Posted by Martin Limbird (Fort Collins) rotarymartin@comcast.net
Clean water and hygiene have been a central focus of Rotarians since 1907, when the first Rotary club initiated its first public service project: the construction of public toilets in Chicago. Since then, Rotary service projects have been addressing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs for more than a quarter of a century.
 
Concern for clean water and sanitation has now risen to be one of Rotary’s six “Areas of Focus”. Since the launch of Global Grants, Rotary has invested in nearly 500 water and sanitation projects, making this area of focus the second largest in terms of global grant activity and dollars spent from 2013 to 2015.
 
Perhaps the most active WASH interest in Zone 27 is located in Colorado’s District 5450. Under the leadership of DG Abbas Rajabi and workshop co-chairs Bruce Halloran and Steve Werner, a WASH Symposium was held in Denver on October 15, 2017. Under the title “Building WASH: building capacity and sustainability in water, sanitation and hygiene”, two key objectives were addressed: 1) strengthening WASH education, WASH in schools and capacities for sustainability, and 2) building successful business models that bring functional and sustainable WASH solutions to areas in need.
Under the leadership of Chairman Paul Netzel and the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation, committees of Rotarians have been established to raise major gifts in support of our six areas of focus. A goal of $25 million has been set to support water and sanitation projects, and as of December 31, 2017, over $10.5 million has already been raised toward that goal.  Among the twelve members of the water and sanitation major gifts initiative committee (WAS*MGI) is PDG Martin Limbird, who belongs to the Rotary Club of Fort Collins, CO (D5440). Among his duties on the WAS*MGI committee is consultation with Rotarians to identify individuals and firms interested in joining in supporting Rotary’s efforts in this important area of focus.
 
R. I. President Ian Riseley has set forth a strong emphasis on the relationship of world peace and Rotary’s six areas of focus by initiating six small conferences throughout the world during his term. Limbird will attend the peace/water and sanitation symposium to be held in Beirut, Lebanon in February 2018. “On returning to Zone 27 after the Beirut conference, I intend to organize small group events in our zone to further major gift development in support of WASH”, said Limbird.
 
For further information, contact Limbird at rotarymartin@comcast.net