Rotary Foundation Month
Don Mebus wrote in 1996 (having just completed his office of District Governor) “While we have much of which to be proud now is NOT the time to rest on our laurels. The world continues to have difficulties. World peace and understanding is elusive but that is the imperative of the Rotary Foundation.”
The first international TRF project I remember was sponsored by PDG Hugh Ross. As a result of PDG Conrad Heede’s work with then Past RI President, Carlos Canseco, our district had developed a relationship by doing multiple “Matching Grants” with his club, Monterrey, Mexico. Because of our funding of several grants with his club, he wanted to return the favor. And DG, Hugh wanted to do a project here in Arlington by purchasing some computer equipment for the Police department to track illegal drug activity. We did not have the funds for the whole project in our club budget, so we entered into an agreement with the Monterey club for one of the first ever "reverse matching grants" where we contributed some funds, Monterrey contributed some, and those funds were matched by the Foundation for $10,000.00 which was the amount needed to purchase the equipment.
Every dollar we send to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is invested for three years. The administrative costs are covered by the investment income. The at the end of that three year cycle the principal is spent on the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International programs. In a past issue of our Hubcap, a reprint of an article that appeared in the October 1985 issue of the Rotarian was cited. The title was “A Sizzling Record of Support.” It was a recap of an outstanding history of the Rotary Club of Arlington’s financial support to the Rotary Foundation.
In 1995 alone our Club contributed $22,500 to the Foundation which was one of the top giving clubs in the district.
By 1996 our Club had given $335,786 to the Rotary Foundation of which $109,496 was designated to the Polio Plus Program. As of 1996 we had designated 296 Paul Harris Fellows and we had 8 Benefactors.
As Don further stated in his Hubcap article - while “charity begins at home” it does not end there. No one believes that we should reduce or restrict any of the wonderful local projects in which we have invested ourselves. However, if you accept that “to whom much has been given, much is expected” then we become a spoke in the Rotary Wheel connecting the hub of our own world to the outer rim of the rest of the world.