Rotary E-Club Canada One Foundation Newsletter - May 2024

2023-24,

ROTARY E-CLUB CANADA ONE FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER MAY 2024

Rotary International President for 2023-24, Gordon McInally, plans to make mental health a focus, and emphasized continuity in advancing the goals of previous leaders, including empowering girls and eradicating polio.

He urges members to promote peace in troubled nations, help those affected by conflict, and maintain the momentum of initiatives begun by past leaders.

Click this link to hear RI President McInally’s speech at the 2023 Melbourne Convention.

Rotary International President

Gordon McInally (Scotland) TRF Newsletter Editor – Kitty Bucsko (RC of D6330 Passport)

RI PRESIDENT Gordon R. McInally

Editor Kitty Bucsko

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT MAY 2024 MESSAGE

The first glimmers of a lasting change

I am deeply gratified by Rotary magazine’s focus on mental health in this edition – and I’m ecstatic about the enthusiasm shown across the world in the past year to better support the mental health needs of each other and the people we serve.

In January 2023 when I first spoke about the need for Rotary to become more engaged on this crisis, I noted that the global mental health system couldn’t be described as broken only because it didn’t exist. But I also offered a highly aspirational wish that Rotary could help build that system.

The first glimmers of this vision have been brought to light by you in dozens of mental health projects. But just as important is the invitation many of you have given to fellow Rotary members to share their stories.

I am impressed by the leadership young Rotarians and Rotaractors have shown, and some of their brave, inspiring stories are highlighted in these pages. Former Rotaractor Freddie Almazan has an especially powerful personal narrative that you can learn about here – and hear firsthand at this month’s Rotary International Convention in Singapore.

You can read in this issue about a great example of a project with the kind of sustainable impact that creates lasting change: Rotaray clubs in Colorado endowing a pediatric mental health fellowship at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

At the convention, you can also hear from 2024 People of Action honorees lauded for the impact they and their clubs have made through mental health initiatives. Bindi Rajasegaran will talk about a Rotary-led project in Malaysia helping children develop skills to cope with mental health challenges and building capacity for support throughout the country.

In addition, Rita Aggarwal, an officer of the Rotary Action Group on Mental Health Initiatives, will be recognized for her success in applying the Wellness in a Box framework, a mental health literacy approach for adolescents, in her hometown of Nagpur, India. Read about the project in the “Stand by me” feature. This highly scalable and clinically backed framework can be adapted for use just about anywhere – reach out to the action group if your club would like to support or implement it.

As we look ahead, the Rotary Action Group on Mental Health Initiatives will play a critical leadership role in promoting proven, measurable projects. In doing so, it will empower clubs to focus on initiatives that drive scalable, sustainable impact.

After you’ve read through the magazine, I invite you to go to the Leanrning enter on My Rotary and check out the Increase Your Impact series, which includes a wonderful short video explaining impact. When we focu on impacg, we bring Rotary’s vision statement to life, creating lasting change across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

R. Gordon R. McInally President, Rotary International

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR MAY 2024 - MESSAGE

Service at the center

There’s something magical about Rotary. Even after all these years of being a member, I continue to be amazed by it.

Take successful leaders from various backgrounds and professions and bring them together under a set of core values with service at the center. Add networks and friendship and then watch the magic start happening.

It’s you – Rotarians and Rotaractors – who make that magic happen. You are the business and community leaders and the entrepreneurs who bring your passions, skills, and interests to everything we do. It’s you who think outside the box and apply what you know to serve others.

I see the same magic in Rotary Foundation grants that are funded by you and led by you.

It’s present in the partnership between Rotary clubs in Canada and Uganda that supports economic and community development and vocational training at the same time. This global grant-funded initiative trains Ugandan youths in welding and related skills to make wheelchairs for a children’s home serving people with disabilities. Technicians receive training in Canada and return home with valuable skills to start enterprises, helping meet the need for wheelchairs in the community.

