November is Rotary Foundation Month – when we, as people of action, celebrate our numerous projects doing good in our own communities and “Doing Good in the World”

Article by PDG Peter Garnett, Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator

It was a privilege to be able to participate in our recent Zone 8 Conference held in Canberra and wasn’t it great to be able to be at a “face to face” conference

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to many stories about the wonderful and successful projects being undertaken by Rotarians and Rotactors, clubs and districts from across our Zone. Including:       

• The wonderful support Rotary is providing for the people of Ukraine and the three Disaster Response Grants supporting Ukraine initiated by districts in Australia (1) and New Zealand (2)

• The Disaster Response Grants approved to provide support after the flooding early in the year in NSW and Queensland, after the volcanic explosion in Tonga and to reroof a school library in Luganville, Vanuatu after the recent tropical cyclone

• Global Grants such as the Rotary in Australia and New Zealand centennial project - GECAF “Give Every Child A Future”, the Te Tai Tokerau Tamariki Mental wellbeing project to enhance children’s wellbeing in primary schools in Northland, New Zealand and numerous water and sanitation projects

• District Grants supporting our community needs

• Rotary Peace Fellowships. The inspiring presentation by Erica Yague, Rotary Peace Fellow studying at the University of Queensland  

Foundation Chair and Past RI President Ian Riseley spoke about his recent attendance at the World Health Summit where countries and philanthropic organisations reconfirmed their support for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. This included pledges from Rotary of US$150 million over the next 3 years, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation of US$1.2 Billion and the Australian Government of AU$43.55 million. The sobering statistic though, was that less than half of the clubs in our Zone are currently supporting this important work of Rotary’s No 1 project. It is imperative we all continue to actively contribute to PolioPlus to ensure we keep the promise we made to the children of the world that we would eliminate this dreadful virus from the world.

The ability for our Foundation to continue to be able to provide support for our community projects is heavily dependent on the ongoing contributions made by individual Rotarians like you and me, by our clubs and by our fund raising efforts. If you are not already, please consider becoming a regular contributor by becoming a Centurion or taking the next step to join the Paul Harris Society. Perhaps talk to your District Foundation team members about becoming a Major Donor or a Benefactor.

It is seeing the difference we, as people of action, are making in communities at home and overseas is the key reason why I

• am proud to be a Rotarian,
• actively support The Rotary Foundation, and
• nominate The Rotary Foundation as my “Charity of Choice”.