Rotary: 107 Years of Impact

In 1917, The Rotary Foundation was established with just a few hundred dollars, creating a permanent fund to support Rotary’s local and global service initiatives.

Over the decades, donations from Rotarians have grown the Foundation to hundreds of millions of dollars, building a fund designed to last forever. These funds have enabled millions to be awarded for critical causes like water safety, peacebuilding, renewable energy, maternal health, literacy, and, for the past 30 years, the fight to eradicate polio.

When a Rotarian donates $1,000 to the Foundation, they become a Paul Harris Fellow, named after Rotary’s founder, Paul Harris. These contributions are a perpetual gift, with only the interest generated being distributed. Foundation funding is divided among local, international, and polio prevention projects. Here on the North Coast, clubs receive tens of thousands of dollars annually from the Foundation to support a wide range of projects. Service Unites!

Our Garberville club has benefited from Foundation support for most of its 80-year history. Some recent projects include food subsidies for needy families, installing public trash cans, organizing the Planet Humboldt conference in September 2019, improving the entry plaza and garden beds at Redway School, and providing a new scoreboard for South Fork High School.

Visit the Garberville Rotary Club! We meet Tuesdays at noon at SoHum Health, 286 Sprowel Creek Road. Join us for a great lunch, fellowship, and the opportunity to learn more about our tradition of giving back. It feels great to be part of history in the making.