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At 8:30 am, we began to filter into the auditorium. The theme for this year's District 5340 Rotary Foundation Seminar was "People of Action". The purpose the seminar was to highlight to district Rotarians all of the ways that our district is making an impact in the world. We were reminded that it was 100 years ago in 1917 that Arch C. Klumpf, that years RI president proposed the formation of the Rotary Foundation. The founding donation was $26.50.
Since that time the Rotary Foundation has grown into one of the top philanthropic organizations in the world. Giving back is actually in the DNA of Rotary and clubs the beginning of Rotary quickly came to realize that members could work together to make a difference in their communities. Rotarians have always been "People of Action."
Some reflections on this seminar:
1 So far this year there have only been 10 cases of wild polio virus reported in the entire world. The race is on to complete the task of eradicating this disease. Crossing that final goal line is important because the ease of international travel could easily reintroduce this disease into any country of the world and cause a resurgence of the disease even here in the United States
2. Rotary is a global force for good because it empowers its members to find ways to network with others to make an impact to in ways that as individuals, we could not imagine. PDG Larry Sundram spoke about the ways in which Rotarians around the world netword with each other to find ways to meet the needs for completing projects that directly impact the lives of people. Now with email, Rotary is a social networking organization with a purpose of helping people.
3. Because of the funding model of the Rotary Foundation, many clubs can work together to make projects like maternal health programs, providing safe water, and promoting peace possible. The Rotary Foundation is an original "crowd funding" organization.
4. District 5340 is recognized of the top districts in all the world in the level of support to the Rotary Foundation.
5. Each presentation highlighted the ways that the funding of the Rotary Foundation from District 5340 has impacted the lives of people around the world.
On a personal note, every time I attend a Rotary Foundation Seminar, I come away with a renewed appreciation of how effectively the Rotary Foundation and Rotary is in changing the lives of people everywhere. The stories are inspirational and very touching. As Rotarians, we need to focus more on the ways that Rotary changes lives because we empower our members to propose a project and then we work together to make that project a reality. This is the reality beyond the social contacts be make at our individual clubs.