It takes only US$2 a week
District Governor Asks?
Have you made a contribution to Your Rotary Foundation this year?
April is a good time to review your own and your club's annual giving to the Rotary Foundation. If you have not done so yet, please consider contributing to your Foundation this year now. It does not have to be $100. However small your contribution may be, it will Make A Difference in somebody's life – that someone you may never meet will thank Rotary for changing their life for the better.
Here are just four of thousands of examples of what ONLY $100 has helped Rotarians provide: 1) One full year of education for a child in Thailand; 2) Dental and medical services to approximately 25 low-income individuals living in communities near Mexico City, Mexico; 3) Enough textbooks for a school in Villanueva, Colombia; 4) An osteoporosis education program and bone density screenings for six senior citizens right in your own community in the US or Canada.
During my club visits, several Presidents made a commitment to qualify for EREY Club which requires the club to make a total contribution that amounts to at least $100 per member AND that every member make some contribution (any amount) to the Foundation. A few of you made a commitment to qualify for a SUSTAINING Club which requires that every member make a contribution of a $100 or more to your Foundation. Please use the member access option on the RI web site where you can "VIEW EREY Eligibility Report" and take appropriate action before it is too late.
Please make all contributions by May 31st to make sure that the contributors and the club get credit for the 2009-2010 year. Also make sure that those new members who join even late in June contribute, as the count is based on membership as of June 30, 2010. If you are applying for Paul Harris Award please apply as soon as possible. The Rotary Foundation staff gets a high volume of applications in June and may not be able to fulfill your request if it submitted in June.
You will be pleased to learn that Rotarians continue to support the Annual Programs Fund as well as the goal of meeting Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge to ensure polio eradication. In addition, we are working to secure The Rotary Foundation's future by building up our Permanent Fund, and we are striving to strengthen our peace efforts through our Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution.
It may seem like a lot to ask, and I wish I could tell you that your contributions to these efforts will cure all the world's ills. What I can tell you is what will happen if your Rotary Foundation does not have sufficient resources to support your worthy projects: Polio will continue to cripple far too many children. Disease will spread more rapidly as fewer people have access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Countless women and girls will never learn how to read. And poverty, disease, and illiteracy will persist in undermining our work toward peace in the world.
The Rotary Foundation belongs to all of us. It is our greatest resource for doing good, and it is our responsibility to maintain its strength. There are so many in this world who need help, and our Foundation is a very sound investment for everyone! I hope every Rotarian in District 7090 will join me by making a contribution to support the Foundation's programs this year. If you won't help, then who will? If not Now, then When?
Remember, The Future of Rotary is in your hands!
Your Fellow Rotarian and Friend
Pravin
Governor 2009-2010
Best of Friends District