Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY)
Why "Every Rotarian, Every Year?"
The 2004 Rotary International Council on Legislation unanimously adopted the concept of asking each of the 1.2 million Rotarians of the world to contribute at least $100 per year to The Rotary Foundation Annual Fund. If Rotarians reach that goal, the good that could be done in the world would be tremendous.
What happens to these funds? The Rotary Foundation invests one hundred percent of the contributions for three years. Then fifty percent of the contributions from District 6000 Rotarians are returned to District 6000 for Humanitarian or Educational activities sponsored by District 6000 and the District's Rotary Clubs. The District Governor and the leadership are responsible for allocating these funds to approved Rotary International educational and humanitarian programs.
Educational Programs
With the dollars returned to District 6000, our District leadership has selected and funded Scholars to study abroad for one year for many years. The scholars received a grant of $23,000 to study abroad at a College or University of their choice for one year.
District 6000 was honored when Wendy Boxx of Ottumwa was selected to participate in the first class of World Peace Fellows to study in Japan . District 6000 has contributed funds to support the World Peace Fellows program.
Humanitarian Programs:
Global Grants
Many District 6000 Rotary Clubs become involved with a Rotary Club in a foreign country to improve the lives of individuals in their country through grants. The Rotary Foundation Global Grants is a system where Rotary Club Contributions are matched by funds from the District Funds, which are then matched, by available funds from The Rotary Foundation. The International Rotary Club Partner usually has funds matched by their District and The Rotary Foundation.
District 6000 has been involved in 142 of these Grants since 2001 totaling over $1.9 million.
Community Service Grants
District 6000 Rotary Clubs have the opportunity to undertake community projects in their towns and cities to improve the lives of the members of their communities through these grants.
How have we done? Have we reached the $100 goal of giving to the Annual Fund?
District 6000 Rotarians support is critical to enable Rotary to continue to do service around our communities and in the world. Realize that $100 per year is just 28ยข a day, or $1.92 a week. There are not many Rotarians in District 6000 that cannot afford that level of support to The Rotary Foundation dedicated to improving their communities and the world.
Is it fair to ask, If we Rotarians won't support The Rotary Foundation, who will?
Here is what two District 6000 Rotarians have said.
Past District Governor Charles Gabus who was a member of the Rotary Club of Northwest Des Moines, when asked why he was a major donor to The Rotary Foundation, said "Nobody, Nobody, Nobody does it better than Rotary."
Bill Ashton, member of the Rotary Club of Davenport, a Paul Harris Fellow and member of the D-6000 Paul Harris Society has participated in National Polio Immunization days in India. When asked why he supports The Rotary Foundation he stated "People always ask why I do it. I know they think we do it to help the less fortunate - but honestly we do it to help ourselves." He added "Service has made me feel good about myself."