Posted: 1 year ago

President and President-Elect Comments on Giving of Funds when Needed:

In a recent comment by one of our members, I agree that we are a service organization who has been frugal with its financial budget, but I disagree that we should blindly give funds for needed projects just because over the years we have built a stash of funds. Over the last two years, we have started to make plans that will insure that we have funds for the future for needed, well-planned and asked-for assistance. We have 65 out of 86 members from all over America (with 21 coming from all over the globe on six continents). Those 65 American eClub members work, have an interest or business globally in many instances. The world is such now that no matter where you look there are needy individuals and projects that have worth. We must broker our funds to get the most out of them: and like any service organization (which is how we have made those decisions every year), make decisions on projects that: a) are asked for; b) have a plan to pyramid funds; and c) we support with money and service by our members. The 2010-2011 Board is presently looking at ways that we can preserve, yet use our funds (garnered over the last five to six years). Working closely with the Board of 2011-2012 (starting July 1), we are looking over requested projects from our members to help locally AND globally. We have given over $17,600 (and much more when looked at from a matched or pyramided perspective) this year in support of local/global projects of service (as documented by the District). For instance, the India hospital project in 2010-2011 finally garnered over $32,000 to help the poor (of which our eClub gave a total of only $6000).  The 2009-2010 Windmill Project may end up a million dollar country-wide project in India in the near future. We do wish to listen to our members when they ask, in 'clear, documented requests for funds' to help in some areas of the world (we can't in all needed areas), but we cannot act just because we have funds and the world needs help. The world will always need help; therefore we should conserve our funds for the present and the future needs, and not spend them just because we have a surplus of funds. Decisions are made through this process: a measured written request for help from our members, evidence of matching funds, and the support of service from our members (or a co-sponsoring Rotary Club; plus, at times,  Rotary International).  

Joe Kagle, President, 2010-2011

Carol Andershon, President-Elect, 2011-2012