Kickoff of the Annual Giving Campaign for the Rotary Foundation

Last year our Rotary District 5950 members gave a total of $695,473, ranking it 6th out of 500 Rotary Districts worldwide. Our own club gave a total of $6,500, which amounted to 112% of the goal that the District had established for us. We had almost 100% participation by our club members, which to me is more significant than any arbitrary monetary goal. For this year's campaign (2009-10) we propose to use a more low-key approach than was followed in prior years. We know that times are tough, many of us are on fixed incomes and our priorities differ. There will be no separate mailings to individual members (saving on postage) and no separate pledge form for you to fill out (we're not going to send you a bill and we won't sue if you don't pay). We are emailing this letter to those who have email addresses and will put copies of it on the tables for the next few meetings for those who don't use email. That's it. Oh, we may mention it from time to time at the meetings but we will not try to put a load of guilt on you. Giving is easy. The way that most of us have done it in the past is to simply write a check payable to "The Rotary Foundation" and mail it to our Treasurer, Dean Friesen, at 19765 Highway Seven, Shorewood, MN 55361. If you want to direct your gift to PolioPlus, simply write "For PolioPlus" in the Memo section on the front of your check. You can also give directly to The Rotary Foundation by going online to www.rotary.org/en/Contribute/WaysToGive, click on the link "Outright contributions" in the box in the upper left corner of that page and follow the instructions. To make an online contribution, click on the link "online contribution form" under the paragraph entitled "Online contributions." (You will need to get a password to do this and, unfortunately, I can't help you with this.) If you want to make a one-time contribution by check, credit card or wire transfer, click on the link "recognition/contribution form" under either the paragraph entitled "Check" or the paragraph entitled "Credit card," which will then download the form entitled "TRF Global Contribution Form." If you want to make your contribution in installments over time by credit card authorization or checking/savings account authorization, go to the paragraph entitled "TRF-DIRECT Electronic fund transfer," click on the link "U.S." and download the appropriate form (there are two – one for credit card authorization and one for checking/savings account authorization). (Warning: The authorization will remain in effect until you notify The Rotary Foundation to the contrary and allow a "reasonable time" for them to fulfill your request.) If you have any questions you can email me at dmccuskey38@mchsi.com or by calling me at my cell phone number, (612) 619-7691. You can also reach me at my home number, (952) 474-5076, if you call before November 12. I am going to California on that day and won't be back for a while. Thanks for your support! Sincerely, David McCuskey, Chairman, Excelsior Rotary 2009-10 TRF Campaign Committee