November Is Foundation Month

Much has happened over the last 97 years as it relates to The Rotary Foundation.  Let’s look back briefly and see from where we have come.  In 1917 $26.50 was donated to our RI Foundation.  The first gift of $500 was made to the International Society of Crippled Children, created by Rotarian Edgar F. “Daddy” Allen. This later became known as Easter Seals.  In 1947, The Rotary Foundation created its first Fellowship “Advance Studies”, which was later called Ambassadorial Scholars. In 2013 the name was changed to Scholars.  In 1965-66, The Rotary Foundation launched the Group Study Exchange (GSE) and Grants for Activities in Keeping with the Objects of The Rotary Foundation which later became Matching Grants and in 2013 became Global Grants.  But of course our work was not finished and in 1985 the PolioPlus Program began. In 1987-88 Rotary Peace Fellowships were introduced, today known as Peace Scholars.

 

Rotary clubs all over the Rotary world now have available to them District Grants, Global Grants and Packaged Grants.  Clubs can plan local community projects that have hands-on participation from Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike.  I can’t think of a better way to introduce Rotary to the community and brand your Rotary club than working shoulder to shoulder with like-minded people.

 

Let’s also look at our own District and see where we are today in the area of The Rotary Foundation.  This year, we have 34 Global Grants (in either the application stage or approved) and five Scholars. There are also 34 District Community Grants ($2000 plus a club’s contribution based on club size) and two Vocational Scholar applications.  The Vocational Scholar program started this year in District 5280 and I hope this kind of scholarship can be financially possible for many years to come.

 

Please visit www.rotary5280.org and click on “The Rotary Foundation” tab. The drop down menu lists categories that address a variety of Foundation questions and interests.  The “Foundation Committee” tab is an especially helpful page with committee member contact information.  If you would like to apply for a Vocational Scholarship, go to the same drop down menu and click “Getting Started”. There you will see “Submit a Grant Request” highlighted in blue- it is the same electronic application as the District Grants.

 

As you can see with our retrospective of The Rotary Foundation and our own District Rotary Foundation Committee, nothing stands still.  Will Rogers once said “You may be on the right track but if you are not moving forward you will still get run over”.  Rotarians are always looking for opportunities to serve and to make a difference. Therefore each year we must continue to support the Annual Fund of The Rotary Foundation as best we can.  I leave you with a simple reminder: Rotarians, through “Service Above Self” are “Doing Good in the World”.

 

As your District Rotary Foundation Chair, I thank you for your continued support of The Rotary Foundation.   

 

-David Moyers, District Rotary Foundation Chair