This Week’s Rotary Chips, January 6, 2014

Guests: Steve from West Rutland, Charlotte Woodward, exchange student, Rick Manganello, District Rotary Foundation chair & his wife, Janet.

Brags/Fines:  Will Gormly

• Ron Bower fined Rich Carlson for late raffle tickets.
• Steve handed out info for $75 bus trip to NYC - 2/1 deadline.
• Rick Manganello bragged on Rotary’s 2^nd place showing after Shriners on airline mileage contest.
• Maria fined herself for still living in VT.
• Caprice bragged that Parent & Child Center celebrates 20^th year, excited for wine and food festival.
• Rick Mangenello bragged on his wife for remembering Iranian visitor from years ago and read a note from him.
• Brian bragged on attending Bruins game, and Will fined Brian for being on the Jumbotron.
• Tina thanked everyone for Best of Best Optomitrist support and she is selling GS cookies.
• Chris Keyser bragged that second daughter announced second child due in August
• Joan bragged that they attended a wedding in NYC, and she delivered an Ambrosian pun to lift operator.
• George paid dollar for not delivering any puns last meeting, per his bride’s instruction.
• Nick bragged about something but I don’t type fast enough, sorry Nick.
• Matt Price’s 14 year old son won more under 16 races.
• Kevin bragged that all five kids were home for holidays.
• Elias is taking daughter to airport to go to London for semester; she will be escorted on her journey by his wife.
• Krista Scarborough signed up for Adult co-ed hockey (needs pads).
• Will bragged that he took his girl to Montreal’s Au Pied du Couchon for an amazing dinner.

Announcements:

• Tree receipts $15,129 last year, this year $12,032, with 50 less trees and $3,000 for shed.
• Mentor Connector bowl-a-thon coming up, Kevin has sign-up sheet.
• Youth exchange dinner also that night, so go to one and then the other.
• Membership meeting 4pm tomorrow at Hampton Inn.
• Admin meeting Thursday at 5:30pm at Kevin’s office.
• George Ambrose made an announcement that I missed.
• Will reported on GOLM – our club 22 pints, 33 volunteer hours – Lainnie did 10 hours of service!  Still waiting to hear from the other club.
• BOD meeting Thursday, 1/9, noon at Hampton Inn.
• Santa Claus raffle raised $5,277; $2,200 to Mark Lawrence, made donation to Killington Music Festival (Maria sold him the ticket) & $250 back to our club.

Raffle:  Almost $800 in the pot, $35 in the pot today.  Elias Haj won todays pot but pulled 7 of diamonds

Guest Speaker: (Notes taken by Nancy Burzon – thank you)

Our speaker was Rick Manganello, the District Foundation Chair, who provided a briefing on the Rotary Foundation.  The Foundation dates back to the 1920's and achieved preeminence in the 1980's.  Most members know of the role the Rotary Foundation played in polio eradication efforts--it was a catalyst to get it started.  The total investment to date in that cause is over $12B and Rotary has contributed $1.3B.

The Foundation makes investments worldwide, generally along these lines:

60% for polio

11% for schools

28% for matching grants to clubs worldwide.

Rick then shared several stories of how clubs in our region are using the funds to support causes that they personally champion.  Ninety percent of Rotary Fundraising is spent at home for local community use.  The balance goes to international causes.  To access the matching funds generally requires partnering with other clubs.

Most funds come from Rotary.  The Gates Foundation matches 3:1 (I believe that is for the polio eradication only).