The Rotary Club of Haenertsburg attended the official gala dinner at Mopani Camp, in the Kruger Park recently to celebrate the centennial of The Rotary Foundation.

Almost 100 Rotarians from all over Limpopo, attended with representatives from Louis Trichardt, Giyani, Tzaneen, Phalaborwa, Hoedspruit, Haenertsburg, Pietersburg 100 and Polokwane Rotary Clubs.

The Foundation is the $1 billion charitable arm of Rotary International.

To mark the centennial, Rotary aims to raise $300 million by July 2017 for its campaign to eradicate polio and for service in communities around the world.

The Rotary Club of Haenertburg has pledged since its inception in February 2001, to contribute $100/Rotarian to the Annual Fund.

In this current year they have contributed $2200.00. In this centennial year, the club was the only club in its region of 6 clubs, to have a 100% contribution of $26.50 from each member to the Polio Plus Fund.

This equals $556.50 from club members. This in turn will be matched 2:1 by Bill and Melinda Gates.

Each club has also been challenged to make a club contribution of $536 to Foundation, which equates to the original contribution of $26.50 Paul Harris made at the 1917 convention in Atlanta. He eloquently promoted the idea of “endowments for the purpose of doing good in the world.”

The Rotary Foundation is dedicated to advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace.

Through grants and other resources, Rotary members develop sustainable projects that promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, support education, save mothers and children, and grow local economies. Rotary’s top priority is the global eradication of polio. Rotary launched its polio immunization program, PolioPlus, in 1985 and in 1988 became a leading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative along with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and more recently, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Rotary has contributed more than $1.5 billion and countless volunteer hours to eradicate polio.

Through 2018, every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched 2-to-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, up to $35 million a year. Since the initiative began, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to less than 71 confirmed in 2015. I participate in the Rotary Foundation because I care. These contributions demonstrate our commitment to serve others. By giving from our hearts each and every year, we support families and change lives. Our generous contributions to The Rotary Foundation are essential to securing and growing Rotary programs throughout the world.

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