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Who we are

The Marshall Sunrise and Noon Rotary clubs are grateful to share our Rotary story about who we are and what we do both within our community and worldwide. Our first entry comes at an important time for Rotarians around the world because November has been dedicated to the support of our Foundation, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary.

The Foundation began as an endowment fund totaling $26.50 in 1917 for the purpose of doing good in the world. One of the most significant undertakings by the Foundation started in 1985 by taking on the need to provide polio immunization for children around the world and eventually creating a polio-free world. PolioPlus efforts to rid the world of the disease have been successful, but work still remains to eradicate this debilitating disease which is now reduced to only a few small regions of the world: Rotarians believe through the charitable efforts of the Foundation, polio will soon be eliminated world-wide.

The Rotary Foundation also supports the advancement of educational opportunities. A good example is the international scholarship program which allows successful college graduates to spend a year studying abroad as Rotary Fellows. This educational opportunity is the largest privately-funded scholarship program with approximately 1,200 students receiving additional educational opportunities each year. Successfully reaching out around the world and at home to better the lives of so many people is due to a foundation that is efficient and focused on performing good works. The CNBC television network confirmed the success of The Rotary Foundation by naming it one of the “top 10 charities changing the world in 2015.” Earlier this month, the Association of Fundraising Professionals named The Rotary Foundation as its “2016 Outstanding Foundation.” Assets to serve the needs of mankind have grown over the past century to $1 billion today, with more than $3 billion spent on various initiatives.

In our area, we have four Rotary clubs (Minneota, Canby and two in Marshall) whose members believe in the importance of supporting the causes our Foundation supports. Eliminating polio, developing clean water sources, providing post secondary educational opportunities or providing meals for people in America or elsewhere in the world are just a few examples of the difference Rotarians make in the world.

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