Montecito Rotary - Rotary International Foundation

The Rotary ainternational Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.

The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International's sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary "to do good in the world." It has grown from an initial contribution of US$26.50 to more than US$117.9 million contributed in 2004-05. Its event-filled history is a story of Rotarians learning the value of service to humanity.

The Foundation's Humanitarian Programs fund international Rotary club and district projects to improve the quality of life, providing health care, clean water, food, education, and other essential needs primarily in the developing world. One of the major Humanitarian Programs is PolioPlus, which seeks to eradicate the poliovirus worldwide.

Through its Educational Programs, the Foundation provides funding for some 1,200 students to study abroad each year. Grants are also awarded to university teachers to teach in developing countries and for exchanges of business and professional people. Former participants in the Foundation's programs have the opportunity to continue their affiliation with Rotary as Foundation Alumni.

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Rotary International Foundation is very different than our Montecito Rotary Foundation. Our Foundation typically helps fund local organizations while Rotary International offers a broad range of humanitarian, intercultural, and educational programs and activities designed to improve the human condition and advance the organization's ultimate goal of international understanding and peace. Nine structured programs and nine service opportunities help clubs and districts achieve their service goals in their own communities and in communities abroad, from feeding the poor to cross cultural exchange programs. Thank you for contributing to the Rotary International Foundation through your quarterly dues.

The Berwick Group, Inc.

Real Estate Investing & Private Financing

819 Chelham Way Santa Barbara, CA 93108

(805) 695-8626 or Berwick@cox.net

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The Rotary International Foundation and You

You may become a Benefactor to The Rotary Foundation by making the Permanent Fund a beneficiary in your estate plans or by making an outright gift of US$1,000 or more to the Permanent Fund. Simply notify the Foundation, inwriting, of your bequest.

Benefactors will be presented with:

• a commemorative certificate

• an insignia that may be attached to a Rotary or Paul Harris Fellow pin

• a letter of appreciation

Each Benefactor is recognized at the time of his or her first gift. Subsequent gifts receive a letter of appreciation.

Become a Benefactor Today

To be recognized as a Benefactor, complete the form on the Rotary International website. Or, if you prefer, you may print the form and mail or fax it to:

The Rotary Foundation (FN300)

One Rotary Center

1560 Sherman Avenue

Evanston, IL 60201

Fax: 847-866-1894

* Please note that bequest commitments of US$10,000 or more qualify you for membership in our new Bequest Society.

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Berwick

The Berwick Group, Inc.

Real Estate Investing & Private Financing

819 Chelham Way Santa Barbara, CA 93108

(805) 695-8626 or Berwick@cox.net

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What are the Rotary International programs?

RI's programs and service opportunities are designed to help Rotarians meet needs in their own communities and reach out to assist people in need worldwide. Here is what RI is doing.

Interact Rotary Clubs: organized and sponsor this service organization for youth ages 14-18; more than 11,200 clubs in 152 countries and geographical areas.

Rotaract: organization for adults ages 18-30; more than 7000 clubs in 163 countries.

Rotary Friendship Exchange:

Rotarian teams or individuals, who may be accompanied by their families, make reciprocal visits to other countries, staying in each others homes and learning about different cultures firsthand.

Rotary Youth Exchange:

Clubs and districts sponsor seminars to encourage and recognize leadership abilities of youth and young adults ages 14-30

World Community Service:

Rotary clubs and districts from two different countries form partnerships to implement community service projects.

The Rotary Foundation of RI is a not for profit corporation whose mission is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

Financial Support:

Last year, The Rotary Foundation received contributions totaling 133 million and spent 118 million in support of humanitarian and educational programs implemented by clubs and districts. Please consider the Rotary Foundation as part of your gifting plan.

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Berwick

The Berwick Group, Inc.

