Three New Paul Harris Fellows

Posted by Dave McKellar

on Mar 01, 2016

Rotary Club of Sackville Celebrates The Rotary Foundation Centennial

The Rotary Club of Sackville recently recognized three of its members with a Paul Harris Fellow at a weekly club meeting as part of its yearlong celebration of the centennial of The Rotary Foundation.

The three Rotarian’s that received this recognition were immediate Past President John Murchie, Louise MacKinnon and Dale Creelman. They were recognized not only for their many years of dedicated service to the club but just as importantly for their many contributions to the local community.

L to R Josh Cormier (Pres Elect), John Murchie, Dale Creelman and David McKellar (Foundation Chair)

L to R Louise MacKinnon, David McKellar (Foundation Chair) and Dianne Oulton (President)

The Foundation is the $1 billion charitable arm of Rotary International. To mark the centennial, Rotary aims to raise $300 million by July 2017 for its campaign to eradicate polio and for service in communities around the world.

Established in 1917 with a donation of $26.50, The Rotary Foundation is dedicated to advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace. Through grants and other resources, Rotary members develop sustainable projects that promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, support education, save mothers and children, and grow local economies.

Rotary International’s top priority is the global eradication of polio. Rotary launched its polio immunization program, PolioPlus, in 1985 and in 1988 became a leading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative along with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and more recently, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Rotary International has contributed more than $1.5 billion and countless volunteer hours to eradicate polio. Through 2018, every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched 2-to-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, up to $35 million a year. Since the initiative began, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to less than 71 confirmed in 2015.

Rotary International brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.

The Rotary Club of Sackville is always looking for new club members who are interested in playing a key role both in their local community and around the world. For more information on becoming a member visit http://sackvillerotary.ca/, email us at sackvillerotaryclub@gmail.com or drop us a note at PO Box 6331, Sackville, NB E4L 1G6.