Category Archives: TRF – The Rotary Foundation

Ridgefield Rotary Serves up their 19th Annual Progressive Dinner

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Each year for the past 19 years the Ridgefield Rotary Club has been running a Club Fellowship/Fundraiser knowns as the Progressive Dinner to benefit The Rotary Foundation. This year the event raised $3,500 which was presented in the form of a BIG CHECK for The Rotary Foundation.

The Progressive Dinner starts at one house, this year it was President Joe’s, for fellowship, cocktails and appetizers then the group  splits up and heads off to various host houses for unique dinners, Jennifer and I went to Cliff & Karen Heidinger’s house for a fabulous dinner and wine tasting, then the group comes back together again for desserts, coffee and after dinner drinks at Andy & Nina Bodner’s home.

 

The Progressive Dinner was started as a way for the Ridgefield Rotary Club to become more involved with the Rotary Foundation and it has served to do just that as it has raised well over $50,000 since its’ inception and created a hightened level of awareness about the good that the Foundation does around the world.

Ridgefield Rotarian Simon Cooper is a Foundation Area Rep that has been working with the district and the 5 Rotary Clubs in his area on the Foundation for a number of years. Cliff Heidinger has run the Progressive Dinner for the past 19 years, was recognized at the Foundation Dinner in November and remains one of the top Foundation Champions. The Ridgefield Rotary Club was awarded two district managed grants this year from the Foundation to do good in the world and all of the Ridgefield Rotarians generously support The Rotary Foundation.

 

Wallingford Rotary donates $1,069 to PolioPlus

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AG Tari Marshall-Day attended Area 9’s Wallingford Rotary Club and in an animated fellowship meeting a check for the Rotary Foundation for $1,069 from their Purple Pinkie collections in the Community was presented.  This will be headed off to the Foundation and adds to the exciting POLIO PLUS match for District 7980.  Tari congratulates the Club on their efforts!

The meeting also included an information packed session from Lt. Paul Vance of the CT State Police.  Lt. Vance talked about safety of the home as we head into the spring and supper seasons and also the new focus the Police have on tailgating as a key cause of accidents.

Text and photos submitted by: AG Tari Marshall-Day 

Joan Parris from VTT presents Sierra Leone trip to North Branford Rotary

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Joan Parris recently returned from Sierra Leone as part of the Vocational Training Team (VTT) which was sponsored by the Norwalk Rotary Club. Joan Parris, Ronnie Katz,  Florence Falkowski,  Eugenia Chinsman and Dr. Cynthia Barnett departed for Sierra Leone on Jan 11, 2014 and returned January 28th. The VTT project took place at the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology and the Baana Prepatory School in Freetown, Sierra Leone with an emphasis on basic education and literacy.

The Norwalk Rotary Club is hosting a VTT Team Presentation on March 12, 2014 at The Norwalk Inn & Conference Center at 6:30pm for those who are interested in learning more about this amazing journey. Your can reserve your spot through their Facebook Page or emailing President Brian Falkowski  at Brian.Falkowski@fnfg.com

Branford Rotary awards (2) Paul Harris+1 and inducts a new member

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It was a busy morning at the Branford Rotary Club today as they awarded Rich Shanahan & Tricia Bohan Paul Harris +1 recognitions for their generous support of The Rotary Foundation and inducted Joe Criscuola as the newest member of their Club.

The Branford Rotary Club generously supports the Rotary Foundation as the strive to be an EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year) Club. They proudly display their honored Paul Harris Recipients on (2) banners during their meeting. The Club recently was a District Managed Grant for their support of the Playground in Stony Creek.

Congratulations to Rich, Tricia and Joe on being honored and welcomed.

$10,000 D7980 PolioPlus Challenge – Let’s End Polio Now

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"The Rick's" kickoff the PolioPlus Match Program

“The Rick’s” kickoff the PolioPlus Match Program

The Rick’s (Benson & Bassett) announced the kickoff of a special PolioPlus Contribution Matching Program at the Coromandel Indian Restaurant in Southport yesterday. 

As a show of support for PolioPlus, our Foundation Executive Board has authorized the use of a minimum of $10,000 in funds (and perhaps more if they are available) from our Global DDF to match any PolioPlus donation made by D7980 Rotarians between February 23rd to May 3rd.

D7980 knows that we are "This Close"

D7980 Rotarians know that we are “This Close” to eradicating Polio

In addition to the D7980 match, the Gates Foundation and the Rotary World Fund are also providing additional matchs.

Between District 7980 and the Gates Foundation matches:

  • $1 donation to PolioPlus turns into $7.50
  • $100 donation to PolioPlus turns into $750
  • $1,000 to PolioPlus turns into $7,500
Dennis Wong championed the Polio Free India Special Celebration yesterday

Dennis Wong championed the Polio Free India Special Celebration yesterday

It is very unusual to have such large matching programs and I encourage everyone who supports our global efforts to End Polio to take advantage of the power of these extremely generous matches.

Our goal is to turn our $10,000 in seed money into at least $75,000 of PolioPlus donations before May 3rd.

This program is being released to commemorate Rotary’s 109th Birthday and to celebrate the recent success of India being declared Polio Free based on many years of hardwork and dedication by Rotarians all over the world.

Rupi & Mukund - "This Close"

PDG Rupi & DGE Mukund – “We are This Close”

Jennifer and I have kicked off the program by committing to contribute $500 to PolioPlus. Please join us in helping to eradicate Polio from the remaining 3 countries by supporting this special PolioPlus Match Opportunity.

Want to contribute online? Simply sign it at “My Rotary“.

Over $45,000 in District Managed Grants awarded since July 1st

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Rotary Globe

Story Updated: 02-17-2014

14 District Managed Grants (DMGs) totaling $45.051.55 have been awarded to (16) D7980 Rotary Clubs since July 1, 2013.

All of theses funded applications can be reviewed below.

We still have about $15,000 in funding remaining for additional DMGs which must be used before June 30th. A number of our Rotary Clubs have applications pending and several others have indicated that they will submit project applications BUT KEEP IN MIND – this funding is first come, first serve.

The two largest Single Club DMG’s of $5,000 each were received by Orange Rotary and Stratford Rotary while the largest Multi Club DMG for $7,500 was received by the partnership of Westport Sunrise, Westport and Bridgeport.

Is your Club interested in submitting an application for a District Managed Grant? Then have a look at the 14 successful applications for this year below:

Basic District Managed Grants Guidelines:

  • Be in direct support of a humanitarian   project that is new for the Club. A “new” project is a project that is new   to the club or one that involves a specific new addition to an existing   project that improves the project’s effectiveness.
  • Align with one   of Rotary’s six Areas of Focus:
  1. Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
  2. Disease prevention and treatment
  3. Water and sanitation
  4. Maternal and child health
  5. Basic education and literacy
  6. Economic and community development
  • Be short term a project with all application approvals and   funds disbursed to the clubs   during the Rotary year, by 6/30; completed by 9/15
  • Involve Club Rotarians in hands-on  activities that support the humanitarian project
  • No project can be implemented or funds  spent until all District approval signatures have been obtained

Contact PDG Rick Benson,District Foundation Chair 2013-16 for more information.