Rich Panyik: “The Rotary Foundation”

Beatty McCaleb introduced Monday’s speaker at the Rotary Club of Lawrenceville as “the epitome of a Rotarian.”  Rich Panyik, of the Rotary Club of South Gwinnett, spoke to the group on the subject of the Rotary Foundation, an apt subject since November is Foundation month.  He described District and Global grants, detailing the grants given to District 6910 in the past year.  He encouraged application for the district grants by the May 1, 2016, deadline. Global grants go to new international projects of $30,000 minimum, to sustain prior ones, to Vocational Training Teams, and to scholarships.  He explained how the funds derived from Paul Harris Fellows, Foundation Sustaining Members, Multiple Pin contributors, and Major Donors (+ $10,000) are apportioned to the Annual Program Fund, the Endowment fund, and the End Polio Program.  Last year annual giving amounted to $123 million.  He concluded with an update on the End Polio Now campaign (52 cases reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan) and a reminder of the 100th anniversary of the Foundation to be celebrated at the International Rotary Conference in Atlanta in June of 2017.