Another global grant-supported project that reflects Rotary’s entrepreneurial spirit is in Guatemala. To address the challenges of limited internet access for rural schools, a host club in Guatemala partnered with Irish members to initiative a project that is equipping six schools and three community centers in the rural Solola area with plug-and-play servers containing educational materials like books and videos. The grant also furnishes laptops and uninterruptible power supplies and trains teachers, benefitting about 1,800 individuals as it leverages technology for literacy and education.

Don’t forget: Foundation global grants also support scholarships. One such scholarship, sponsored by Italian and German clubs, focuses on artificial intelligence in disease prevention and treatment. Italian scholar Salvatore Galati conducted research at a university in Bonn, Germany, using AI algorithms to analyze vast datasets for innovative drug development. Such computer-aided approaches can reduce costs and research time in the development of lifesaving drugs.

It's fantastic to see us innovating and incorporating new approaches and technology into our Foundation grants.

I look forward to meeting many of you at the 2024 Rotary International Convention in Singapore in a few short weeks, where we will learn about new opportunities to serve and innovate. It will be a chance to celebrate that Rotary magic and the many ways we Create Hope in the World.

BARRY RASSIN Foundation Trustee Chair

Click here to view a short marketing video for this year’s convention.

25 to 29 May, 2024 – Singapore

…moving forward with Rotary D5370

District Governor-elect (will assume office on July 1, 2024)

District Governor-Nominee (will assume office on July 1, 2025)

District Governor-Nominee Designate (will assume office on July 1, 2026)

Brian Edwards – Rotary Club of Edmonton

Ramesh Ferris – Rotary Club of Whitehorse Rendezvous

Jackie Mellon – Rotary Club of Midland West

ROTARY’S FOCUS ON YOUTH MONTH OF MAY

https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/youth-programs

Interact Clubs

Take action, build international understanding, and make new friends around the world. Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12 to 18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self. Find out how serious leadership can be seriously fun.

What are the benefits?

Connect with leaders in your community and around the world to:

• Take action to make a difference in your school and community

• Discover new cultures and promote international understanding

• Become a leader in your school and community

• Have fun and make new friends from around the world

What’s involved?

Interact clubs organize at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Rotary club sponsors mentor and guide interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills.

Celebrate the global impact of Interact by getting involved in:

• World Interact Week – during the week of November 5

• Interact Video Awards

• Rotary Youth Day at the United Nations

• Global Youth Service Day

From Rotary International, here’s a video message from our current President, Gordon McInally. Click here or the photo below to visit the page, scroll down until you reach the video – then press Play.

Statement of Conduct for Working With Youth

Rotary International strives to create and maintain a safe environment for all youth who participate in Rotary activities. To the best of their ability, Rotary members, their partners, and other volunteers must safeguard the children and young people with whom they come into contact and protect them from physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.

Rotary's approach to preventing abuse

The safety and well-being of young people and youth program participants are Rotary's highest priority. Our comprehensive approach to youth protection includes:

• No tolerance for abuse or harassment of young people

• Policies that prevent misconduct and outline how to respond to grooming behaviors and abuse that involve youth and other program participants

• Mandatory youth protection training for governors-elect

• A dedicated and trained staff that uses a trauma-informed approach when receiving and responding to reports of sexual abuse or harassment

• A certification process that requires Rotary districts involved in Rotary Youth Exchange to have:

• Student, family, and volunteer training in abuse prevention

• Volunteer screening that includes an application, criminal background check, and reference checks

• A process for reporting allegations of abuse and harassment to Rotary and local law enforcement

• District-specific youth protection policies

• On-site evaluations (audits) that are conducted by Rotary staff members

Rotary is committed to fostering environments that are safe and positive for young people and free from discrimination and physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

Rotary clubs can energize and inspire young leaders ages 12-18 through service and encourage them to become responsible global citizens by supporting Interact clubs. Click the graphic above to learn more about Interact clubs

2023 Interact Video Award Winners

Best Video -

Interact Club of Kuen Cheng High School, Malaysia

Click here to view the video below.

Find and watch all finalist videos on the Interact YouTube page.

HOW ROTARY MAKES HELP HAPPEN

Click the graphic below to open the link.

