© 2003, Rotary Club of Charleston

P.O. Box 21029
Charleston, SC 29413-1029

Club secretary:
Carroll Schweers
chasrot@comcast.net

Enthusiastic Salisbury speaks of the Foundation
Encourages all Rotarians to be sustaining members

NOV. 25, 2003 - Hal Salisbury, a current member of a Daniel Island Rotary Club, spoke enthusiastically to our club about the Rotary Foundation.

Salisbury said that the Rotary Foundation is the "lifeblood and heart" of Rotary, but noted that the Foundation is "not well understood" by Rotarians. He encouraged club members to go to www.Rotary.org to learn more about it.

According to Salisbury, the Foundation has two main areas of focus. First is education. The Foundation funds ambassadorial scholarships, which permit graduate students to study around the world. The Foundation also now funds peace scholarships. These are relatively new scholarships, and only 7 are awarded in the whole world each year. The recipients must be graduate students who are fluent in at least two languages and who are committed to a career of promoting peace throughout the world. Another educational program sponsored by the Foundation is Group Study Exchange, pursuant to which groups of individuals visit a host country for a brief period of time to learn more about the region and its culture.

Second, the Foundation is focused humanitarian projects. The Foundation provides matching grant money to help provide food and water to impoverished individuals around the world. The Foundation also has, for example, an "individual grants program" through which individuals can give directly of themselves by volunteering their time and skills throughout the world.

Salisbury said that every penny given to the Foundation goes to the purpose stated. Donations are not used to pay administrative costs. He said all Rotarians are expected to be sustaining members (give $100 to the Foundation) each year. The Foundation slogan in this regard is "Every Rotarian every year."

In other business…

Doug Donehue led members in a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and Jim Geffert welcomed our guests and visiting Rotarians. Betsy Fleming offered Health and Happiness. Bill Eaton spoke about the Giving Tree, and Anita Zucker gave us a Rotary moment. John Milkereit made a Rotary reader announcement. Sue Sommer-Kresse introduced a young woman from this District who had received two different Rotary Foundation scholarships, which enabled her to spend a year studying in Singapore and a year studying in Belgium. Derek Sharrer and introduced the guest speaker, Hal Salisbury.