ROTARY DISTRICT 5220 FRIDAY FACTS
 
  Gustine Rotary
  On December 8th Gustine Rotary kicks off their 63rd annual Basketball Tournament, which runs thru December 10th. This is the longest continuous Club project in the District and we congratulate the Club for their great community project.
   
  Club Awards
  From Club Awards chair PDG Phyllis Nusz: Now that three quarters of the year for the 2005-2006 Annual District Club Awards is coming to an end, I would suggest that you and your club awards committee start putting your scrapbooks together so you won�t be so rushed in the end. Don�t forget that each Club President was given a three-inch binder this past February at Pre-PETS that includes all of the rules for competition for the Rotary year.
   
  Governor Mark would like to see 100% participation because it is always a shame when we know that clubs have outstanding projects, but if they are not submitted for competition, your recognition goes by the wayside. February 28 is the final day for projects to be considered or included and the DISTRICT CLUB AWARDS COMMITTEE will be meeting in mid-March to make their final decisions.
   
  Rotary Foundation Month
  Permanent Fund chair Jim Woodward, Stockton Rotary, writes, The Rotary Foundation Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is an innovative way for Rotarians and Rotary-affiliated groups to create a separate investment or savings account with The Foundation that is earmarked exclusively for charitable giving. You can choose to do this as an �Individual� or in conjunction with a larger group of Rotary friends as a �Group� account. Establishing a DAF is like having your own foundation to support the causes you believe in, but all without the hassle and paperwork that go along with the operation.
   
  How it works: (1) Individuals or a group makes a minimum initial contribution of $20,000 in cash or securities and receives an immediate tax deduction. (2) Account holders may recommend how the contribution will be allocated among four investment portfolios. (3) Individuals or Rotary-affiliated groups recommends when and how much to grant to IRS approved charities. DAFs will eventually create a lasting legacy with the Foundations Permanent Fund.
   
  Service Above Self
  A survey by Rotary International�s Membership Development Division sheds light on the amount of service work clubs have done over the last 10 years. They have carried out 1.8 million local and international service projects worked nearly 253 million volunteer hours and spent $10 billion dollars on efforts that focused heavily on youth development. Also it was noted that the average Rotary Club:
  ·        Carried out 44 community and 12.6 international service projects in the last 10 years.
  ·        Each community project required approximately 14.3 volunteers and 140.3 hours of work, compared with 8.2 people and 131.2 hours for international initiatives.
  ·        Clubs worldwide annually spent as much as $779,522,250 on community service and $217,809,350 on international projects.
  ·        Youth development was the top community emphasis, while international exchange was the leading global project category, followed by polio eradication.
  ·        It is estimated that in the 2005-2006 Rotary year, Rotary Clubs worldwide will be involved in 180,000 projects that will cost One Billion Dollars.
   
  With Rotary Pride,
  Mark Oliver, District Governor