November is Rotary Foundation Month and Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise Foundation Director Meredith Boekhoudt recently gave a review to fellow members on the Rotary Foundation. The Rotary Foundation was formed on the advice of Past Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph who suggested an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world”. The Foundation aims to “advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty”. They do this mainly through their End Polio Now campaigns and through offering Peace Fellowships where degrees and certificates are earned in peace and conflict resolution.
Ms. Boekhoudt shared that all contributions to the foundation is made by Rotarians and friends of the foundation worldwide. Over 1 billion US dollars has been received through contributions toward the Foundation since it began 97 years ago. President Virginia Asin explains that Rotary Sunrise has done many fundraisings, most recently the flea markets at Air Lekkerbek that helps contribute to the foundation. Ms. Boekhoudt explained that contributions sent to the foundation can be directed to the Annual Fund, which funds local and international service projects, scholarships, and vocational training teams, the Polio Plus Fund, which funds efforts to eradicate polio, and the Endowment Fund, whose earnings support grants, as the principle is never spent in order to ensure contributing to future generations.
Rotarians and friends can individually contribute and receive recognition for doing so by becoming a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member, Paul Harris Fellow, Multiple Paul Harris fellow, Memorial Paul Harris Certificate, Certificate of Appreciation, benefactor, Bequest Society, Major Donor or part of Arch C. Klumph Society. The recognition is designated by the amount of monies donated to the foundation. President Asin is proud to have six current members who are Paul Harris Fellows: Sidharth “Cookie” Bijlani, Meredith Boekhoudt, Claret Connor, Prakash “Peter” Dialani, Irma Gumbs, and Marcellia Henry.
President Asin expressed gratitude towards these fellows and also all donors, sponsors and the general public who has supported Rotary Sunrise in their fundraising efforts so that they can contribute to this foundation and to a wider extension, the world. To get more information about the Rotary Foundation and to see the difference that is being made because of its existence please visit the Rotary International website at www.rotary.org.
The club meets at Carl & Sons Pondfill every Tuesday mornings at 7:00 am for fellowship and breakfast. For more information on the club visit us at sxmsunrise.org or email sunriserotary.sxm@hotmail.com, we are also on Facebook: Rotary Club of Saint Martin Sunrise