Written by (Message delivered during the TRF Night 2024).
On behalf of my fellow Rotarians in District3780, let me begin by welcoming our TRF Trustee Chair Mark Maloney, who has come along way from home to be with us tonight as we honor our generous donors. For indeed, just like him, TRF has also come a long way from an initial contribution of $26.50 to now over $1.0 Billion.
Its rallying cry is “to do good in the world”. Thus, TRF was organized to help us Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty, in fact, aiding in all seven areas of focus of Rotary. Our generous contributions to TRF are essential to securing and growing these Rotary programs throughout the world.
The Rotary Foundation has transformed us Rotarians into better servant leaders and our Rotary Clubs into becoming stronger catalysts in bringing about lasting positive change in our communities and around the world.
As for me, TRF is a great equalizer in terms of spreading financial resources since those who have more give, and those who have less receive. It transforms our gifts, big or small, into service projects that change lives both across the globe and closer to home, in the communities where we either live, work or do business in.
It has become so important in Rotary that one of the four elements of an effective Rotary Club is it support to the TRF in both giving and receiving. But let us focus more on the giving, as it is the way of paying forward in gratitude for all the blessing that we have received.
Let us continue giving in TRF so that we can keep on weaving the Magic of Rotary in our communities.
Marami pong salamat.