Rotary Foundation

Local Foundation

The Wisconsin Rapids Rotary Clubs maintain their own foundations. Each foundation is charitable and contributions are solicited from all club members once each year. Bequests are also received by each foundation. Funds are used for charitable programs within the community, youth Exchange programs, and other projects that have been approved by the Foundation Board of Directors. The foundations place special emphasis on youth.

International Foundation

The 2003-2004 Rotary Theme was "Lend a Hand." The objective of the foundation is the furthering of understanding and friendly relations between people of different nations through projects of an educational or charitable nature. Educational awards are to individuals (non-Rotarians) for post-graduate study in countries other than their own. Two individuals from our area have been recipients:
Bob Kingdon 1951-52, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Dennis Oderkirk 1959-60, University of Brussels, Belgium

Paul Harris Fellow - An honor of distinction for a Rotarian for faithful attendance, club service, and effective community involvement. A significant source of Foundation funding.

Major Rotary Projects:
Health, Hunger, and Humanity
Polio Plus - "A world without polio by the year 2005 - $245 million has been raised by Rotarians to immunize over 600 million children throughout the world. This project began in 1988 and by 1993, 143 countries were "Polio Free". The last reported case in the Western Hemisphere was in Peru in 1991.