Board Highlights - January 14, 2014
Posted by Rita Brown
on Jan 16, 2014
The Rotary Board and Rotary Foundation Board held a joint meeting January 14.
Lima Rotary Club Joint Board of Directors/ Foundation Board of Trustees Meeting Highlights
January 14, 2014
Foundation Treasurer Jared Walsh’s reports indicated that The Lima Rotary Foundation administers five funds with the Buenos Noches, Hulsken and Scholarship being dedicated restricted funds that are basically managed by committees. Buenos Noches is administered by the International Committee, Scholarship has its own committee and the Hulsken Fund is used to fund The Special Needs Children’s Christmas Party. The Endowment Fund is built up moneys.
Last year, the Next Big Thing Rotary/Lima City Schools Pavilion one-time cost of $26,000 was covered from the Endowment Fund.
As a rule, the Foundation makes more than it spends. The Foundation gives around $7,000 a quarter
Foundation President Anne Decker stated the Foundation uses Score Sheets to determine eligibility. Each criterion has a value which together total up to 100 pts. The Score Sheets have been streamlined to calculate and use as a guideline for discussing the applications. Fifty one points is the standard needed for funding. However, if the Board agrees, grants may be approved with less than fifty-one points.
Trustee Peggy Ehora stated one of the challenges is not to give to the same group over and over again and to help spread the money around the community more. The Foundation has been actively working to improve PR to tell the community that there are funds to give away. One way is to have grant winners attend a Club Meeting to receive their checks. That information is then shared with the media.
Director Bob Ruehl suggested the Foundation consider utilizing SHOWCASE on Rotary International to promote internationally.
Decker stated that club members were surveyed on their interest and what they preferring giving to. The Score Sheets are based on those responses.
Ruehl stated the Foundation should consider leveraging District and Rotary International Funds for future projects. By doing so, such major projects could be accomplished in Lima. It is a matter of relationship building with other Rotary organizations around the world. He believes he has spent the past several years improving those relationships, and that a collaborative district and international environment is possible now.
Ehora stated that the club will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2015. She said there are plans underway that will mark the centennial year in a spectacular way. Both Boards expressed great interest in this concept and wish to explore it further. A motion was made by Ehora and seconded by Decker to bring the proposal to the club for approval at the Annual Meeting in March 2014. The process will be managed by a Joint Committee of LRF & Rotary Board Members. Ruehl also again stated international partnership funds are available if the membership is aware and trained on the process.
Trustee Jay Wenger suggested that a Rotary Roadmap could be created that would be available to inform club members on what the other sections of Rotary are doing. Director Jay Begg suggested that the club consider doing a Project Showcase once a month in which grant recipients could speak for 5 – 15 minutes as a status update. The updates could be scheduled as a club program. Ruehl suggested inviting the community to make presentations on projects that need to be funded to the Foundation.
The Alternate Meeting Date is Thursday January 16 at 7:30 AM at Fresh, 140 S. Main, Lima, OH. It is a good way to stay current with your club and to make up any missed meetings.
Andy Farley was approved for membership to the Lima Rotary Club. New Member Orientation is scheduled for Art Brinkman, Jacqui Bradley and Andy Farley on Thursday January 30, 2014 at 11:45 at Shawnee Country Club.
The Board accepted with regret the resignations of Mike McKowen and Jorge Moheyer.
Adjournment – Meeting was adjourned at 1:24 PM
Next Meeting will be Tuesday February 11, 2014 at Shawnee Country Club at 11:45 AM.
Submitted by Rita Brown, Club Secretary