My name is Marilyn Bedell. I am a member of the Rotary Club of Lebanon, NH, USA. I am passionate about Rotary and the Rotary Foundation. This is why I was happy to accept Past Rotary President Ravi Ravindran’s invitation to be the Endowment/Major Gift Adviser for Rotary Zone 32. In this role, I cover all the clubs and Rotary districts in New England, parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania…and Bermuda.
Your District Governor and District Rotary Foundation Chair have asked me to periodically share information with you about opportunities to make major gifts and endowments to the Rotary Foundation.
It is my hope that you already know about opportunities to give to our #1 priority PolioPlus and to our Annual Programs Fund/Share (the money that help fund global and district grants). I have found that not as many Rotarian know about opportunities to make outright larger gifts and endowments to the Rotary Foundation.
Maybe it is because of Covid-19, or maybe it is because of my background as an oncology nurse, I continue to think about what I want my legacy to be. How do I want to be remembered? By giving funds to the Rotary Foundation’s Endowment Fund, there is a chance that long after I leave this earth, others will remember me as they do the good work of Rotary around the world.
Through major gifts, and the endowment we have planned, my husband and I hope others will understand how much we have learned through Rotary; how Rotary has transformed our lives; and how being part of Rotary has been a blessing beyond compare.
We have designated some funds to go to Annual Programs Fund/Share. It is my hope that the interest from our endowed funds will continue to help Rotarians in my district do global and district grants that will make a difference in lives of people in my district and around the world. In addition, we are giving some funds to support our Rotary Peace Fellows. We are committed to prepare individuals to do the work of peace building rather than war. Giving to any charity will happen only if the gift has meaning to you.
As you may already know, Rotary has seven areas of focus:
- Promoting peace
- Fighting disease
- Providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene
- Saving mothers and children
- Supporting basic education and literacy
- Growing local economies
- Supporting the environment.
Consider the area of focus that brings you the most joy, and then consider supporting it via donations to the Rotary Foundation’s Endowment Fund. Can’t make up your mind which area of focus is your priority as you think they are all important, you can always make a gift to the World Fund which will be used to support all areas of focus. Please remember, gifts of any size are welcomed.
For information about becoming a Major Donor or a Bequest Society member, click here