Magnify your generosity
November is celebrated as the Foundation month by clubs and districts. Over the years the work done by Rotarians through The Rotary Foundation has multiplied manifold with enormous impact on the communities that we live in. This is the external face of Rotary and it contributes to our brand equity. It also effectively contributes to our internal priority — membership growth.
There are two components in this. One is assessing the community need, identifying, planning and executing service projects in the seven areas of focus. The second part is the generous contributions made by Rotarians who choose to share their wealth through TRF. Both these aspects are intricately intertwined. I have been fortunate to participate in, and also witness, some path-breaking projects carried out by clubs and districts in our region.
I strongly urge every member of our Rotary family to engage in such work to truly experience the magic of Rotary. The ability to transform lives is an incredible gift that Rotary provides us. There is however an area that offers great scope for improvement in our region. That is contributing to the Foundation. Sadly, only about one in four Rotarians in our region contribute to TRF. All of us have something that we can share. All we need is the heart to share. Money is a magnifying tool. A miser has more to be miserly with, and a generous person has more to be generous with. Money only accentuates your desire. It is for us to decide what we desire.
Often times, it is not the lack of resources that makes one decide not to contribute, but the lack of awareness about TRF. Simply put, we let ignorance dictate our choices. So let us intentionally try and find out more about the activities of TRF and the impact it has made around the globe and in our own communities. And armed with this knowledge, then decide which of our desires we choose to magnify. I am not asking you to open your wallets. Let us open our hearts, and the rest will take care of itself! Let your generosity be magnified.
A S Venkatesh
RI Director, 2021–23
