Hurricanes, floods, hunger, abuse, illiteracy, terror. . . the list continues to a point that it can become overwhelming. There are many needs and many ways in which we can serve, individually and corporately. The question becomes, how and where best to serve? Where can our time, talent and treasure be applied for the best “return on investment” to use a business term? The answers are as varied as our membership.
November is Foundation Month for Rotary International, a time to highlight the work of the foundation established in 1917. One of the benefits of Foundation support is the diversity of projects it assists: providing clean water, fighting disease, improving maternal and child health, supporting education, improving local economies and promoting peace. More than 90% of the funds paid to the Foundation goes directly to the projects with less than 10% used for overhead.
There are only 24 hours in the day, which are divided between work, family, church and home. With the remaining hours, I am often torn between the many ways in which I can serve. I’d like to clone myself so more needs can be met, and through organizations like the Rotary Foundation, I feel like that is almost possible. I can’t be in India, Nicaragua, Africa and Syria, but the Foundation is providing for needs in each location. Even as they are working to End Polio, they are also helping to stop the spread of Ebola, intestinal infections and other diseases through clean water to remote regions; maternal and infant disease and deaths are also being reduced due to their work.
“One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility,” said Eleanor Roosevelt. We face multiple choices daily; where we choose to give and volunteer is a choice that impacts far beyond ourselves. The Rotary Foundation is one organization I choose to support so they can multiply my effectiveness. I hope you will join me in adding it to your support list as well.