We hope you enjoy the programs at eClub One

EVERY ROTARIAN, EVERY YEAR

PDG Edward “Eddie” Blender

Rotary Regional Foundation Coordinator,

Zone 25, 2002-04

While participating in a recent District Assembly in Rancho Cucamonga, California the program started with a rousing rendition of “This Land is My Land.” I couldn’t help visualizing the range and beauty of the United States as the words played through my mind -- “From California to the New York Island, from the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream Waters.”

I live in Colorado and have climbed Pike’s Peak and have crammed to overflowing my mind’s eye while at the summit looking east over “…spacious skies and amber waves of grain” then turning west to “…purple mountains majesties above the fruited plains.” Those words were lovingly written in 1893 by a schoolteacher (Katharine Lee Bates) while at Pike’s Peak summit and eventually put to music in “America the Beautiful.” I can see those vistas and feel the cold wind in my face as I reread those words.

Too often in the hectic pace of life we allow meaningful phrases and words to slip away too quickly. We live in a “sound bite society” and are overwhelmingly inundated with so much information. What do you see and feel when you read the words – “the achievement of world understanding and peace?”

World Understanding and Peace?

That phrase is part of the mission statement of The Rotary Foundation. I now need you to increase the font size, bold the letters and underline it. Next - take a yellow magic marker and highlight it. Burn it into your mind and understand what it says – and what it means. “The achievement of world understanding and peace.”

That’s what Rotarians believe can happen as we interact and work and serve locally, nationally and internationally. Rotarians do not take the words “Service Above Self” lightly. We understand that the Object of Rotary “encourages and fosters the ideal of service” and allows Rotarians an “opportunity to serve society.”

“The ideal of service is needed as much in 2005 as on that cold February night a century ago when Rotary began.” States Rotarian David C. Forward (the author of A Century of Service: The story of Rotary International). “As Rotarians celebrate their gift to the world with the eradication of polio through the PolioPlus program, they know they dare not rest their heads on the pillow of self-satisfaction. Peace among warring nations, drugs, illiteracy, disease, poverty, hunger, homeless­ness, the environment - all present Rotarians with opportunities for service in the years ahead. It is hard to imagine Rotary ever not being needed.”

Of course we are needed. Loook closely at our three largest programs in The Rotary Foundation: Matching Grants, Scholarships and Group Study Exchange.

1. MATCHING GRANTS provide matching funds for international service projects of Rotary clubs and districts. .....Since 1965, almost 18,000 Matching Grant projects in 166 countries have been funded at a cost of more than $182 million. In 2001-02, 2,638 matching grants were provided while in 2002-03, that number dropped to 1,873 new grants for projects in over 115 countries. Program awards were $17.3 million. Those grants helped to provide clean water, literacy, health care, environmental restoration and countless other services to individuals and communities in need. Did you notice the decrease of about 29% fewer Matching Grants from 2001-02 to 2002-03?

2. AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS. The Foundation sponsors one of the largest and most international scholarship programs in the world. Scholars study in a country other than their own where they serve as unofficial "ambassadors of goodwill." .....Since 1947, almost 36,000 scholars from some 110 countries have received scholarships at a cost of more than $429 million. In 2002-­03, 868 scholars studied in 70 countries. Program awards were $16.8 million. Please note that in 2001-02 there were 929 scholars.

3. GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE (GSE). These annual awards are made to paired Rotary districts to provide travel expenses for a team of non-Rotarians from a variety of vocations. Rotarian hosts organize a four- to six-week itinerary of educational and cultural points of interest. .....Since 1965, more than 46,000 individuals (almost 10,600 teams) from more than 100 countries have participated at a cost of more than $82 million. In 2002-03, 397 teams traveled abroad while in 2001-02 there were 534 teams. A major decrease (26%) in the GSE Program!.

The Annual Programs Fund is the core of Rotary’s strength. But as you can see in recent years, Matching Grant requests have been denied and Group Study Exchanges have been scaled back because contributions have not kept pace with the growth of participation in Foundation programs.

If Rotary’s second century of service is going to match the accomplishments achieved thus far, Rotarian support is crucial, and right now is the critical point between Rotary’s history and future.

Will we allow these cutbacks to continue in our favorite Foundation Programs? We need to think “Every Rotarian, Every Year.”

As Rotarians we strive together to involve ourselves in our Rotary clubs while participating in programs in our community and communities throughout the world. We have historically supported our Rotary Foundation in its programs and financial needs. Rotarians have given generously to the Rotary Foundation (Our Foundation) to meet a wide range of humanitarian, cultural and educational needs.

There is no doubt that Rotary clubs and districts are using Foundation Programs more than ever before and our contributions have not kept pace with the steady growth in programs. This increased demand to fund service projects requires an increase in our Annual Programs Fund contributions because global humanitarian and educational needs will not diminish.

We have embarked on the “Every Rotarian, Every Year Program” where we are requesting Rotarians worldwide to contribute a minimum of $100.00 yearly to Our Foundation (the Annual Programs Fund).

Can you visualize “world understanding and peace?” The promotion of peace is one of Rotary's highest objectives.

For the sake of our families, friends and the worldwide family of Rotary I believe the answer lies in Every Rotarian, Every Year and increasing our Annual Programs Fund contributions.

I can still hear my mother telling me “If you think good positive thoughts, good things will happen.” But wishing won’t do it – Rotarian participation will! After all, this world is our world: from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, and from the cities of Aachen to Zurich. My Rotary friends, “The achievement of world understanding and peace is up to us, "Every Rotarian, Every Year.”

We must support Our Foundation and the Annual Programs Fund through Every Rotarian, Every Year.

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