The Rotary Foundation (TRF) honors its donors when they reach $1,000 in giving by naming them Paul Harris Fellows. Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary, and this recognition is named for him. Are you supporting The Rotary Foundation, working toward becoming a Paul Harris Fellow? A PHF is a milestone, not a destination, and many of our members are known as multiple PHFs, having achieved the milestone many times.
The following clubs in District 5400 are 100% PHF clubs: Aberdeen, American Falls, Blue Lakes-Twin Falls, Boise Centennial, Boise Sunrise, Buhl, Caldwell, Eagle-Garden City, Emmett, Idaho Falls and Twin Falls-After Hours. There are 1099 Paul Harris Fellows in our district (nearly 62% of us). We have a challenge before us halfway through the Rotary year: increase the percentage of Rotarians having donated $25 or more to Annual Fund-SHARE from 37% to 100%. That will mean more of us working to become Paul Harris Fellows.
I’m proud to be a Rotarian and able to support The Rotary Foundation. TRF is Rotary's charity and with its grants to Rotary Clubs, it enables Rotarians to do much of the humanitarian work of Rotary. We give to get, and I know that the $6,000 my club has committed to TRF global grant projects this year will be matched 2.5 times by The Foundation, turning our contributions to a medical project in Mexico and water projects in Ecuador into $21,000 toward meeting community needs. Where did The Rotary Foundation come up with $15,000 to match our six? That money came from Rotarian contributions to Annual Fund-SHARE. It’s kind of like getting the money we donated to the Annual Fund back! Twenty-five clubs in the district received TRF district grant funds this year for local projects, again like getting back the money we all donated to Annual Fund-SHARE.
I encourage you to join me in giving financial support to our charity The Rotary Foundation.