Mark Shaw discussed the Rotary International (RI) Foundation. It is possible to become a Paul Harris Fellow by performing outstanding service that includes an international project or by donating $1000 to RI.
When Mark was president 22 years ago, the Rotary Fund dropped $1M in supplies and food in Bosnia. Our Club built a new school in Salem India.
When Bruce was president he conducted a Clean Water Project in Honduras. That project changed lives, including Bruce’s because he met Heidi who was also engaged in that same project! There were 20 volunteers in this project who also administered vaccines in two villages.
Trip Mason went with Dana McIntire to Romania to build a soccer field at an orphanage, as part of a Rotary International project.
Our Club has sent housing boxes for Tsunami relief, contributed to medical missionary trips to perform cleft palate reconstructive surgery, and has contributed $6,000 toward a literacy program in South Africa.
All these projects are done with local and RI funds. In fact, through district grants, we receive up to three-fold dollars back for projects.
During John Hall’s District Governorship, our district raised $356,000 for the RI Annual Fund and Polio Plus…the highest amount ever for our district.
If each of us donated $25 per quarter, in 10 years we will all be Paul Harris fellows.
The Club honored our newest Paul Harris fellows, Rinus Oosthoek and Viktoria Talebian. Rinus said that through Rotary we may find friends all over the world as we travel; and he is so grateful that our Club began the Friends Forever initiative.
Viktoria said that it was not difficult to become a Paul Harris Fellow if one gives just $100 per year. In fact, she thought it was mandatory!
Several of our Rotarians are Paul Harris fellows; John Walsh actually has been given that distinction twice!
Mark summarized Rotary International saying that it is the heartbeat of Rotary, giving 858 district grants, 500 global grants, and 100 peace fellowships.
Rotary International is about peace, education, nutrition, health and safety.