My name is Christine Kempff and I am your new District Foundation chair. I have spent the last two months getting trained and up to speed on all things 5870 and Foundation, but it is a big job! The good news is I have a great Foundation team and mentor. We have a mix of brand new and established committee members that are also here to help Clubs. Personally, I have served at the District in various positions for 5 years and have seen first hand the great work our District and the Foundation are doing in our community and around the world.
This Rotary year, I have already had the opportunity to visit many of your Clubs on the District Governors’ visits and go present Paul Harris pins to several Clubs. It is always a great honor to help recognize Clubs and individuals who are working to support our Foundation. Recently, I was at the Rotary Club of Temple to help preset 14 Paul Harris pins ranging all the way up to PH + 8. Temple continues to be an outstanding advocate for the Foundation led by their Foundation Chair Barbara Bozon.
We asked one member and Paul Harris recipient, Jessica Bozon why she gave to the Foundation and she said,
I joined Rotary in May 2015 because I wanted to make a good impression on my new mother-in-law (only partly kidding). Also, I thought it would be a good way to get involved in the community and get to network with other business men and women. At first I didn’t really know what all the Foundation did or how the Paul Harris thing worked, I just gave the recommended $25/quarter. As I learned more about the ways the Foundation helps people around the world, I felt compelled to give more, recalling the famous Hellen Keller quote “alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”.