Highlights from the Foundation

On behalf of the Rotary District 6250 Foundation Committee, thank you all for your service and gifts of time, talent and treasure this past Rotary year!
 
While there are always obstacles, this year has been particularly challenging with the pandemic. While we work to adapt to limited social interactions, travel and in many ways a new lifestyle, our District continues to do its good work in our communities and abroad almost without pause.  This is only possible because of the efforts of each of our committee members, and our many amazingly generous Rotarians in District 6250. 
 
Read a few highlights of our Foundation team's accomplishments in the past Rotary year.
  • Annual Fund Giving (lead by Dave Warren & Gene Schiesser)
    • $342,000k (106.58% to goal)
    • $124.95 of Annual Fund per capita
    • Every club within our District gave to the Foundation
    • 327 new Paul Harris Fellows
    • 8 new Major Donors
    • 1 Arch Klumph Inductee
  • Paul Harris Society (lead by Sandee Macht)
    • 90 Members
    • Fastest growing Paul Harris Society in Zone 29
  • Bequest/Endowment (lead by Dean Dickinson)
    • $202,000 added to our Endowment
    • 2 new Benefactors
    • 2 new bequest society
  • Polio Plus (lead by Randy Sproles)
    • $112,000 (102.8% to goal)
  • Global Scholars (lead by Lois Smith)
    • Global Scholar Cerise Siamof has been approved for sponsorship of her Masters Degree in Health, Medicine and Society with a focus on disease prevention and treatment. Cerise plans to focus on future training of medical personal and public education to make an impact for areas in need. 
  • Peace Fellows (lead by Lyn Kenney)
    • Approved 2 candidates
      • Natasha Sichula from Zambia who has an extensive range of experience ranging from UNESCO, the African Union and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 
      • Rev Carol Wickersham from Beloit who is working to increase her ability to make an impact for her students and hands on work related to social and criminal justice in the Rock County Jail system.
  •  District Grants (lead by Liz Evans & the District Grants Team)
    • 2019-2020 - 22 grants approved for a total of $78,000. 21 Grant Final Reports completed. 
    • 2020-2021 - 16 grant applications reviewed and in process for RI review before final approval. 3 of which were related to COVID.
  • Global Grants (from the Global Grants Team)
    • 11 Approved with $266,000 of District Designated Funds (DDF) + $251,000 of Club Funds + $391,000 of RI world Fund  = $908,000 of District 6250 Grant Impact!
    • 2 additional projects in Review & Authorization status, for $40,000 total which will be matched at $100,000 for another $140,000 of impact
  • Stewardship (lead by Linda Olson & Team)
    • Build out of procedures, reporting process and communication
    • Our first annual review is coming up later this summer
    • Undertook a major renovation of our District Memorandum of Understanding
  • Foundation Stories & Champions – (Mary Beth Growney-Selene, Erin Luken, Dwight Heaney, Dean Dickinson, Joe Ruskey, Dave Warren, Steve Nick, Jason Beren)
    • Building and working to tell the stories that come from our District Foundation work.
    • Continuing to recruit club foundation chairs and update the District website.
  • $25,000 in Covid Disaster Response Grants Distributed
 
Josh Mansee
La Crosse Rotary - After Hours, President-Elect 2020-2021
District 6250 Foundation Chair
608-386-2641