William Woulfin was described as having a “Passion for Rotary” when he was introduced as the speaker by Bainbridge Rotarian Dean Free at the Tuesday Rotary meeting.
Woulfin is a highly regarded and honored Rotarian, a past District 6900 Governor, and holder of most of Rotary’s highest awards.
He came to the Bainbridge club to talk about the Rotary Foundation, which he is chairing this year, and the work that is accomplished because of it.
He described the foundation as an endowment fund, somewhat similar to a savings account. In that way it is different from the annual fund.
He praised the financial support the foundation received last year, when a total of $1,824,000 million dollars was given in District 6900, marking the largest foundation giving in its history. Most of the donations came in the form of bequests.
Although he praised the giving, he encouraged donors not to think about the money, but to look at what it is doing for people. “How many lives does it effect” he asked.
He encouraged all to be a Rotarian in every way and personally investigate what has happened as a result of their donations.
He cited an example of the old Rotary way where money was donated to develop water wells in foreign countries without building in any methods to sustain and maintain them and as a result they failed.
The new Rotary way for obtaining grants from the foundation for international projects requires proof that the project is sustainable for at least 15 years.
He advised the club when they look at projects they want to do to, “Plant your dollars where your heart is.”