This month finds me writing to you just two weeks after our first district conference in four years, where we were able to gather and Awaken to the Extraordinary Opportunity of Rotary in Victoria. The conference committee did an outstanding job of creating an experience, where we came together to learn, connect, build relationships, and engage in exploring the possibilities of how our Rotary clubs can impact the communities they serve.
The timing of the conference also allowed us to proactively think about how we translate these dreams into reality, which often requires financial support. Naturally, our thoughts then move to how we can fund our projects, which is opportune considering we are now entering the month of November – the month we celebrate the Rotary foundation and its impact.
The Rotary Foundation is truly the magic that makes it possible for us to bring life to our dreams. The money we contribute comes back to the district, where it can be put to work for the benefit of our local communities, as well as initiatives that will have global impact to communities beyond our own. This is why it is critical for us to tell our stories, where our projects have made a difference, to ensure every member within our clubs is compelled to donate to the Foundation because of the huge benefits it enables us to achieve.
This is why I am asking anyone who has not had the opportunity to contribute to the Foundation to consider doing so this year. Take a leaf out of Arch Klumph’s book, who was inspired to establish the Foundation, where you can donate $26.50 to the Foundation. The same amount that Arch Klumph seeded the fund with when it was started. You can take pleasure in knowing that you are making a difference with your seed donation to the Foundation. This will allow you to be counted as a person of action who wants to make a difference for your community and beyond.
The other initiative we are kicking off this month is to help us establish more Paul Harris Fellows within the district. Our Foundation team will be offering to support any member who is in the early stage of their journey to becoming a Paul Harris Fellow, by asking you to make a $500 donation to the Foundation. In return, we will match the difference between your donation and the $1,000 level with Foundation points to enable you to become a Paul Harris Fellow. Please get in touch with our Foundation Chair, Jesse Tam, to let him know about your interest in this initiative and we will work with you on the next steps. We look forward to celebrating with everyone who makes this commitment at the end of the Rotary year, where we will honor your acquired recognition.
We are also kicking off a new recognition level for those members of district 5030 which we are calling the Rotary Awaken Society, where every Rotarian who is willing to donate $5,000 each year to the Foundation will become a member. We will have a special event to celebrate these individuals and it will include an exclusive recognition pin to help us celebrate your support for our Foundation. Again, please follow up with Jesse Tam to learn more about this district initiative.
The mission of the Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotary members to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment and the alleviation of poverty. The biggest initiative has been Polio Eradication. Let’s make sure, during Foundation month, we tell our wonderful service stories and the impact they had locally and globally, especially where the magic of our Foundation has been applied to magnify the impact of these projects. By promoting our Foundation over November, we truly can unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
