Foundations Committee presentation to members on Oct.17/23
Sid Mark, Foundations Committee Chair
On behalf of the Foundations Committee, thank you to the 50+ Rotary Club of Calgary (RCC) members and guests who joined our zoom presentation on Oct.17/23 as we celebrated and thanked past and current club members for creating our greatest enduring legacy, our Calgary Rotary Club’s Foundation Endowment Fund.
This endowment fund generates yearly earnings and has provided an annual distribution on a predictable and sustainable basis to our Club since 1990. This is for our Club’s foreseeable future!
Thank you for the interest and the many questions raised after the presentation. One of the questions raised was seeking clarity on the differences between the Calgary Rotary Clubs Foundation (CRCF) and The Rotary Foundation (TRF).
The response to this question in principal, has been prepared by Past President Terry McMahon, RCCD Foundations Committee member, and shared with RCCD members previously:
ROTARY'S TWO FOUNDATIONS, ONE COMMON PURPOSE:
“TO BRING HELP AND HOPE TO THOSE IN NEED HERE AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD”
Calgary Rotary Clubs Foundation (CRCF)
CRCF (www.calgaryrotaryfpundation.ca) consists of 12 Calgary Rotary clubs with each club maintaining its own balance within the Foundation. The aim is to provide long term stable funding to the participating clubs. Currently, CRCF’s net assets exceed $59M with the Rotary Club of Calgary’s (RCC) net assets exceeding $47M. RCC’s Community Service Fund received its annual distribution from CRCF in excess of $2.1M this year which allowed the Club’s Board to approve and fund our small donations, major donations, legacy projects and world community service projects. RCC also donated over $900k to TRF and will continue to do so an annual basis as stewards of Ev/Ellen Mayhood’s bequest instructions. Half of this amount is returned to our own Rotary District and is made available to its clubs in the form of grants.
The Rotary Foundation (TRF)
TRF (www.rotary.org ) supports Rotary International’s (RI) world wide services and programs. Currently, TRF net assets exceed $1 billion. TRF returns up to 50% member donations to our District in support of designated projects.
Mayhood Honour Roll (MHR)
The MHR was created by our Club and is dedicated to forever remembering and thanking Ev and Ellen Mayhood’s extraordinary generosity. This honour roll recognizes the continuing generosity of our Club members in creating RCC’s greatest and enduring legacy. Our Club members who contribute to CRCF and/or TRF, earn points toward the MHR recognition. The MHR tower is displayed periodically at in-person club meetings at the Palliser Hotel.
As we approach RI’s designated Foundations Month in November, RCCD members can expect to receive the following from your Foundations committee:
- All Club members will receive, no later than Oct.31/23, via clubrunner ( Thank you Jo-Ann!), the 2023 CRCF Annual Report for your review and records.
- We will outline ways our members can donate to CRCF and/or TRF; watch for information in the COG editions during November (Rotary Foundation Month).
- You can expect to receive emails from Rotary International during the month of November featuring TRF related information, as it is Foundations Month.
- We invite those who have an interest in all things pertaining to our Foundations to attend our next Foundations committee meeting on Wednesday, Nov.8/23 at 3:00pm via zoom. If you’d like to join us, please email your request to me at sid.mark@friday.ca no later than Nov.6/23 and I will send you a copy of our meeting agenda and zoom link to join our meeting.
Thank you for your continued support of our Foundations.