Rotary’s World Polio Day is October 24th and District Foundation Committee member Jim Stoddard from our club used the occasion to talk up the good that comes from making regular Foundation contributions. The Polio eradication efforts that began in 1985 demonstrate the international impact of the Foundation, but through a formula of contribution and interest sharing, almost half the funds come back to local Districts for use as matching grants to help locally originated projects. When a Rotarian’s contributions to the Foundation reach $1,000, they are named a Paul Harris Fellow. Future $1,000 increments bring additional Paul Harris recognition and there are other recognitions for contributions of even larger amounts. Stoddard explained that the Foundation encourages recurring giving through their “Every Rotarian Every Year” campaign. Stoddard’s research of the Sycamore Club identified 157 members as Paul Harris Fellows in the club’s 81- year history. Stoddard invited club members to attend the District Foundation Dinner November 19th in Rock Falls.
Stoddard highlighted several District grants this year made possible because of the foundation sharing of contributions. Two of these involved scholarships. Candidate Kristen Fisher from Roscoe was awarded $17,000 to pursue her Master of Science in Forensic Medicine with a specialty in Forensic Anthropology in Greece and Mohammed Salem from Rockford was awarded $17,000 to pursue a Master of Science in Health System Evaluation at England’s University of Oxford. Also on the list were several different water projects on Guatemala and Africa, a refugee center in Poland, a mental health program in the Republic of Kosovo, and a Spotted Fever prevention project in Mexico.
Contributions to the Foundation may be made on-line at www.rotary.org/donate. Reservations for the November 19th District Foundation Dinner may be made using this link: https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/Registrations/PublicFill/EventPublicFill.aspx?evtid=c127ee07-4925-49c8-b0d4-df4effb2ee85.