Southtowne Rotary Foundation:
President: Christie McDonald
VP: Gary Brown
Secretary: Steve Hutchinson
Assistant Secretary: Susie Andrist
Treasurer: Matt Adams
Directors: Randy Bernstein, Joelle Goodwin, Andrea Lamanna, Karen Fretwell
Scholarship Committee: Gary Brown – Co-C, Nancy Hughes – Co-C, Harry Andrist, Randy Bernstein, Suzanne Buechler, Sam Miller, Kyle Williams
The Southtowne Rotary Foundation always seeks to serve
In 1997, members of the Southtowne Rotary Club who were educators saw a need for scholarship help for a group of high school students who were under served. These were academically successful students who were economically disadvantaged and often faced numerous life challenges. While wanting to go to college, they also tended to not have the very highest grade points, leaving them at a disadvantage for most scholarships.
That insight started the Southtowne Rotary Club project of funding scholarships for these under served students. Because Rotary clubs themselves are not designated as charities, the club formed the Southtowne Rotary Foundation, a 501(c)3 IRS certified charitable foundation able to accept tax deductible donations and do educational and charitable work. The foundation’s board of directors acts as an independent body responsible for the good stewardship of funds and investing them with the goal of growth to provide continuing project funding.
The first club fundraiser specifically for the scholarship program was called “SportsPlus”, then funding came from annual club auction dinners and other similar events. Additional funding is received as memorial donations. Some of the accumulated donations are used immediately for scholarships while the rest is invested for growth and the proceeds are used laterr. In addition to scholarship funding, a parking project during football season produced a pool of money that was placed in a permanent endowment fund managed by the Foundation to provide funding for club community projects.
It was the success of these efforts that led the club to secure donations to the Foundation for additional community programs. These include local community food boxes, the St. Vincent de Paul Youth House, and scholarship support for adult students at Lane Community College.
Over the years the Southtowne Rotary Foundation has provided more than $200,000 in scholarships and many thousands for the other community projects. Our scholarship awards are, in many ways, transformative for students, not only as a monetary boost for college costs but in the self- confidence they get from the recognition of their accomplishments.
What’s the difference between TRF and SRF?
Rotary International has always had a huge commitment to international needs in health care, education, clean water, Polio eradication, and other needs throughout the world. RI formed The Rotary Foundation (TRF) as a giving tool for those needs. Their focus remains on international programs and on their own or in partnership with other organizations, brilliant work has been done all around the globe.
Southtowne’s foundation (SRF) was founded to assist locally with education, food, and individual and family support. Our foundation also works as a giving tool where donors can make a tax-deductible gift in support of those project and donated moneys can be invested and grown to stretch further.
How you can support scholarships for students?
Southtowne Rotary Foundation’s plan is to raise $25,000 – $35,000 annually to fund scholarships for deserving students. Here is how you can participate in the campaign:
MAKE A CHARITABLE GIFT or BEQUEST. You or someone you refer can make a charitable gift or bequest of cash, jewelry, stocks, bonds, or tangible property to the Southtowne Rotary Foundation to raise money for scholarships.
• To learn how to make a charitable gift or bequest, please contact Christie McDonald at lemcd595@comcast.net or 541-505-2018.
SPONSORSHIPS. A local business or an individual can make a commitment to sponsor an annual scholarship for more than one year. Sponsored scholarships can be named for the donor, as a memorial, or anonymous.
The Southtowne Rotary Foundation would especially like to award scholarships sponsored annually by a business. These could be “named” sponsorships presented yearly to a student who would become the “business name scholar.”
• To learn how to sponsor a scholarship, please contact Steve Hutchinson at shutchinson@eugenelaw.com or 541-342-8328.
DONATE BY CHECK OR CREDIT CARD. You, your family, and friends can immediately support the scholarship program by
• Mailing a check to Southtowne Rotary Foundation at P.O. Box 5075, Eugene, OR 97405-0158. Be sure to note that your donation is for the Scholarship Program.
REFERRALS ARE NEEDED. To achieve our scholarship fundraising goal, please help us identify potential donors in the community that are part of your family, social, and professional networks.
• To make a referral, please contact one of the Foundation members listed below. Christie McDonald at lemcd595@comcast.net or 541-505-2018. Steve Hutchinson at shutchinson@eugenelaw.com or 541-342-8328.
Regarding investments, the Foundation holds them in three accounts, two of which are endowment accounts – the Local Community Services Endowment Fund and the Bruce Shaw Scholarship for Homeless Youth Endowment Fund. With endowment funds, the principle cannot be spent. Rather it is invested to produce returns that can be used to achieve the gaols of the fund. Responsibility for the administration of the Foundation’s three investment accounts rests with a three-member Investment Committee chaired by the Board Treasurer. This committee works with a financial advisor at Roehl & Yi Investment Advisors.