After the Annual General Meeting of District 7070, on November 7, 2018, District 7070 hosted all of the Rotary District 7070 Club Presidents and their Rotary Club Rotary Foundation Directors/Chairs at The Oshawa Golf and Curling Club, to an excellent meal during Rotary Foundation Month and heard from some outstanding Rotary Foundation speakers. Here is what happened....
Annual General Meeting : Mary Lou Harrison, chaired the Annual General Meeting of Rotary District 7070 as President of the Corporation. Financial statements (for the year ending June 30, 2018) of the Corporation were reviewed, Directors were elected (to hold office from July 1, 2019), the accountant was appointed for the year ending June 30, 2019, and there was a confirmation of all acts done and taken by the Directors and Officers of the Corporation since the last meeting of the members of the Corporation.
Club Presidents' Rotary Foundation Dinner
New Partnership with CUSO International and a New Major Gifts Initiative: District 7070 Rotary Foundation Chair (and Past District Governor_ Michael Bell opened the Rotary Foundation portion of the meeting and talked about the new partnership between CUSO International and Rotary International. He then talked about Rotary Foundation Major Gifts Initiative with CUSO. He also announced District 7070's pilot project with CUSO in Ethiopia, providing midwives with birthing kits (a cost of $500 each). He challenged District 7070 Rotary Clubs with raising $50,000 with matching grants coming from the Canadian Government at 14 to 1. This would equal $700,000 from the Government PLUS $50, 000 from our Rotary Clubs. He also said that there would be a sweat equity opportunity in March / April 2019 for 10 Rotarians to go and help with the delivery of the birthing kits. Ken Hurst, Past President of the Rotary Club of Ajax jumped on board at the Foundation Meeting pledging $1,000 on the spot.
The Rotary Foundation Endowment Fund and Major Donors: PDG Bill Patchett thanked all clubs and club presidents for a very successful 2017-18 Rotary Year in terms of The Rotary Foundation, highlighted , over the last few years by the addition of Arch Klumph Society members and 7 Major Donors. He also thanked past District Governor Ted Morrison, our current Annual Programs Fund Chair for getting clubs to get their objective in and also for contributing. He also congratulated Rotarians for their efforts in contributions to End Polio Now.
Past District Governor Bill Patchett
Bill talked about contributions to the Rotary Foundation Endowment Fund, which are in the $10,000 to $250,000 category. Bill said that with help from Carol Seabrook Ferguson (Major Gifts), they will take a potential donor out to dinner and review all of the options. If you and any of your members are looking to become Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation, OR if you know of anyone in your community , please let him know.
PDG and current District 7070 Chair of the Rotary Foundation Annual Programs Fund Ted Morrison talked to the Club Presidents about leading by example and donating to the Annual Programs Fund, and encouraging all of their club members to do the same. Ted hoped that all clubs will have a speaker talking about The Rotary Foundation, in November, Rotary Foundation Month. Ted said that The Rotary Foundation is the engine that drives Rotary and its clubs to do so much good in the world. He talked about the donations going to grants and the Share system, and that our District gets half of the money back after three years to turn into grants.
He congratulated everyone for the very successful Rotary Foundation Walk in September raising over $100,000 for The Rotary Foundation. He asked each President to attend the Grants management Seminar in February and take your Foundation Chair with you. He asked the Club Presidents to go in to MyRotary , see their clubs contributions and keep putting gentle pressure on their club members to make a donation.
He asked each Club President to go into Rotary Club Central and put in their 2018-19 goal for the Annual programs Fund and for the PolioPlus Fund. 15 Clubs still had not done so.
He talked about everyone should give something. And if you can't give $100, please make a donation EVERY YEAR TO THE EVERY ROTARIAN EVERY YEAR PLAN. PLEASE GIVE WHAT YOU CAN!!!! Ted also talked about the graduated awards we can receive as our donations to The Rotary Foundation grow, year after year. And our donations are tax deductible. We can even put our donations in our will and become Benefactors to The Rotary Foundation.
Past District Governor Ted Morrison
Ted reminded all of the Presidents to select individuals from their club to attend the Grants management Seminar, which will be held early in the new year, so that their club can be certified to apply for grants. He also urged everyone to make a donation to the Rotary Foundation, which can be done so easily, right out of your bank account on a monthly basis, by way of Rotary Direct. Support our efforts year round by making a recurring gift. You choose how much and how often you want to give— it's a simple and secure way to make a big impact. Online contributions can be made monthly, quarterly, or annually. Direct enrollment form or enroll by phone at +1-866-976-8279. To update your existing recurring giving, contact us at rotarydirect@rotary.org or call +1-866-976-8279. For security reasons, changes to your credit card information should be made by phone.
Be sure to see Ted's presentation on how the three Funds of the Rotary Foundation work on our District website right here.
Global Grants: Chuck Taylor, Past President of the Rotary Club of Uxbridge presented the Global Grant which supported 120,000 HIV patients in Malawi working with Dignitas International, as an example of a successful Global Grant. His club raised $39,000, and when matched with District Designated Funds and then funds from the Rotary Foundation, the Grant totalled $126,000. Chuck addded that he would be pleased to assist any club with a "how to" do a Global grant.