Financial structure

The Rotary Foundation is organized as a public charity operated exclusively for charitable purposes and governed by a Board of Trustees. The operations of Rotary International, a member organization, are overseen by its Board of Directors

The headquarters of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation are in Evanston, Illinois, USA. We have associate foundations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Read highlights from the past year in our annual report

Learn about Rotary's investments

Your generous contributions to The Rotary Foundation are essential to securing and growing Rotary programs throughout the world.

Learn more about donor recognition

Learn more about Rotary grants

You can find additional updates and resources, including the Terms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation Global Grants, at rotary.org/grants or ask for them from Rotary grants staff.

And learn more about our Rotary Foundation. Click here.

Our clubs are the heart of Rotary!

Our clubs are the heart of Rotary. At weekly meetings, members catch up with friends, hear what’s happening in our communities, and share plans and exchange ideas for creating lasting change.

Your club connection gives you the chance to develop skills like public speaking, project management, and event planning. You’ll meet interesting people from your community and around the world. And you’ll tackle local and international issues that are important to you and your fellow club members.

E-clubs

If meeting at a brick-and-mortar location isn’t feasible, then a Rotary e-club might be right for you. Like other Rotary clubs, e-clubs meet weekly, carry out service projects, support The Rotary Foundation, and socialize. But instead of meeting in person, they connect through the Internet.

Check out the weekly posted meeting of Rotary E-Club of Canada One.

International Connections

You can expand your club connections to the world by developing a twin club relationship, organizing a Friendship Exchange, joining a Rotary Action Group or Rotary Fellowship, or hosting an Open World visit. With more than 35,000 Rotary clubs worldwide, you have a friend in Rotary wherever you go.

Find more ideas for making an international connection.

Twin clubs

Twin clubs, or sister clubs, are two clubs from different countries that form a long-term relationship to promote international understanding and goodwill and carry out service projects in their communities. When looking for a partner, consider clubs that:

• Share similar interests, challenges, or history

• You’ve worked with in the past

• Are located in a place that matches your club’s service interests

• Speak a common language

Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE)

Explore new cultures and discover diverse perspectives by participating in a Friendship Exchange, a self-funded international exchange opportunity for Rotary members and their families. Taking part in an exchange is a wonderful way to make new friends and establish international service partnerships.

…see more information about RFE on the next page

Click the graphic below to read more.

Click here to learn more about Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE).

Click here or the graphic below to view an informative video about A Rotary Friendship Exchange in District 5960.

Summary of new polioviruses this week, cases and positive environmental isolates:

• DR Congo: one cVDPV1 case

• Chad: one cVDPV2 case

• Nigeria: one cVDPV2 case

For more information, click here - http://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-now/this-week/

Click here to learn the difference between Wild Polio Virus (WPV) and Vaccine-derived Polio Virus. (VDPV)

Wild poliovirus

There have been two new cases of WPV1 in Pakistan reported in 2024, both cases were detected in Balochistan province (Chaman and Dera Bugti districts). The significant increase in environmental detections have been sustained with 125 positive samples in 2023 and 34 positive samples to date in 2024. These detections indicate the spread of WPV1 from the endemic zone of Afghanistan (East Region) to other regions in Afghanistan (Balkh, Kabul and Southern provinces centered on Kandahar) to the traditional reservoirs of Pakistan (Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta Block) and neighboring or transit districts.

Click here to read more

Three Minutes for a Dog My Life in an Iron Lung

by Paul R. Alexander

Contrary to popular belief Polio is not extinct.

This is the true story of an indomitable spirit afflicted with unimaginable physical and psychological challenges.

Paul Alexander’s life is a saga that started in 1946 and has been profoundly shaped by the Polio epidemic of the early 1950s. Survivors of the 1950’s Polio Epidemic in America are rare.

Polio victims, like Paul Alexander, who require the assistance of an “Iron Lung” respirator for their life’s breath are even rarer.

Paul Alexander has crafted his life against all odds and has a courageous and compelling story to share with us all. Victims of Polio, their families, friends, and communities are struggling to cope with this obscure but still dangerous infectious disease.

This book is a testimony to the strength of the human spirit and an affirmation of the need to continue efforts to eradicate the pestilence of Polio from the planet.

The last man to live in an iron lung, he contracted polio in 1952 at the age of six.

