Local Compassion: A Call to Action for a Better Tomorrow
DG Douglas S. Heizer
This month, November, marks Rotary Foundation Month, providing the perfect opportunity to contribute and make a difference.
In the midst of our comfortable lives, it’s easy to turn a blind eye to the suffering around us. However, recent experiences have brought to light the harsh reality within our own community.
I found myself in Chicago, surrounded by the stark contrast of wealth and poverty. Tents of the homeless and refugees stood in the shadows of million-dollar apartments. This unsettling scene prompted introspection: How could we, as neighbors, ignore the plea for dignity right outside our doors?
In Boynton Beach West, a once agricultural haven, I stumbled upon a makeshift shelter for a veteran. The juxtaposition of prosperity and poverty in our blessed country is disheartening. The question resonates: How can we allow such disparity to persist?
While global issues may seem distant, our interconnected world demands attention. Diseases like polio, although eradicated, can resurface in unexpected places; traces of this virus have been found in Manhattan sewers. Dengue and Chikungunya, once confined to distant regions, now threaten us in our tropical climate like Florida.
The responsibility to act lies with each of us. Joining the PolioPlus Society for as little as $100 per year, or $25 per quarter can ensure a safe future for our community by eradicating Polio worldwide.
Turning our gaze to immigrants and the homeless, many in our region seek refuge in hidden conditions. As responsible members of the community, we must empathize and extend our help. The Rotary Foundation Global Grants program provides a beacon of hope for a good life, allowing dreams of security, health, education, and employment to flourish.
We can create or support projects globally or even here in our region focused on the Rotary International area of Focus that is: peacebuilding and conflict prevention; disease prevention and treatment; water, sanitation, and hygiene; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; and community economic development.
Contributing to the Rotary Foundation leaves a lasting legacy, saving lives and offering hope to those who need it most.
Today, I challenge you to commit to change. Become a Permanent Donor to the Foundation; with just US$100 per year, you become a sustainable member and join EREY, Every Rotarian Every Year. Let’s be a community that cares, takes action, and leaves a positive impact on the world.
To motivate you even more to participate in these two initiatives, I want to give you the opportunity to become a Paul Harris Fellow.
Let me explain how: there will be two opportunities. If you join the Polio Plus Society and/or become an EREY member by December 15, that is, in the next 30 days, you will be entered into a draw that will take place on January 14, 2024, during the Rotary Foundation lunch, attended by RIP Gordon McInally.
You will receive your Paul Harris pin directly from the hands of our President in front of the entire District. This is an expression of gratitude for your efforts.
Don’t waste time; take on this commitment and let me know by sending an email directly to me. I will forward it to our End Polio Coordinator JoAnn Meaker and our TRF Chair PDG Pam Russell, indicating your commitment to a Better Tomorrow for our communities.
Let’s continue to Create Hope in the World!
