Teree Bergman Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator

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Gwendolyn McCoy
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The Rotary Foundation: Why It s Special As is true of nearly all Rotarians, I have belonged to and served on the boards of many worthy organizations: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, United Way, community

1 The Rotary Foundation: Why It s Special As is true of nearly all Rotarians, I have belonged to and served on the boards of many worthy organizations: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, United Way, community foundations. I had only one rule in my service to those worthy causes: I am not good at raising money, so don t put me in charge of fundraising. I served as a Big Sister, I donated time and talent to the others. But somehow, I have never been troubled by asking for donations to The Rotary Foundation. After some reflection, I think I know what the differences are between those other organizations and The Rotary Foundation. The primary difference is that it is OUR Foundation. Why would you join a Rotary Club and not donate to our charitable arm? It s different from asking outsiders for money (although I ve done that, too, for The Rotary Foundation). If you ask a person the reason for belonging to Rotary, it is likely that the answer will contain some element that is related to The Rotary Foundation. She belongs because Rotary is eradicating polio. He belongs because Rotary is bringing clean water to a village and saving lives. She belongs because Rotary is giving the gift of literacy to children in the US and in other countries. He belongs because his club provided a playground for special needs children in his own community, using a District Grant. Another difference for me is that the Rotary Foundation s activities are personal. I got the opportunity to go to West Africa and put the precious drops into the mouths of babies and know that because of MY effort, those babies would not get polio. I have housed Group Study Exchange team members from Nigeria, from Brazil, from New Zealand in my home. I could see how their horizons were broadened, how their perceptions of the United States were changed by their experience. I have met team leaders who went to other countries and saw themselves as people empowered to solve local problems through Rotary Foundation grants. Those experiences are powerful examples of how the Foundation touches lives. It is really clear to me that even if I can afford only $100 or $200 in a given year, my gift is multiplied into something really meaningful. The Rotary Foundation gives me the chance to make my small contributions turn into something much bigger, to be a part of an enormous humanitarian effort. The final difference I see is that unlike most large charities, The Rotary Foundation lets me help decide how my money is spent. I can apply for a grant through my Rotary Club for a project either at home or abroad. I can go to Africa and inoculate children against polio. I can house extraordinary people who are doing good in the world, cook them dinner, and learn about their work. So, reluctant fundraiser that I am, I will gladly ask anyone to support The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. It is my charity of choice, and I believe strongly in its work. Teree Bergman Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator

Letter from the Chair District 5170 Rotarians, Vanuatu is an archipelago located in the far west Pacific Ocean. Most of us have barely heard of it, but we are hearing now.

district are doing there. On March 13, a Category 5 super storm, slammed into Vanuatu, destroying 90% of the structures and rendering an estimated 70% of the population homeless.

Lindsay has issued an urgent request to his many Rotary friends, including District 5170, for financial assistance. An account has been established in New Zealand to receive funds.

2 Letter from the Chair District 5170 Rotarians, Vanuatu is an archipelago located in the far west Pacific Ocean. Most of us have barely heard of it, but we are hearing now. Last October, PDG Lindsay Ford (pictured on the right), visited our district as a Partner in Service and his presentation included many images of the people of Vanuatu and the work he and his district are doing there. On March 13, a Category 5 super storm, slammed into Vanuatu, destroying 90% of the structures and rendering an estimated 70% of the population homeless. It will be some time before the extent of the devastation to the outer islands of the archipelago, where Lindsay does much of his work, is known. Lindsay has issued an urgent request to his many Rotary friends, including District 5170, for financial assistance. An account has been established in New Zealand to receive funds. However, I am working with our District 5170 Foundation to be able to receive funds from our Rotarians and others in the US. I will have details in the coming days and will communicate them through the club Presidents, Secretaries and Foundation Chairs. I know that Lindsay will be a great steward for our funds, assuring they get to where they are needed most. Please get the word out and let s help a new friend make a Rotary difference in the western Pacific! My contact information follows, should you have any questions. Warm Rotary Regards, Cecelia Babkirk, DRFC Direct: (408) Mobile: (408) rotariancecelia@gmail.com

