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 About The Rotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the
efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace
through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange
programs. It is supported solely by voluntary
contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its
vision of a better world.
The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International's sixth
president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary "to do good in
the world." It has grown from an initial contribution of US$26.50 to more
than US$73 million contributed in 2000-01. Its event-filled
history is a story of Rotarians learning the value of service to
humanity.
 The Foundation's
Humanitarian Programs
fund international Rotary club and district
projects to improve the quality of life, providing health care, clean water,
food, education, and other essential needs primarily in the developing
world. One of the major Humanitarian Programs is
PolioPlus,
which seeks to eradicate the polio virus worldwide. Through its
Educational Programs, the Foundation
provides funding for some 1,200 students to study abroad each year. Grants
are also awarded to university teachers to teach in developing countries and
for exchanges of business and professional people.
Following is a 2006 presentation on the Rotary Foundation made by PDG Dave
Gallagher and PDG Nick Mascitelli at the 2006 District Assembly.
1 – Nick Mascitelli and I,
along with our Ambassadorial Scholar Sahira Dubon will tell you about the
programs of the Rotary Foundation.
 2-
Polio Eradication is Rotary’s signature project. The Polio Plus program is
by far the largest public health initiative in history. Over 2 billion
children have been inoculated and today we are just about there. We
Rotarians stand at the brink of a great victory and we are looking forward
to celebrating the global eradication of this crippling disease.
Thanks to all of you for all
that you have done to get us so close to this goal
3- However, today we are
going to focus on the programs that are funded by our donations to the
Annual Fund of The Rotary Foundation. So let’s look at some of these
international projects.
Dave? You said international
projects – what about projects in our own communities?
Well Nick, you and I both
hear many Rotarians still say that they do not give to the Foundation
because all the money is spent internationally, but that is not correct.
4 - A District can request
up to 20% of its District Designated Funds for a grant that can be used to
support multiple LOCAL community projects. It is a way to bring Rotary
Foundation money back to our clubs and communities.
Here are the clubs that
received these grants during this Rotary year
Stockton East, Los Banos, Lodi Tokay, Modesto North, Stockton Sunrise,
Groveland, Gustine, Tracy Sunrise, Salida, Madera, Stockton, Modesto East,
Ceres, Modesto Sunrise, Sonora Sunrise
I thought there were 55
clubs in the district – why aren’t they all up here on this list?
 If your club is not
on that list, it is because you did not take the time to complete a simple
application form. I believe that every club in the District should apply for
a Simplified Grant. Let’s look at some examples of these grants
5- A grant helped provide
tours to third grade students in Modesto of the Gallo-Faith Ranch Wildlife
Refuge. 18 trips were provided last year, in connection with RI’s Preserve
Planet Earth program. This refuge has basically saved the Aleutian Goose
from extinction.
6 – The Ceres
Rotary Club applied for and received a $1000 grant for a landscaping project
in their Rotary Grove.
7 –Also a grant was used
to form a horticultural club – called the Power Planters - at a local
elementary school in Madera
8 – and to establish a
mobile recycling center together with a Rotary Community Corps
9 – Could you use an
extra $1,000 for your club?
10 – Now let’s talk about
the Group Study Exchange program
11 - Boris Marroquin is an
employee of my company and was a member of the GSE team that we sent to
Honduras. Here are his comments on his GSE experience.
 Many
people said that this trip would be a once in a lifetime experience. They
were right; my trip to Honduras will be an experience I will never
forget. We traveled to several difference cities and at every one of them,
we were greeted with open arms and enthusiasm. I was amazed by the Rotarians
of Honduras and the accomplishments they have made and continue to make in
their communities, such as building homes, water purification projects, and
the construction of community parks.
I
chose to participate in the GSE to gain a better understanding of a
different culture and possibly find ways to help that community. I didn’t
expect to make so many friends in so many different cities in Honduras. I am
very proud to have been a small part of an organization that, “provides
humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards, and helps build
goodwill and peace in the world”.
 12- The GSE team
from Honduras was thrilled to come to California and to have a chance to
meet our Governor. They said that he really looks different than he does in
the movies.
We had the opportunity to
have one of the young ladies from Honduras stay in our home. Next years
exchange will be with Japan. There are many ways that you can become
involved. You could apply to be the team leader, you could sponsor a team
member, or you can open up your home and be a host for one of our guests
from Japan.
13 – Now lets talk about
Matching Grants. You can see that our District is working throughout the
world to help the Foundation meet its worldwide goal of World Peace and
Understanding.
•Ethiopia
•Guatemala
•Honduras
•India
•Mexico
•Peru
•The Philippines
•Uganda
Look at all of
those countries – that is pretty impressive. Here are some of the projects
we are doing:
14 – providing clean
water in Uganda for a home for orphans
15 – treating eye
diseases in Ethiopia
16 – providing storage
tanks for clean water in Guatemala
17 – and providing
medical equipment for a hospital in Uganda
18- While we were in Marcala,
Honduras the local Rotarians showed us a home that had just been totally
destroyed by fire because the only fire truck in the region was three hours
away. PDG John Hertle was instrumental in getting the truck donated from a
local fire district, It is in good condition and ready to be shipped to
Honduras. A team of Rotarians will travel to Marcala to train volunteer
fireman how to use the truck and equipment.
This project will provide
the ability to fight the fires on a timely basis and will help protect
homes, businesses and possibly save lives.
19 - The reason for the
smile on Sahira’s face is because this fire truck is going to her hometown
of Marcala
20 – The Rotary
Foundation has just selected 12 projects around the world to receive the
prestigious 3H or Health, Humanity, and Hunger Grants
21 – slide
22 – The children of Romania
are so beautiful, so poor, and so innocent. This grant will provide food for
several hundred and possibly a thousand of these children every month
23 – When they get older the
door of opportunity closes for the orphan child, however we will open that
door because this grant will provide opportunities for vocational training
and jobs for over 200 orphaned and abandoned children each year
24 – If you want to become
passionate about Rotary and the programs of the Rotary Foundation, then
become personally involved.
25 – There are many
opportunities for you to join us in an international project, such as this
group of 32 Rotarians in Kisumu Kenya as part of Project HOPE.
26 - Get involved in a
project and participate on a hands on basis. Once you get involved it
changes your perspective on life. You realize that what we do in Rotary
really does make a difference.
27- I know Cathy and I look
at things differently and have certainly changed our views on many things.
This is Ambrose - he was on the streets of Kisumu, Kenya when he was eight
years old begging for food. He was undernourished and anemic, he had a bad
case of intestinal worms and a variety of skin problems. They brought him
to the Agape home and literally saved his life. We got to know him and
earned his confidence while we were there – we became his friends. I can’t
tell you how that feels.
28 – I hear many Rotarians
say “I would like to become more involved, but I can’t because of the age of
my children” But why not include your children and let them see what you are
doing as a Rotarian. This is a picture of my daughter Erin helping me at an
eye clinic in Kenya. Her first trip with me was when she was 9 years old.
29 – District 5220 has for
the first time ever, awarded an Ambassadorial Scholarship to a student from
another country to come to our District to attend college here. She has been
involved with projects of the Rotary Foundation for several years,
volunteering as an interpreter at eye clinics in her hometown of Marcala,
Honduras. She has witnessed what impact Rotary has had on the people of her
community and her country. It is my pleasure to introduce to you Sahira
Dubon.
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