 In recent years about one-third of the club’s members have contributed to the Rotary Foundation and it has mostly been the same members each year. Our per capita contributions have been below the district average, (e.g. $161 versus $199 in 2017). This year, our goal is to get every member to contribute at least $25. At our meeting on December 4, twenty-four members pledged a total of $1450, and eighteen were people who have not contributed in the last two years, so that was a very good start. I pledged to match the first $25 of any contribution and I will continue that through this Rotary year. Our club gets a lot back from the Rotary Foundation through our involvement in projects in Nicaragua, Rwanda and the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. And Rotary projects have a very high return on investment in improving the lives of the people they benefit. I would encourage anyone who has not pledged or donated yet to put the Foundation on their gift list this holiday season. It’s easy to donate at Rotary.org, or if you give me a check made payable to the Rotary Foundation, I will be pleased to process it. Thank you, David Harper, Chairman, Rotary Foundation |