3 Maximizing the Use of Your Global DDF Below is the update of Clubs that are looking for DDF or cash for their Global Grant projects and Clubs that have DDF to spend. CLUBS LOOKING FOR DDF TO FUND THEIR PROJECT We are down to three projects in our District that have substantially completed their Global Grant Applications and are still looking for funding in the form of DDF (or cash). If you would like to support one of these projects, we suggest you the Project Contact to learn as much as you can about the project. PALO ALTO ROTARY CLUB Water for Mefou: Clean water for 5,000 subsistence farmers in rural Cameroon. This project will improve the health and well-being of rural families by providing them with both access to potable drinking water, and an understanding and appreciation of the importance of clean water. Area of Focus: Water and Sanitation. Country: Cameroon Contact: Susan Lutter, SCOTTS VALLEY ROTARY CLUB Hospitality Training Center in Cambodia Set up a Hospitality Training Center at Feeding Dreams Cambodia, a school for underprivileged children, in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The school currently focuses on supplementing over 800 poor children s public education with English and Math programs. This would be the next step in preparing the children for a career in the hospitality industry where many jobs are available. Area of Focus: Basic Education and Literacy. Country: Cambodia. Contact: Rosanna Herrera, rosannaherrera@hotmail.com. SANTA CRUZ ROTARY CLUB Guatemala Clean Water Project Install a water purification system to bring safe drinking water to villages in Guatemala with verifiable system to measure reduction and sickness and death related to water caused illnesses. Area of Focus: Water and Sanitation. Country: Guatemala. Contact Larry Wallerstein, larrywallerstein@gmail.com. CLUBS WITH DDF TO SPEND Below is a list of Clubs that do not appear to have committed their DDF. This list will be available on the District 5170 website under the Foundation tab and we will keep it up to date as we learn DDF has been committed. DISTRICT 5170 GLOBAL DDF NOT COMMITTED AS OF MARCH 18, 2015 This list is Global DDF that has NOT been formally committed in a Grant Appliation or by a DDF Transfer Form. Please contact the Club President to verify the DDF is available and request a transfer to your project. Area Club Global DDF Available 1 East Oakland $173 7 Freedom $2,000 3 Fremont/Union City/Newark $640 3 Mission San Jose $1,000 9 Mountain View $3,495 4 Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore (Tri-Valley) $1,496 8 Silicon Valley STAR $287 8 Sunnyvale Sunrise $2,032 Time is running out. Contact to match up the DDF available with open projects. If you have any corrections or additions, please be sure to let me know by sending an with the information. Georgie Hildebrand georganna@antarestech.com District 5170 Grant Subcommittee Chair

GRANTS TOOLS FOR YOU TO USE Month July August September October November December January

Education and Literacy Area of Focus: Economic and Community Development Rotary Foundation

Focus: Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Area of Focus: Water and Sanitation Area of

4 GRANTS TOOLS FOR YOU TO USE Month July August September October November December January February March April May June Theme Membership and Extension Month Area of Focus: Basic Education and Literacy Area of Focus: Economic and Community Development Rotary Foundation Month Area of Focus: Disease Prevention and Treatment Vocational Service Month Area of Focus: Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Area of Focus: Water and Sanitation Area of Focus: Maternal and Child Health Youth Services Month Rotary Fellowships Month AREAS OF FOCUS CALENDAR

CELEBRATE MOM AND SUPPORT POLIOPLUS! SIMPLY BY PURCHASING MOTHER S DAY CARDS, SPECIALLY PRODUCED BY DISTRICT 5170, ROTARIANS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DONATE TO AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT POLIOPLUS!

