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May Foundation Greeting
 

As Rotarians we all receive a subscription to “The Rotarian” magazine. In the May 2017 edition there is a great article called “Your Gift: From Start to Finish, the Rotary foundation is the best steward for your money. Here is why.”  This is possibly the best article I’ve ever read in regards to explaining OUR Foundation. We received 100 out of 100 points from Charity Navigator in 2016. Nine years in a row we have earned a 4 star rating which only 1% of all charities earn.  As we issue a formal call for District grants this year, remember that those funds come from our collective donations to The Rotary foundation Annual Fund.  They are not possible without all of us! District 5970 has $55,001 to distribute this fall for District Grants.  Applications are Due by June 15th.  Refer to District 5970's Grant Manual that can be found at:  http://district5970.org/SitePage/district-foundation/grants (download the document to navigate from the table of contents)

(download the document to navigate from the table of contents) - See more at: http://district5970.org/SitePage/district-foundation/grants#sthash.jXtI6GAk.dpuf
(download the document to navigate from the table of contents) - See more at: http://district5970.org/SitePage/district-foundation/grants#sthash.jXtI6GAk.dpuf

  We can’t wait to see all the great things you do with those funds in the 2017-2018 Rotary year!

Foundation 101
 
 
Charitable giving to the Rotary Foundation began in the 1930's.  Paul Harris made one of the earliest gifts of $500 with the stipulation that it go to the Crippled Children's Society.  Decades later, the Rotary Foundation would create Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) as a method for people to direct how their contributions were to be made.  In 1944, Harris would go on to create a charitable trust that stipulated the income would accrue to him during his lifetime, then to his wife Jean and ultimately, the balance of the trust would go to The Rotary Foundation.  Some Rotarians have chosen to make significant gifts of unrestricted funds, believing that the Trustees should have the freedom to determine how the money is used, while others like Paul Harris, created a charitable trust.  After his death in 1947, the Rotary Foundation saw a surge in donations for a few years.  But in time, the Trustees realized they needed a new incentive to encourage giving.  In January 1955, the Foundation announced that anyone donating $500 to the Foundation in a single year would be recognized as an "Honorary Fellow of The Rotary Foundation."  Donations from $100 to $500 were to be recognized as "Memorial Contributors."  Then two years later, they added another designation for donors who contributed more than $1000 to be named as a "Paul Harris Fellow."  This recognition became a powerful incentive for Rotarians to contribute to the Foundation, but it took time to become popular.  In the first year - there were only five Paul Harris Fellows.  Thirty years later, the Foundation had recognized 223,501 Paul Harris Fellows, and in 2006, the one millionth Paul Harris Fellows were recognized - one from each Rotary zone.  In addition to these levels of giving, a Bequest Society was formed in 1999, for anyone giving $10,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation.  Then there is the highest level of giving: the Arch Klumph Society membership for those giving $250,000 or more.  In 2004, the Trustees embarked on a new funding campaign called Every Rotarian, Every Year.   The campaign asked Rotarians to give at least $100 to the Foundation each year.  Within five years, the Annual Fund had over $90 million per year in contributions, and jumped to $116 million in 2014.  But the real work of the Rotary Foundation is not about the money.  It is about the 100 million polio vaccinations in India, the village that has clean drinking water for its families, or the blind woman who through Rotary funds, can see her child for the first time.  It's about what Rotarians do with the money:  make the world a better, healthier more peaceful place.
 
 
Independence Rotary Club
 
 
Tricia Beatty had already served as president of the Independence Rotary Club. But when she stepped up last fall to fill a presidential vacancy, she and Club Treasurer Randy Schafer had a primary goal in mind - increase the club’s commitment to the Rotary Foundation in this 100th anniversary year.
 
President Tricia and Treasurer Randy spearheaded the effort. They kicked off the campaign with a birthday cake and celebration of the Foundation’s 100th birthday. Using a fundraising plan provided by the District Foundation Committee, they spent November and December concentrating on their goal.
 
In those two short months, the club raised over $2,000, with 14 Independence Rotarians participating in the campaign. As a result, the club recognized two new Paul Harris Fellows as well as one multiple PHF. Using the momentum achieved this year, the club plans to sustain this level of commitment to Foundation giving in coming years.
 
 
 
Garner Rotary Club Grant
 
With the help of a Rotary grant from the Garner club, the Garner Hayfield Ventura (GHV) Greenhouse project was able to come to fruition.  The Garner FFA built a 1,440 square foot greenhouse for use by the school district.  The total cost of the project was $160,000.  The GHV school district and Future Farmers of America both funded $40,000 to the project, with the community funding the remaining $80,000.  The Garner Rotary Club was able to purchase irrigation systems and fans for the greenhouse project.  The structure is located on the GHV high school campus.  Students in the district will benefit from being able to grow fruits and vegetables through different methods and enhance their knowledge of agronomy.  The experience will allow students to incorporate the produce they grow into the GHV lunch program as well as expand knowledge for their own dietary practice. 
 
Yours in Rotary service,
 
Michelle Bell
District 5970 Rotary Foundation Chair