Doug Byrd

The Robertsdale Rotary Club Foundation is set to begin another year after finishing the 2015-16 with a total of over $60,000.

“When we are out asking for donations, we want people to know that their money is going to a number of worthy causes,” said Club Foundation President Doug Byrd.

Founded in 1948, the Robertsdale Rotary Club is a member of Rotary International which boasts more than 1.2 million members in 34,000 clubs worldwide and operates by the credo of “Service above self,” and under the motto of the 4-way test, “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? And Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

Locally the club meets at noon every Tuesday at Mama Lou’s Restaurant on Pine Street in Robertsdale.

The Robertsdale Rotary Club Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization formed in 2006 to further charitable giving in cooperation with the club.

Through the Foundation in 2016, with the 17th annual PCA Championship Rodeo at the Baldwin County Coliseum Fairgrounds Arena, the club spent nearly $30,000. For the 34th year in 2016 the Rotary Club hosted the Doc Cooper’s Hot Trot for ARC, presented by LuLu’s, raising $9,000 for the organization.

In addition, the club earmarked over $12,000 in donations during the 2015-16 club year, which ended June 30, including:

•Women’s Care Medical, $200.

•City of Robertsdale, $500 (donation toward a new backstop for the Robertsdale High School baseball field).

•Robertsdale Elementary School, $4,500 (grant donations and fundraiser for a handicap swing set at the school).

•William F. Green Veterans Home, $550 (donations raised during the annual Honeybee Festival and Doc Cooper’s Haunted Swamp).

•Blessed Hope Boys Academy, $874.

•Ridden Word bicycle ministry, $1,135.

•RHS baseball, $400 (banner donation).

•Micro Lending Project Honduras, $500.

•ARC, $500 (donation toward the purchase of warm up uniforms for Special Olympics).

•Rotary Youth Leadership Academy, $1,500 (donation to allow local youth to attend).

•Camp ASCCA, $7,875.

During this club year, which began July 1 and continues through June 30 of 2017, Rotary International will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Rotary Foundation.

According to rotary.org, at the 1917 convention, outgoing Rotary President Arch Klumph proposed to set up an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” In 1928, it was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International.

In 1929, the Foundation made its first gift of $500 to the International Society for Crippled Children. The organization, created by Rotarian Edgar F. “Daddy” Allen, later grew into Easter Seals.

When Rotary founder Paul Harris died in 1947, contributions began pouring in to Rotary International, and the Paul Harris Memorial Fund was created to build the Foundation.

For more information about the local organization visit robertsdalerotary.com or the Robertsdale Rotary Club page on Facebook.