply for District Designated Funds to help support worthy projects in our own communities. Projects such as Toys for Tots, purchasing kitchen equipment for a food shelter, providing financial assistance for after school programs for at-risk children, or making improvements to a playground, are examples of worthwhile District Simplified Grants. The more funds raised for Annual Programs Fund-SHARE, the more funds available for us to do good work here in our own towns and cities as well as internationally. Please, make your annual gift today!
Week 10:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about a Matching Grant that has changed and saved lives in Jamaica. Sponsored by the Rotary clubs of St. Andrew, Jamaica and Oviedo, Florida, this grant provided life-saving medical equipment to the Bustamante Hospital for children (the only children’s hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean), and the Newborn Special Care unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies, which deals with premature newborn babies and babies with special medical needs. Doctors and nurses were trained to use the new equipment. In addition to providing machinery and equipment, this project refurbished the emergency wing the Bustamante Hospital. Approximately 500 patients benefit from this project daily. Many lives, namely those of children, will be saved as a result of this project and contributions to the Annual Programs Fund.
Week 9
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Group Study Exchange. Group Study Exchange is an educational program that promotes international understanding through organized travel and personal contact. This program provides travel grants for teams of young professional men and women to exchange visits between paired areas in different countries. For four to six weeks, team members study the host countries institutions and ways of life, observe their professions practiced abroad and develop personal and professional relationships and exchange ideas. Many worthwhile matching grant projects have resulted form Group Study Exchange team members seeing a need in another country and using the vast Rotary network. Only with our continued support will we be able fund these valuable exchanges.
Week 8:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about The Annual Programs Fund and the effort to gain the support of Every Rotarian, Every Year. The Annual Programs Fund is the primary source of unrestricted support for the programs of the Rotary Foundation. It funds programs in 168 countries on seven continents with projects ranging from digging clean water wells for villages in Africa to teaching basic literacy skills to children in Latin America. During any given moment in a day, thousands of Rotarians volunteer their time and expertise to ensure that all contributions given to The Annual Programs Fund are spent wisely on quality Rotary projects. If Every Rotarian, Every Year makes a gift to the Annual Programs Fund, we will be able to continue the great work of our Rotary Foundation.
Week 7:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Matching Grants. Matching Grants provide matching funds for international service projects of Rotary Clubs and districts. Sponsored by District 9110 in Nigeria and the Rotary club of Mount Airy, North Carolina, one grant provided water, clothing, food, drugs, toilets and farming implements to a leper colony in Africa. Over 1,000 people benefited from this project. The Rotarians sponsoring the project designed, supervised and kept the project on target, gaining both local and international attention. As a result of this project, the leper community will have access to basic amenities after many years of neglect. Dignity has been restored to the lives of those individuals living in the leper colony. Wouldn’t you like to feel that your efforts have brought dignity to someone’s life?
Week 6:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about PolioPlus. By the time the world is certified polio-free, Rotary’s contributions to the global polio eradication effort will exceed US$600 million. This is the largest private sector donation to this initiative and second only to the US government in total contributions. PolioPlus has made the world take notice of
Rotary and what we can achieve. We now have respected partnerships with such groups as UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We have earned their respect and are seen as instrumental to this initiative. In the words of Carol Bellamy, former executive director of UNICEF: “Rotary's presence has been vital for the PolioPlus effort. Without Rotary, everything would have been different."
Week 5:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about the Permanent Fund. One of the many ways to support The Rotary Foundation is by including it in your estate plans. Many other Rotarians have, enabling our Permanent Fund to grow and providing long-term stability for Foundation programs. Arch C. Klumph, who conceived the idea of our Foundation in 1917, said it best: “We should look at the Foundation as being not something of today or tomorrow, but think of it in terms of the years and generations to come. Rotary is a movement for the centuries.” Our investment in time, talent, and financial resources is an investment in making the world a safer and healthier place for our children and our grandchildren.
Week 4:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Rotary World Peace Fellowships. utista Logioco. Rotarians have always wanted to do more than just talk about world peace. In 2002, The Rotary Foundation established seven Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution around the globe. Our Foundation contributions support the best and brightest scholars from a variety of nations as they develop skills and attitudes to prepare them for leadership positions in our increasingly complex world. A recent Rotary World Peace Fellow graduate from Duke University, Bautista Logioco, sponsored by the Rotary Club of La Plata Tribunales, Buenos Aires, Argentina (District 4910), has begun full-time work at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C., as a program officer in the Special Area for the Promotion of Dialogue and Conflict Resolution. We should remember International Service is an important part of what makes us proud to be Rotarians. The Every Rotarian Every Year effort is an ongoing reminder for all of us to give generously to the Foundation.
Week 3:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about participating in Foundation programs in our community and across the globe. We make our annual contributions to The Rotary Foundation knowing that 50 percent of that gift will come right back to our district in three years to be used for humanitarian and
educational programs chosen by us. This includes Ambassadorial Scholars, Matching Grants, and District Simplified Grants that may be used for projects in our local community. The other 50 percent also benefits our district indirectly, because it is used to fund a variety of programs in which we can participate.
The Rotary Foundation is our Foundation. It is critical that we take ownership of it and do what we can to change and save lives, in our community and across the globe.
Week 2
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Group Study Exchange. Group Study Exchange (GSE) was founded as an educational program of the Foundation in 1965. In fact, 2005-06 will mark the 40th Anniversary of GSE! As a result of this popular program, thousands of young professionals from more than 100 countries around the world have received vocational training, experienced another culture, and benefited from Rotarian hospitality around the world.
This is the Rotary approach to creating an internationally minded workforce and building cross-cultural friendships. Our district recently hosted a GSE team from and/or sent a team to. For so many, life would be different if it weren’t for Rotary. Create world understanding and peace with your contribution to The Rotary Foundation.
Week 1:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is provided as a reminder to all of us that the Foundation is the primary way in which we are involved in the fourth Avenue of Service:
International Service.
The Rotary Foundation was started with a gift of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City in 1917 — the leftover profit from the international convention that year. Earlier that same year, Rotary’s sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, suggested the creation of just such a fund. The very first grant made by The Rotary Foundation was to the International Society for Crippled Children. The idea of international service has grown. Just in the last 20 years, Rotary has contributed over US$600 million to the polio eradication effort. Thanks to everyone in the club who has supported this program. In the words of professional volunteer, Charlotte Lunsford: “We won’t always know whose lives we touched and made better for our having cared, because actions can sometimes have unforeseen ramifications. What’s important is that you do care and act.” Create Awareness. Take Action. Make your annual gift today!
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