5 CELEBRATE MOM AND SUPPORT POLIOPLUS! SIMPLY BY PURCHASING MOTHER S DAY CARDS, SPECIALLY PRODUCED BY DISTRICT 5170, ROTARIANS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DONATE TO AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT POLIOPLUS! THE CARD FEATURES THE IMAGE AND SAYING ABOVE AND INCLUDES AN ENVELOPE. THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS, SISTERS, AUNTS, GRANDMOTHERS, FRIENDS, GREAT- GRANDMOTHERS, WHOMEVER YOU WISH TO HONOR ON MOTHER S DAY. BUY CARDS AND DISTRIBUTE THEM TO WOMEN AT YOUR LOCAL ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES! EACH CARD COSTS $10, WITH CREDIT GIVEN TO THOSE PURCHASING THE CARDS BY THE ROTARY FOUNDATION. BY PURCHASING THE MOTHER S DAY CARD, ROTARIANS ARE MAKING A DONATION TO THE ROTARY FOUNDATION AND POLIOPLUS. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF CARDS YOU CAN ORDER. HERE S HOW I T W ORKS. 1. From February 1- April 25, 2015 Rotary clubs are encouraged to take orders for these specially produced Mother s Day cards. Orders must be received by Charlie Wasser by April 25, Cards will be distributed at the District Conference, April 17-18, 2015 and following. 3. With each payment the Club s TRF chair is asked to fill out Form 123-en, Single Donor form or Form 94-en, Multiple Donor Form, designating the funds to PolioPlus, so the appropriate credit is given to each Rotarian by The Rotary Foundation. 4. Donations made to TRF through the card program will be eligible to be matched 2 for 1 by the Gates Foundation, up to $35 million this year. One $10 donation could become $30 towards PolioPlus! Checks made payable to: The Rotary Foundation 5. TRF chairs are asked to mail all checks and forms directly to Rotary International, then contact Charlie Wasser letting him know the amount donated. Charlie will ensure clubs receive the proper number of cards. PolioPlus District Chair Charlie Wasser is available to make presentations at clubs and answer questions. Please contact Charlie Wasser: charliewasser@att.net

7 One Year Since the Last Case of Polio In Syria Every Rotarian knows the WE ARE THIS CLOSE mantra in regards to polio eradication worldwide. We all contribute to The Rotary Foundation to add to the money needed to finish the job. The dollar amounts get tripled by the current Gates Foundation Challenge. But when will it end. Remember Syria and the sudden outbreak of 36 polio cases. Does no that prove it is impossible to eradicate polio worldwide? Not at all. As I visit Rotary clubs in District 5170 to present about PolioPlus, I refer to some of the information in the following article. The greatest hindrance to final eradication is the human factor that finds hotspot conflicts under way. Read the following to get an overview of how conditions like Syria had two years ago are changeable and lead to zero cases in Syria. (The following article is from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative website. The article was originally entitled One Year Since the Last Case of Polio In Syria. ) January 21 will mark two years since the last case of polio was reported in Syria. This significant milestone is thanks to a tremendous effort by all those involved in outbreak response since the first case was confirmed in October 2013 and was followed by a series of intense vaccination activities starting that same month. Before this outbreak, Syria had not seen an endemic case of wild poliovirus since The civil war was devastating to public health in the country, and levels of immunization fell from 99% coverage to 52%. Spreading along with the conflict into Iraq, the polio virus had paralyzed 36 children in Syria and two in Iraq by the end of April Two years with no reported cases in Syria, and 21 months since a case in Iraq, is a remarkable achievement that has drawn on the commitment of the governments of the region, health actors, and the commitment of parents to get the vaccines for their children. Chris Maher, Manager for Polio Eradication and Emergencies in the Middle East for the World Health Organization (WHO), commends the support that the outbreak response received, despite the challenges of operating within a severely disrupted public health system. Local authorities were very supportive, and the strong culture of the population seeking out immunization services increased the uptake of the vaccine. Following an outbreak, mass immunization campaigns are the first tool used by health services to stop it in its tracks. With several years since the last mass campaigns, international support was needed in order to enable governments and health actors to rapidly coordinate large scale campaigns, not only in infected countries but in the surrounding countries. The mass displacement of people from and within Syria and Iraq meant that a coordinated regional response was crucial to efforts. Lebanon saw an influx of refugees that was equivalent to around a quarter of its national population, requiring a huge scale-up in immunization capacity. Alongside campaigns and the training of health workers, community engagement increasingly became a challenge due to population movements, as population figures from before the civil war were no longer accurate. This made developing a population-appropriate vaccine delivery service very difficult. Despite these major challenges, the outbreak seems to have been brought under control. In the face of the destruction of infrastructure, both physical and human, a year with no cases in Syria is an opportunity to reflect on the incredible joint efforts that have been made to end the outbreak.

Participating in The Rotary Foundation

7 Participating in The Rotary Foundation The Rotary Foundation Quick Reference Guide (219), Rotary Foundation Facts (159), and the Every Rotarian, Every Year Club Success Booklet (958) are key Foundation