As Rotarians we are expected to give generously of our Time and Talents, and also from our Treasure. Each year in Foundations month (normally November), there is a special appeal to all Rotarians to make donations either to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) or to the Calgary Rotary Clubs Foundation (CRCF) or both.
When this appeal is made, what is it that turns your crank and motivates you to dig into your financial resources?
What exactly motivates you to give money to Rotary?
- Personal Experience
If you have had or are having a close encounter with a challenging situation, this can be a significant incentive to donate to a charity which specializes in this problem. Many of us have seen first-hand the problems which beset the third-world and this can be a very strong motivator to take personal intervention steps either by volunteering to help personally or by funding others who can alleviate the problem.
- Impact and sustainability
If you are project driven, you will be more likely to make donations to support projects which have an immediate and significant impact. As you analyse the project, you may be more interested in those which have built-in sustainability. Also the extent to which your dollars will actually reach the intended recipients, as opposed to covering administrative expenses, will colour your judgement.
- Recognition
It’s always nice to be appreciated for the self-denial involved in making donations and for some, the recognition that can accompany charitable giving is very important. For others, the tax receipt is a way of either reducing the actual cost of the donation or provides a way of actually giving even more!
- Head or Heart?
Some folks give money to Foundations because they know that each year going forward, that Foundation will create an everlasting stream of revenue and so long as it is directed to aims which they consider appropriate, the donors can leave the details to others. You could say that’s giving with your head rather than your heart. People who give with their heart usually see a cause or a project which causes them to have a strong emotional reaction propelling them to donate. Some of us, probably most of us, are governed by both head and heart to varying degrees when deciding where to put our charitable dollars.
- Guilt or a feeling of obligation?
It’s just possible that some Rotarians only give because of a sense of duty or maybe because they were leaned on. Perhaps they just feel “they ought to give something”. If this is the case, there’s been a massive miscommunication or an entire failure to convey the truly amazing things that Rotary is doing both in Calgary and around the world. It’s hard to believe that anyone with even an imperfect appreciation of what Rotary achieves in its seven areas of focus, could not open their hearts and their wallets to support one or more of these initiatives. Alternatively, an appreciation of how CRCF enables our club and our District to continue and expand its work both locally and internationally (despite the Covid lockdowns and disruption) should inspire and motivate anyone who will learn how and where the money flows.
- Giving Thanks & Paying it Forward
If we stop to think for one second about our life in Calgary, it’s not hard to be appreciative for all the great things we have and often take for granted: freedom of speech, our health system, educational facilities, food and clean water, personal security, good transportation etc. We have a roof over our heads which is unlikely to disappear due to a rocket attack from a hostile neighbour. We have a mass of things here which simply don’t exist in many third-world countries or if they do, they are much below the standard we expect as routine in Canada. Many Rotarians demonstrate their appreciation for first-world benefits by contributing, as they are able, to Rotary’s outreach programs both here and abroad or to our Foundations.
In Conclusion…..
Whatever motivates you to give to The Rotary Foundation or the Calgary Rotary Clubs Foundation, know that your dollars are well spent and allow our club to continue making a significant impact in our community every single year.
Please join the many Rotarians who have made TRF and/or CRCF their charity of choice.
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