I want to thank all of you who organized and participated in our Pints for Polio events. There were 27 events held throughout the District and many clubs partnered together. This provided an opportunity to socialize with other Rotarians, introduce community members to Rotary and to raise money for polio eradication.
I had the pleasure to attend several of the events and enjoyed the fellowship and fun! I wish I could have attended all of them. When the results are in, I will let you know how much we raised for polio eradication. The funds will go towards Rotary’s commitment to raise $50 million annually.
November is Rotary Foundation month. The Rotary Foundation is OUR Foundation. It is supported by the Rotary family and supports the work that we do. The Foundation continues to be the engine that drives Rotary, allowing clubs and districts to aspire to do larger, more ambitious projects with transformative and sustainable impact.
YOU are making a difference in your community and around the world. I am pleased to say that we approved 27 District Club Grants this year. This was an increase of 4 from last year. In some of the District Grants, multiple clubs came together to fund a community-based project. Examples of the grants are:
- Repairing equipment at a scout camp.
- Providing new and used farm equipment at the Wittel Farm. Which is dedicated to growing fresh vegetables to help feed the hungry.
- Medical supplies.
- Equipment for schools and parks.
- And many more.
Recently we had two vocational training teams that went to Malawai to provide treatment and train health care workers. Dr. Bob McClenathan led the Eye Care Team and PDG Connie Spark led the Medical Team. Several Rotarians from our District joined Rotarians from other countries on these trips. Currently we are supporting a global grant in the Philippines which provides cardiac surgery for children born with congenital heart defects. And, another grant in Ecuador to provide detection of hearing loss in children from newborn to 5 years of age. This grant also provides training to their families and health professionals.
As I've made my visits to clubs in the District, I have been pleased to hear that several clubs are in the process of developing global grant proposals for the first time.
Have you made your donation to the Rotary Foundation yet? If not, I am asking you to consider making a donation during Rotary Foundation Month. Rotary makes it easy for you to make your donation in a way that fits your financial needs. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring donation on your credit card. To do this, go to https://www.rotary.org/en/donate.