From Wikipedia - Paul Richard Alexander was an American paralytic polio survivor, lawyer, and writer. The last man to live in an iron lung, he contracted polio in 1952 at the age of six. Alexander earned a bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor at the University of Texas at Austin and was admitted to the bar in 1986. Wikipedia

Born: January 1946, Dallas, Texas, United States

Died: March 11, 2024 (age 78 years), Dallas, Texas, United States

Books: Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung Education: The University of Texas at Austin (1984),

…available on amazon.ca and amazon.com

Click here for a preview.

POLIOPLUS SOCIETY

Our District 5370 proudly joins The Rotary Foundation and fellow districts across the world to announce the new Polio Plus Society and invite all our members to join.

This simple act of generosity by our fellow Rotarians around the world will bring the life saving polio immunization to countless children until the day that the world has been rid of the virus. We are truly This Close, and we need your help to complete the job.

The Polio Plus Society is an organization of like-minded individuals who have committed to contribute $100 USD or more each and every year to Polio Plus until the world has been declared free of the Wild Polio Virus. This is our commitment to fulfill the promise Rotary made in 1985 to immunize all the children of the world.

It’s easy and rewarding to become a member. Download, complete, and submit the Polio Plus Society Pledge Form by email to the PolioPlus Chair at dgreenway@telus.net. Complete your contribution commitment in one of these ways:

Contribute with your credit card online at: https://www.endpolio.org/donate

- OR -

Rotary Direct. Enroll in Rotary’s recurring giving program, Rotary Direct, which makes giving easy, fast, and secure. You can schedule a monthly, quarterly, or annual donation that empowers Rotarians to change lives in communities around the world. https://my.rotary.org/en/rotary-direct

Email the completed form to Donna Greenway at dgreenway@telus.net or mail to 10211 102 Avenue Fort St. John, BC V1J 2E4.

YES, all donations will be matched 2 to 1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Anyone can join the society, not only Rotarians. Everyone will be recognized with a special pin and a Society Certificate, and a great feeling in their heart.

With your help, we will reach every last child and achieve a polio free world. Please reach out to Donna and sign up today

Yours in Rotary

Donna

Greenway District PolioPlus Chair

THE "PLUSES" OF POLIOPLUS

by Terry Ziegler Past President, Rotary Club of West U (Houston, TX)

When Rotarians first proposed the global Polio eradication effort, they could not have conceived of how much they would change the world.

With the help of our partners (WHO, UNICEF, the CDC, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GavI - the Vaccine Alliance, and over 200 governments of the world) we have vaccinated over three billion children against the dreaded Poliovirus, saved over twenty million children from paralysis, saved over two million from death, and have reduced Polio cases by over 99.9%.

However, we are doing so much more than "just" eradicating Polio.

Here are a few of the additional "Pluses" of the PolioPlus program:

We have helped to equip and staff 146 laboratories worldwide to quickly identify Polio cases and have also used them to support the identification and treatment of other diseases including Ebola, Yellow Fever, Rubella, Meningitis, COVID-19, and Influenza. These laboratories will leave a permanent legacy to Rotary's Polio eradication efforts.

We have perfected the mass immunization model including the use of cold chains to maintain the correct temperature for the Polio vaccine which has facilitated the immunization of billions of children.

We have completed thousands of clean water and sanitation projects worldwide to decrease the amount of Poliovirus in wastewater systems and to protect children from many waterborne diseases.

We have prevented over 1.25 million deaths by giving Vitamin A drops at the same time as the Polio vaccines.

We have built relationships and created trust among government, religious, and community leaders in countries around the world. These relationships will lead to many future humanitarian service projects.

We have expanded the Rotary brand which will lead to larger and more successful efforts with our Polio eradication effort partners (WHO, CDC, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and GAVI - the Vaccine Alliance) as well as other future partners.

We have improved surveillance systems which have been used to identify the Poliovirus as well as other communicable agents.

We have strengthened health systems worldwide which has increased routine healthcare and immunization of children.

