WEEK 49 FOUNDATION MINUTE – FINISH STRONG – PREPARE TO START
In his opening address to the Virtual RI Convention, President Mark Maloney shared that in the face of incredible obstacles and change in recent months Rotarians have not only CHANGED lives, but have SAVED lives! As we celebrate the accomplishments of the past Rotary year, we are reminded of the incredible sense of “fulfilment felt in our volunteer service – everyone is trying to do something for their local communities.” We should also celebrate the Rotary Foundation’s ability to respond quickly, proactively and impactfully – over $5.2 million donated by The Rotary Foundation to local community projects to address the CoVid-19 Pandemic – resulting in total impact of over $14 Million worldwide.
This rapid response would not have been possible without the planning, funding and stewardship of our District’s Rotary Foundation chairs and fundraising committees in our clubs, which ensure that a steady flow of support is generated from Rotarians and friends to support humanitarian projects. These club leaders are key to the success of our fundraising efforts, and therefore, the expansion of our Humanitarian footprint in our local communities and around the world.
As we close our 2020 Rotary year, while looking back, we lay the groundwork for future impact. We collaborate with our local and global partners, and reinforce our connections with other Rotarians throughout our local and global communities. In his remarks, Gary Huang shared that Rotary has weathered challenges in the past and that “after each battle, we have emerged stronger and wiser – all of us are closely interconnected!” Alone, we have a small footprint – imagine what we can accomplish with a strong foundation, and a wise plan of action for the coming year.