Northwind 11/13/08
Whatcom North Rotary
Northwind
MEETING TO ORDER:
President Elect Chuck Tull called the evening Rotary Foundation Dinner Meeting to order at approximately 6:30 PM, and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Gary Tomsic gave the invocation.
VISITING ROTARIANS:
None
GUESTS:
Miss Washington - Janet Harding and her chaperone.
BIRTHDAYS:
No announcement was made
RETURNING ROTARIANS:
None
ANNOUNCMENTS:
None
FINEMASTER:
No fines were levied.
BANNERS:
None
PROGRAM:
Celebration of Rotary Foundation Month and the presentation of four Paul Harris Fellowships. Ken Richardson gave the following short history of the foundation and some of its major accomplishments:
The foundation was started in 1917 by then RI president Arch Klumph.
In 1928 the fund had grown to $5,000, and was renamed the Rotary Foundation.
In 1930 the first grant of $500 was given to the organization that later became Easter Seals.
After Paul Harris died funds flooded in and the Paul Harris Memorial Fund was created.
1947 the first foundation program - Ambassadorial Scholarships was established.
1965 Group Study Exchange, Awards for Technical Training and Matching Grants were started.
1978 3-H Grants - Health, Hunger, and Humanity started.
1984-85 Polio Plus started.
1987-88 First Peace Forums held.
From the first donation of $26.50 in 1917 the Foundation has received more than $1 billion.
As of this year more than 1 million individuals have been recognized as Paul Harris Fellows.
By participating in "Golf Fun" this year we helped raise over $135,000 towards the match for the Gates grant.
The foundation match programs turned our club and Mel's combined $50,000 into over $175,000 and now our total is over $250,000 to the Adelante Foundation for the Wilma Hollinger memorial for micro lending.
AS ROTARIANS WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS DONE, AND CONTINUES TO DO.
The following presentations were made:
Brian Finnegan presented to Miss Washington Janet Harding
Sharon Robinson presented to Dave Engels.
Dan Parsons presented to Randy Carr.
Ken Richardson presented to Adoline Brown.
DRAWING:
None
The meeting was adjourned by Chuck Tull and pictures were taken of the recipients.