Vancouver Sunrise Bulletin 06/06/2012

Posted by Robert French 
 
 

Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise

President Matthew gonged the meeting to order and our guest Gordon Bird recited the Four Way test for us. There were 15 members present with visiting Rotarians Chris Offer from Ladner, Ulrick Külz from the Shin Yokahama Club in Japan and Gordon Bird of the Vancouver Club and one guest Marie French, Director of the Dictionary Project with which many Canadian Rotary Clubs are involved. The project donates dictionaries to 3rd grade children.

Rotary Moment

No Rotary moment this week as John is still recovering from his close encounters with Grizzlies.

Announcements

Robert: Please get those pledge emails out, folks. We are ten days from the Hoop-a-Thon and pledges stand at only $3,000. So far only five members have sent in pledge information.

Hockey pool: Carlos is the big winner!! Congratulations.

Member News

Larry’s son is visiting from Ottawa. Robbyn is preparing for her son’s 3rd birthday. Diana survived her first co-ed hockey league game… just. Lawrence is happy he’s not travelling. Eduardo’s mother-in-law is visiting; we could not ascertain whether this was a sad or happy dollar. Carlos is happy for his big Stanley Cup win. Gordon is happy to be seeing all his children and grandchildren this week. Julie needs numbers for changeover lunch.

Speaker: Robbyn Singer Tarpy

Robbyn is a Michigan native who graduated ΦΒΚ from James Madison College at Michigan State. Robbyn has worked for The Rotary Foundation since 2000 where she is Manager of Annual Giving. She talked to us about matching grants.

The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.

The six focus areas for the Foundation are:

  • Peace and Conflict resolution;
  • Disease prevention and treatment;
  • Water and sanitation;
  • Maternal and child health;
  • Basic education;
  • Economic and community development.

There are two levels of funds:

  • District funds which are very flexible;
  • Global grants similar to matching grants but larger and more sustainable and aligned only to above areas of focus.

There are also packaged grants. Our Club has received $22,650 in support from TRF.

When someone donates, TRF invests the money for three years and then all the capital is used to go directly into projects, the interest earned over this three year period pays the administrative costs. Half of the donation amount goes back to the District for District Designated Funds which are used at the District’s discretion; the other half goes to the global fund and can be used for matching grants, provided that they are in the focus areas.

If everyone participated in the Every Rotarian Every Year program, it would raise $120M per year. There is a club banner for 100% participation.

Your $100 goes a long way: In India 3 people can have cataract surgery; in Peru a family can have a Bio-sand water treatment unit.

Paul Harris Society: Members give $1000 yearly. 3% of Rotarians do so and these funds comprise 30% of TRF funding. Rotary Direct is a methodology for recurring giving.

TRF is considered a charity of choice because of:

  • Expertise
  • Service above Self
  • Local and international projects
  • Diligent oversight
  • Contributions change lives

(Charity Navigator gives Rotary 4 out of 4 stars and a massive 69.26 out of 70)

TRF funds are well managed, despite dips in the economy. The permanent fund returns 4%

Thought for the week

Matthew closed with:

When I open my eyes in the morning, I am not confronted by the world but a million possible worlds.

- Colin Wilson.