District Grants: Bob Butterill, Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise: Bob Butterill talked about the successful Fort York Food Bank serving those in downtown Toronto. He talked about how a small club , can join forces with other clubs (Toronto Skyline, Twilight, Humber, Sunrise and the Rotaract Club of Toronto), obtain a District Grant , and carry out a successful hands on project to help the Food Bank, change locations, upgrade their facilities and carry out a hands on meal program, and become one of the best run non-profits in Canada.
Grants Chair: PDG Lars Heriksson, our District 7070 Grants Chair gave us a brief description of how the money raised from the Rotary Foundation, is kept for three years and then given back to Rotarians to use. Half of the funds raised from our District, come right back to us, to spend on Global and District Grants. He added that there are many Humanitarian Grants that are resulting in many service projects worldwide. He talked about the Global Grant money being used for the Polio Fund, Peace Scholars, Global Grant Scholars, and Vocational Training Teams. He noted that the Canadian Government has put forth money for $1.2 million in grants for humanitarian projects each year for the remaining 2 years of the 5 year program. He encouraged Clubs to work together in the District, to pool their grant applications on a project. He encouraged everyone to contact himself, during the grant application process. The answer will always be : the more we raise, the more we can spend on grants 3 years later.
Lars also noted to stay tuned for the date and location of this year's Grants Management Seminar and be sure to have your representatives from your clubs ready to attend early in the new year. Every club in the District must be certified, through this seminar, in order to receive grant money.
PDG Dr. Bob Scott, who has been our advocate for raising funds for polio eradication for the last 32 years, showed us why, as he showed us photos of children with polio. He gave an update on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and its partners: Rotary, The WHO, the CDC, UNICEF, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the governments of the world. Bob Scott thanked the Gates Foundation, who, at the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, renewed his commitment to continue to match 2 for 1 every new dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication, through 2019-20 which will mean $450 million more for polio eradication. Bob took us back to the days when there were 1,000 new cases of polio per day in the world to today. Bob noted that only Afghanistan and Pakistan remain with polio cases. He noted that we have stalled in our global efforts. In the 2018 Calendar Year to date: there have been a total of 25 new cases: 19 in Afghanistan; 6 in Pakistan. He noted that there number of cases caused by the circulating virus is becoming a concern. Bob said that there are still many challenges: the missed children (in the last round of immunization in Afghanistan , 1 million children missed); the killings of volunteers (the Taliban, who used to be on our side , and not now); the gaps in polio surveillance; and the funds, so much needed, to get the job done. He even mentioned the wars that are still being waged. But when the fighting subsides, vaccinators are there administering the vaccine.
Bob remembers back to 1988 at the Rotary International Convention in Philadelphia when it was announced that Rotarian had raised $240 million to help eradicate polio from the world. Rotary has raised $1.8 billion US funds. In the next 3 years alone, we will need $150 million. He reminded us that there are still 60 countries in the world that still have to go on vaccinating for at least 3 more years, due to the health conditions in the countries.
Dr. Bob Scott thanked Rotarians. He told us that since Rotary stared, 10 million cases of polio have been averted; 1.5 million deaths have been averted. He noted that we need to find different ways to get the job done. He summed it all up by saying, “with YOU, we can do it”. It is very important that we continue to support this program. And he concluded his presentation with a slide of some very happy, smiling young children, who will never get polio.
District 7070 Rotary Foundation Awards for 2017-18: Past District Governor Neil Phillips presented awards to clubs who made significant achievements in donations to the Rotary Foundation:
1. End Polio Now Countdown to History: Congratulations to the clubs that contributed at least US $1,500 to Rotary's polio eradication efforts: Ajax, Alliston, Bowmanville, Coburg, Colborne, Etobicoke, Northumberland Sunrise, Oshawa-Parkwood, Picton, Port Hope, Scarborough Passport, Stirling, YToronto, Trenton, Uxbridge, and Willowdale.
2. 100% Foundation Giving Club : Congratulations to the clubs that achieved an average of $100 per capita giving and 100% participation with every club member contributing at least $25 to any of the Rotary Foundation Funds: York, Richmond Hill, Pickering, North Scarborough, Kleinburg / Nobleton/Schomberg
3. Every Rotarian - Every Year: Congratulations to the clubs that achieved a minimum Annual Fund contribution of US $ 100 per capita, with every member contributing at least US $25 to the Annual Fund: York, Richmond Hill, Pickering, North Scarborough, Kleinburg / Nobleton/Schomberg
4. Top Three Highest Per Capita Annual Giving Banner: Three clubs in the district that gave the most, per capita, to the Annual Fund: 3. Oshawa-Parkwood at $227.05 per capita; 2. Scarborough at $264.79 per capita and Number One: Scarborough Twilight at $332.99 per capita.
District Governor Mary Lou Harrison encouraged all Club Presidents and asked them to take back to their club, as "ask" of their members to contribute to Rotary Direct. She urged everyone to make a donation to the Rotary Foundation, which can be done so easily, right out of your bank account on a monthly basis, by way of Rotary Direct. Support our efforts year round by making a recurring gift. You choose how much and how often you want to give— it's a simple and secure way to make a big impact. Online contributions can be made monthly, quarterly, or annually. Direct enrollment form or enroll by phone at +1-866-976-8279. To update your existing recurring giving, contact us at rotarydirect@rotary.org or call +1-866-976-8279. For security reasons, changes to your credit card information should be made by phone.
Past District Governor congratulated Past District Governor Ron Denham for reaching the Arch Klumph Level 2 donation which went to the water and sanitation fund.