The Polio eradication effort has been very cost effective. We have saved more than $27 billion in health costs since 1988 and a recent study led to the conclusion that in some areas of the world, each dollar spent on the Polio

eradication effort will yield 49 dollars in future economic savings. The public health savings of Polio eradication accrue forever! .

We have supported Polio Survivors with mobility devices and health care in countries without those resources.

We have created thousands of jobs including temporary jobs for Polio vaccinators, permanent healthcare professional jobs, and jobs for polio survivors. In addition, many of over twenty million children who have been spared the paralysis of Polio are now better prepared to be more productive citizens.

The legacy of a polio-free world and the publicity the eradication of Polio will lead to a more committed and a larger global Rotary membership.

Finally, each of these "Pluses" of PolioPlus are each, in their own way, a small step toward a more peaceful world.

Terry Ziegler

Past President, Rotary Club of West U (Houston, TX)

Polio Eradication Update Newsletter Editor

Books for the World - Second Wind Foundation Trustee

Rotary Region 36 END POLIO NOW Coordinator 2024-27

BigZLumber@aol.com

Thanks to donors like you, Rotary members around the world are:

• Uniting a divided nation around a water project in Lebanon

• Recognizing a woman’s worth and needs in Nigeria

• Giving the gift of reading to students in Guatemala

• Raising awareness about the environment in the United States

• Fighting for a community cure for malaria in Zambia

• Supporting female vaccinators who are doing more than helping end polio in Pakistan

To review your giving history,

• Sign in to My Rotary

• Click My Account in the upper right corner

• Choose My Donations

We’re grateful for donors like you, who are dedicated to Doing Good in the World.

Sincerely, The Rotary Foundation

The Rotary Foundation – the Engine that runs Rotary!

WAYS TO GIVE TO T

HE ROTARY FOUNDATION

Your donation changes lives! and this information bears repeating…

There are numerous ways to support The Rotary Foundation.

Every amount contributed to The Rotary Foundation is spent in support of humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs, and their operations. Clubs and districts apply for and receive Foundation grants to carry out worthy projects worldwide.

Here are a few of the ways that your contribution can make a difference:

• $100 can buy textbooks for one elementary school in Zambia

• $5,000 can buy vaccine to immunize 10,000 children against polio

• $24,000 can buy an academic-year Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship

• $100,000 can buy funding for two to complete a two-year graduate program for a Rotary World Peace Fellow

Donate Online

When you donate online, you get to choose where your donations go. Support thousands of service projects our people of action are tackling around the world. Outright gifts can be made easily with The Rotary Foundation online contribution form.

This method expedites processing your tax receipt and Paul Harris Fellow recognition points. For online donations please visit https://www.rotary.org/en/donate.

• Memorial or Tribute Donations: A gift to The Rotary Foundation is a meaningful way to honour a loved one.

• Recurring Donations: Rotary Direct allows you to help year-round by automatically giving each month, quarter, or year.

Click here to view a short video to celebrate GIVING.

ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE BUILDS PEACE ONE YOUNG PERSON AT A TIME

Students learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. Exchanges for students ages 15-19 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries.

What are the benefits?

Exchange students unlock their true potential to:

• Develop lifelong leadership skills

• Learn a new language and culture

• Build lasting friendships with young people from around the world

• Become a global citizen

How long do exchanges last?

Long-term exchanges last a full academic year, and students attend local schools and live with multiple host families.

Short-term exchanges last from several days to three months and are often structured as camps, tours, or homestays that take place when school is not in session. (Only the long-term exchanges are currently available in D6330.)

What are the costs?

Room and board are provided, as well as any school fees. Each program varies, but students are usually responsible for:

• Round-trip airfare

• Travel insurance

• Travel documents (such as passports and visas)

• Spending money and any additional travel or tours

Every year in May, Canada comes together to recognize Mental Health Week (MHW).

Established in 1951 by the Canadian Mental Health Association, this week encourages Canadians to learn and talk with others about mental health issues.