Real Estate Investing & Private Financing

819 Chelham Way Santa Barbara, CA 93108

(805) 695-8626 or Berwick@cox.net

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The Rotary International Foundation Thought

The Rotary Foundation is the one foundation exclusively dedicated to furthering Rotary's programs throughout the world. Rotarians determine which programs to support and the level of funding provided. It is the dream of every Rotarian to help shape the world's future and make a

meaningful difference in the lives of others. The Chronicle of philanthropy, a widely respected publication that reportson nonprofit organizations, rated The Rotary Foundation among the top 100 of the most successful U.S. charities (28 October 2004).

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Berwick

The Berwick Group, Inc.

Real Estate Investing & Private Financing

819 Chelham Way Santa Barbara, CA 93108

(805) 695-8626 or Berwick@cox.net

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Rotary International Foundation and You

The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, throughout its history, has prided itself on being responsive to the challenges that confront humanity. Rotarians, through their spirit of volunteerism and generous philanthropy, remain at the heart of the Foundation's mission to eradicate polio and further its humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs worldwide. As global leaders for doing good in the world, Rotarians work together to change lives in meaningful ways; they bridge the divide among people to foster world understanding and peace.

We hope that every Rotarian will take this opportunity to participate in their Rotary Foundation and help to grow and sustain the Foundation's many wonderful programs. The generous support from Every Rotarian, Every Year to the Annual Programs Fund rebuilds impoverished communities and nations by resolving conflict, championing human rights, eradicating disease, feeding the hungry, and educating children and adults.

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There is continued confusion over the Rotary International Foundation (RIF) and the Montecito Rotary Club Foundation. We have our own foundation which supports local non-profit efforts and organizations.

There is also the Rotary International Foundation, headquartered in Chicago. The Rotary International Foundation supports many projects around the world, such as the polio plus project. It also supports our district through grants used for the Group Study Exchange Programs.

For those interested in furthering these goals please contact Andy Berwick at 695-8626 or Berwick@cox.net. You may also visit the Rotary International Website: www.rotary.org.

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The Foundation gives special recognition to anyone who includes a substantial gift to the Permanent Fund in his or her estate plan or gives outright a minimum cash gift of US$1,000 to the fund. Such a donor is designated as a Rotary International Benefactor. In 1998 there were morethan 36,000 Benefactors worldwide. If you would like to become a Benefactor, please visit the Rotary webpage Rotary.org. or contact Andrew Berwick at (805) 695-8626 or Berwick@cox.net

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This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is provided as a reminder to all of us that the Foundation is the primary way in which we are involved in the fourth Avenue of Service: International Service. The Rotary Foundation was started with a gift of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City in 1917 — the leftover profit from the international convention that year. Earlier that same year, Rotary’s sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, suggested the creation of just such a fund. The very first grant made by The Rotary Foundation was to the International Society for Crippled Children. The idea of international service has grown. Just in the last 20 years, Rotary has contributed over US$600 million to the polioeradication effort. Thanks to everyone in the club who has supported this program.

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This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about participating in Foundation programs in our community and across the globe.
We make our annual contributions to The Rotary Foundation knowing that 50 percent of that gift will come right back to our district in three years to be used for humanitarian and educational programs chosen by us. This includes Ambassadorial Scholars, Matching Grants, and District Simplified Grants that may be used for projects in our local community. The other 50 percent also benefits our district indirectly, because it is used to fund a variety of programs in which we can participate.

The Rotary Foundation is our Foundation. It is critical that we take ownership of it and do what we can to change and save lives, in our community and across the globe.

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This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is provided as a reminder to all of us that the Foundation is the primary way in which we are involved in the fourth Avenue of Service: International Service.

The Rotary Foundation was started with a gift of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City in 1917 — the leftover profit from the international convention that year. Earlier that same year, Rotary’s sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, suggested the creation of just such a fund. The very first grant made by The Rotary Foundation was to the International Society for Crippled Children. The idea of international service has grown.

Just in the last 20 years, Rotary has contributed over US$600 million to the polio eradication effort. Thanks to everyone in the club who has supported this program.

