Larry Dimmitt - Our Rotary Foundation
Posted by Jim Wayman on Jan 16, 2017
Larry Dimmitt...Member of the Topeka Downtown Rotary Club...Past District Governor of District 5710...Regional Foundation Coordinator for Zone 27...and now a Rotary International Director for 2018-2020. Our club was honored to have Larry come to speak about the Rotary Foundation. It started in 1917...100 years old now. Arch Klump had the idea that Rotary needed an endowment. It was proposed and approved, and the first deposit to the new foundation was a contribution by the Kansas City Rotary Club of $26.50. It has grown to over $1 billion now, with annual contributions of $120 million and $100 million to the Polio Plus campaign. Since the Polio Plus campaign started in 1985, 350,000 cases annually of polio worldwide has decreased to 35 cases per year now.
What is the future of Rotary?
- We need to increase membership...especially in the United States. Rotary has 1.2 million members, which is the same as 10 years ago. New members from the younger generation and women are needed.
- Increase support to the Rotary Foundation, and take advantage of the programs that are offered by the Foundation. Only half of the Rotary Clubs take advantage of foundation grants.
- Tell the world about Rotary in order to attract more members. There is more competition to Rotary.