FLORENCE – How can you provide clean water to impoverished families scattered across the rugged mountains of Eastern Kentucky and beyond the reach of municipal water systems?
All it takes is a little help from your friends, said Rotary District 6740 Governor Cindy K. Legg. A little help from friends in Rotary clubs throughout the eastern half of Kentucky, including the Florence Rotary Club. A little help from Rotarians in Mexico and Turkey. And a little help from global grants available through the Rotary Foundation.
“We can’t afford to let the needs in communities go unnoticed,” Legg said. “We have some opportunities around our communities, our state and the world just waiting for our hearts and our help.”
Legg emphasized the importance and impact of collaboration among clubs worldwide at a luncheon with Florence Rotarians on Monday, November 16. She represents the 38 Rotary clubs east of Interstate 75 in Kentucky, several of which have contributed to an international, multi-phase fresh water project in Clay County.
The first phase of the project will build septic systems for 30 families who currently draw water from creeks or wells that may be filled with pollutants from run-off or heavy in sulphur and mineral content. Much of the funding for the project is coming from matching funds from the Rotary Foundation.
The foundation’s global grant program makes it possible for Rotary clubs small and large to join together on international projects and maximize club contributions to the foundation. The foundation’s World Fund matches contributions by Rotary clubs and districts at 100 percent and provides grants as large as $200,000 that can go back to community projects.
“That enables even small clubs to work together to make a large community project happen,” Legg said.
For example, Florence Rotary Club’s foundation contributed $5,000 to the Clay County project and the match boosted the total to $10,000. The Florence club itself also added $2,000. Another $30,000 came from Rotary clubs in Mexico and Turkey, according to John Salyers, a past district governor and member of the Florence club.
The 2015-16 Rotary theme of “Be a Gift to the World” inspired Legg to push every club member to give to the Rotary Foundation every year. The contributions make international projects possible, but it’s the individual service that provides the most important gift, she said.
“One of the first (national) themes that hit home with me is peace through service,” Legg said. “You can’t have peace if you’re hungry and hurting.”