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Rotarians have always wanted to do more than just talk about world peace. In 2002, The Rotary Foundation established seven Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution around the globe. Our

Foundation contributions support the best and brightest scholars from a variety of nations as they develop skills and attitudes to prepare them for leadership positions in our increasingly complex world.

A recent Rotary World Peace Fellow graduate from Duke University, Bautista Logioco, sponsored by the Rotary Club of La Plata Tribunales, Buenos Aires, Argentina (District 4910), has begun full-time work at the

Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C., as a program officer in the Special Area for the Promotion of Dialogue and Conflict Resolution.

We should remember International Service is an important part of what makes us proud to be Rotarians. The Every Rotarian Every Year effort is an ongoing reminder for all of us to give generously to the Foundation.

For more information contact Andrew Berwick at (805) 695-8626 or Berwick@cox.net

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As we strive to achieve a US $100 per capita goal, it is vitally important that Every Rotarian make a gift to the Annual Programs Fund every year. When every Rotarian participates, our Foundation will be able to sustain and grow the great work we do around the world and be prepared for future challenges in the years to come.

For more information contact Andrew Berwick at (805) 695-8626or Berwick@cox.net

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The Rotary Foundation has provided a great number of grants to support literacy projects around the world. A matching Grant was awarded to provide 1,400 textbooks for a secondary school in Amawibia, Nigeria. Student who were unable to afford the high cost of textbooks are now able to borrow these books for the entire school year. As a result, the academic performance of the students has improved significantly. This is simply one of over two thousands projects the Rotary Foundation is involved in.

For more information contact Andrew Berwick at (805) 695-8626or Berwick@cox.net

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In 1917, Arch C. Klumph, Rotary's sixth president, proposed to the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the creation of an "endowment fund for Rotary . . . for the purpose of doing good in the world in charitable, educational, and other avenues of community service." A few months later, the endowment received its first contribution of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri, USA. In 1928, when the endowment fund had grown to more than US$5,000, the fund was renamed

Support of the Foundation grew tremendously. Since that first $26.50 donation in 1917, the Foundation has received contributions totaling more than US$1 billion. More than US$70 million was contributed in 2003-04 alone. To date, some 914,792 individuals have been recognized as Paul

Harris Fellows — that is, someone who has contributed US$1000 or has had that amount contributed in his or her name. Such strong support and involvement of Rotarians worldwide ensures a secure future for The Rotary

Foundation as it continues its vital work for international understanding and world peace. For more information contact Andrew Berwick at (805)

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Promoting Rotary's goal of world peace, goodwill, and understanding, The Rotary Foundation's Educational Programs include Ambassadorial Scholarships, Grants forUniversity Teachers, Group Study Exchange, and Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution, and Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program.

Learn more how these programs foster peace by building understanding through person-to-person contact, friendship, study, and cross-cultural exchange. Please visit the Rotary International website at Rotary.org or contact Andy Berwick. I would like to thank all the Rotarians who have contributed to the Rotary Foundation and its many programs. I would also like to thank all those Rotarians who gave to the Foundation so that others might receive aPaul Harris Fellow award. Thank you Montecito Rotary, a

100% Paul Harris Club. For more information contact Andrew Berwick at (805) 695-8626or Berwick@cox.net

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While scouting locations for his film Apocalypto, Mel Gibson encountered a real life apocalyptic situation in southern Mexico: the aftermath of Hurricane Stan. Gibson met with Mexican President Vincente Fox and told him he

would donate US$1 million to help families rebuild. But there was one condition. He wanted the money to be donated through The Rotary

Foundation of Rotary International. Gibson knows about Rotary because several members of his family have traveled with Rotary clubs.

Gibson and his wife, Robyn, were impressed that on several occasions, their family members' donations to participate were matched by The Rotary Foundation. "The key in their minds for the money coming into Rotary is that they felt it would responsibly handled."

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