International Service Committee

Haitian Well Project Energizes Club
 
In 2018, as a memorial to a longtime member of our Janesville Noon Rotary club, we decided to have a Haitian water well constructed, in his name.  The $21,000 necessary for the project was a big ask, considering it had not previously been budgeted -- but the members of our club were determined to find a way to make it happen.
 
Our club has historically been a leading donor to our Rotary Foundation but has not always taken advantage of the many opportunities to leverage monetary grants available to us.  Since we’d never used a grant to fund a similar project and since several members of our club were planning to travel to Haiti to assist with the construction, this project seemed tailor-made to apply for a $5,000 District Grant match (the maximum one club can request for a single project). 
 
Our application was approved and along with the $5,000 from the District Grant, sufficient additional funds were raised to move forward.  In late February of 2019, our team of four Rotarians along with three of their family members traveled to Haiti to assist with the completion of the well and structure. It was dedicated on February 26, 2019 (just days before COVID put a hold on so many lives).
 
This project really helped our club to become even more energized.  Working together to raise the funds, complete the project and meet with the people who would benefit was truly life-changing for many of us.  This is just one example of the benefits of taking on a club-sponsored International service project.
 
Planning an international project for your Rotary Club can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.  District 6250 has a committee of experienced and dedicated members to assist you with planning the perfect project for your club.  It is called the international Service Committee (ISC) and is akin to having a knowledgeable friend who’s only a phone call or email away.  Whether it’s identifying a worthy project, finding an international partner, providing guidance on a grant application, or simply sharing encouragement to your club, the members of the ISC are available to help.  Projects can be large or small and your club’s involvement can be extensive or, with the help of cooperating partner clubs, minimal.
 
If you’d like to learn more about how the ISC can help you and your club become involved with a project, the first simple step is to ask for help.  Drop an email to committee chair PDG Chuck Hanson to begin planning, today.
 
Yours in Rotary Service,
Chuck Hanson, ISC District Chair
ceh@haleskemp.com