Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton - Issue No.: 782 Issue Date: 29 Apr, 2024

Guest Speaker Greg Thurston introduced by Kevin Watson: Greg was born in Perth and attended Tuart Hill High School. He has been in Rotary for 19 years and is married with three children. His hobbies are golf, hockey and ballroom dancing. He is also a Rottnest Island volunteer guide.

The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. It does this in six ways

• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution

• Disease prevention and treatment

• Water and sanitation

• Maternal and child health

• Basic education and literacy

• Economic and community development

   

  Greg spoke of District Grant and Global grants

  District: Small scale, short term, local or international activities that must be completed in a year. Funding is on a $1 for $1 basis. Applications for our District 9455 close on 31/05. In the current financial years twenty five grants totalling $56,000 were awarded.

  

Global: Large, long term with up to $30K US available per grant. Must be sustainable, measurable, and align with areas of focus. There is a world fund to match the $30K US. Applications are accepted at any time.

Greg then showed two examples of global grants with Australian Rotary clubs in operation one in Vanuatu and one in India.

Some final information re charities including that Australians on average donate $318 pa across three charities. For further information consult charitynavigator.org

Some final information re polio – in 1988 there were 350,000+ cases of polio reported. Last year there were 33, all in the Pakistan/Afghanistan border area.

Polio eradication is one of several Rotary 'giving' programmes. Others include Centurion, Paul Harris, Bequests and Arch Klumph.

Questions from

Kevin Watson: Is there ongoing Rotary monies for projects undertaken?

Clark Scarff: How does global grants and financial leveraging work?

Guest Speaker thanks from Geoff Watson.