Monday, 13 May 2024 – Sunday, 19 May 2024

ROTARY CALENDAR and THEMES

Month

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

March

Maternal and Child Health

Membership and New Club Development

Basic Education and Literacy

Economic and Community Development

Rotary Foundation

Disease Prevention and Treatment

Vocational Service

Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution

Water and Sanitation

Youth Service June

Rotary Fellowships

U.N. INTERNATIONAL DATES TO NOTE (plus links)

Saturday May 11

World Migratory Bird Day

Sunday, May 12

International Day of Plant Health

Wednesday, May 15

International Day of Families

Thursday, May 16

International Day of Living in Peace

Monday, May 20

World Bee Day

Wednesday, May 29

International Day of UN Peacekeepers

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL THEME FOR 2024-25

YOUR ROTARY LEGACY

–

Doing Good in the World beyond your lifetime

Click here to read the Endowment Fund Financial report for 2022-23.

FOUNDATION GRANTS – 7 AREAS OF FOCUS

Rotarians can get involved in various types of service –

Club Service, Community Service, International Service, Vocational Service, New Generations (Youth) Service

A list of Rotary's 7 areas of focus and a brief description of each:

1. Peacebuilding and conflict prevention: Rotary aims to address the root causes of conflict and promote sustainable peace through initiatives that support education and training, promote community dialogue, and build networks of peacebuilders.

2. Disease prevention and treatment: Rotary works to improve health outcomes and reduce the spread of disease through initiatives that promote immunization, provide access to clean water and sanitation, and support medical research.

3. Water and sanitation: Rotary aims to improve access to clean water and sanitation in underserved communities, through initiatives that promote infrastructure development, support education and training, and raise awareness about the importance of clean water and sanitation.

4. Maternal and child health: Rotary works to improve maternal and child health outcomes by supporting initiatives that provide access to prenatal and postnatal care, promote vaccination, and support nutrition and education programs for mothers and children.

5. Basic education and literacy: Rotary aims to improve access to education and literacy for children and adults, through initiatives that support teacher training, provide educational resources and materials, and promote community-based programs that increase literacy rates.

6. Economic and community development: Rotary works to support economic and community development initiatives that promote job creation, increase access to financial services, and support small business development and entrepreneurship.

7. Supporting the environment: Rotary aims to support environmental sustainability initiatives, through programs that promote conservation, improve access to clean energy, and support the development of sustainable agriculture and other eco-friendly practices.

FAST FORWARD TO June Rotary Fellowships

Rotary Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion.

Being part of a fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or profession, and enhance your Rotary experience.

How do I join a fellowship?

Membership in a fellowship is open to any interested individual. You can contact a fellowship directly by using the links below.

Click here to read a list of the currently available Fellowships!

And for your inspired listening pleasure -

Click here to listen to We are the World.

Click here to learn more about the Convention.

Click here to view a welcome message from RI President McInally.

Click the graphic above to register and click Register now when the site opens.

ROTARY’S CORE VALUES

WHAT IS ROTARY?

Rotary International is an international service organization whose stated purpose is to bring business and professional leaders together to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. It is a non-political and non-religious organization.

Rotarians can get involved in various types of service –

Club Service, Community Service, International Service, Vocational Service, New Generations Service

Click the 4-way test above and open the link to hear the Four-Way Test by RC of Saskatoon Nutana

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year

Click here for a short video.

Our Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative encourages all Rotary club members to contribute something each year to The Rotary Foundation. We hope that you can consider at least $100 USD every year to help us reach our goal to support the Rotary Foundation financially each year.

Sustaining member. One who contributes $100 USD every year is a Sustaining Member. With EREY, we encourage you to contribute an amount you can afford every year.

ROTARY BEQUEST SOCIETY

What is a Rotary Foundation Bequest Society Member?

Those who have made commitments for future gifts of $10,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation are invited to join the Bequest Society.

Donors may elect to receive various benefits and recognition pieces commemorating their commitment at each new recognition level, including pins, crystals, named funds, and special seating at the Rotary International Convention.

A bequest gift of at least $10,000 in your name to The Rotary Foundation creates a legacy of your generosity and compassion as you are helping many people live better lives around the world.

Today there are over 18,000 Bequest Society Members worldwide.

Will you join them by leaving a gift to Rotary in your estate? Contact the Rotary Foundation’s Planned Giving team

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. In its place is something that you have left behind. Let it be