In 1905 Paul Harris and three of his business associates formed a club and began meeting for business networking purposes, camaraderie and friendship. They called their club “Rotary” because they rotated the meetings between each of their businesses. It soon became clear to these Rotary members that they could and should expand their purpose to include public works. Their first project was building public toilets in their hometown of Chicago.
 
As more Rotary clubs were established and grew, so did their public service projects based on the Rotary motto “Service Above Self” and as a way to promote, fund and recognize those who participated in such projects, the “Paul Harris Fellowship” program was established.
 
The Fellowship program now provides funds for District and Global Grants to local clubs, including Dublin A.M., as well as educational opportunities, food, potable water, health care, immunizations and  shelter for millions of people around the world.
 
Over the years Dublin A.M. has received many Grants from the Paul Harris program – to mention only two - our Dictionary Project, providing dictionaries to all 3rd graders in Dublin and to our International Committee providing a library for a school in Turkey. There are, of course, others.
 
Over the next weeks you will have the opportunity to join 77 Dublin A.M. members to become a Paul Harris fellow or as many have done – to become a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.
 
It takes a commitment of $200 in each of four years to become a Paul Harris Fellow. At the end of your commitment the Club will add $200 for a total of $1,000. That money is forwarded to Rotary International which invests it for three year at the end of which 50% of the accumulated funds are returned to our District 6690 to fund District Funds, such as those mention above, and Global Grants. The other 50% is used by Rotary International to fund larger worldwide projects.
As a bonus, for every Paul Harris Fellowship you achieve Rotary will provide an additional Fellowship for you award to anyone you designate – such as Ron Morgan recently gave to Cindy Groeniger in  honor of her work on Rotary projects or the three Susan Robenalt awarded to Dwight Seeley, Wolf Lant and Sue Burness for their work on the Blarney Bash.  Such awards can be given by you to anyone, not just fellow Rotarians – a spouse, a friend or any one you feel exemplifies the Rotary Motto of ‘Service Above Self.”
 
I hope you will consider becoming a Paul Harris Fellow or a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and uphold the tradition of Rotary and most of all help those in need at home and around the world. Thank you for your consideration.
 
Dave Holliday – President – Dublin A.M. Charitable Foundation.