Foundation Update
This year our Rotary Foundation turns 100 - a century of Rotary members changing lives and improving communities all over the world.
Through our Foundation, Rotary members have supported thousands of projects to provide clean water, fight disease, promote peace, provide basic education, and grow local economies. We’ve also lead the world in the fight to eradicate polio.
The centennial is the perfect time to share this impressive record with the world by ensuring that every community knows about the work of Rotary and its Foundation.
It is a time to reflect that in 1917, Arch Klumph proposed an endowment "for the purpose of doing good in the world," beginning with a first donation of only $26.50. Since then, few other charitable foundations can claim a 100-year history marked by distinctive and impactful programs of humanitarian effort.
To ensure the future ability to improve communities worldwide your support is needed now more than ever. In celebrating the first 100 years of the Foundation, we need to build on successes in areas like polio eradication. This year Rotary has set a fundraising goal of $300 million. Already over $25 million USD has been raised. It is through the generosity of clubs and individuals that we will strive to reach this goal and continue to do good in the world.
Our centennial now offers an ideal opportunity to be reminded of and tell the rest of the world about our Foundation's rich history of humanitarian work and the work that it continues to do today.
The District 9940 Foundation Committee has a team of Rotarians working across District that are available to come to your club to talk about the role and work of the Foundation, District and Global Grants, discuss ways of giving to the Foundations and how your club can use the Foundation.
Please contact the District Foundation Chair Graeme Blick (gblick@xtra.co.nz) or the publicity sub-committee, Trish and Alan Brown (trish.brown@boltonhotel.co.nz). Details about the Rotary Foundation can be found in the District Directory http://rotary9940.org/ClubDirectory and in the RI website rotary.org.
Graeme Blick
D9940 Foundation Chair