By: Sarah MacGillivray,
District 7780 Foundation Public Image Coordinator
RC of Bath Sunrise
If you’ve just read the article announcing the District Grant Training coming up in March, you may have questions. Many new and experienced members ask how our District Grants work, how hard are they to apply for, are there lots of hoops to jump through, is it even really worth it? Well, the short answer that you will get from almost any Rotarian in our District who has applied and been awarded a grant is a resounding, “It’s free money, everyone should go for it!”
How Our Rotary Donations Work for Us.
Let’s step back a minute and Let’s Connect the Dots to have a clearer picture, since it isn’t actually free money, but where does it come from? When we Rotarians make a donation to Our Rotary Foundation’s annual fund, a portion of those funds come back to our District. Then that money is used for District Grants and Global Grants. So our money is used to fund our projects so we may all do good in the world!
Maybe you’ve clicked on the link to see the list of the clubs and a brief description of their grant projects, but still want more? Over the next few months we will take a deeper look into some of the projects and learn how they came to be: how the clubs in our District Connected the Dots to make their world a better place.
Two Clubs Working Together.
Recently, I enjoyed a Zoom call with two Rotarians who worked together on two of our District Grants, Lucy Lloyd with the Brunswick Coastal Rotary and Carolyn Bulliner with the Brunswick Rotary Club. Each club submitted its own grant application last year for projects to improve community space in Brunswick, and both applications included that the neighboring club would be assisting. This is one of the things I enjoy most about Rotary, the support we can all give one another and the friendships you make while doing good! If anyone had joined in on our Zoom call, you would have guessed that the two Rotarians were from the same club.
Many Rotarians Participate, Many Folks Benefit.
Carolyn shared a part of the report she had just submitted at the completion of the project, “10 members of the Brunswick Rotary Club with the assistance of Brunswick Coastal Rotary constructed a large wooden pergola with seating, picnic table and an attached play area (swing) at Brunswick's Tom Settlemire Community Garden. This garden structure is beautiful and functional and will be used by members, children and visitors to the community garden. As soon as we completed construction, the structure was and continues to be extensively used as a gathering and rest place.” She explained that the pergola was needed so that parents and their children, and others who are working in the garden, will have a place to rest and have a safe place for kids to play while still in view.
Brunswick Rotary’s pergola at Tom Settlemire Community Garden
All of the materials were purchased locally, and with one of the members working at Lowes, they were able to secure the donated swing from Lowes. They listened to the needs and worked carefully with the community garden’s committee on where the pergola would be placed and the size.
We Asked the Community About Needs.
Similar to the Brunswick Club, the Brunswick Coastal club found an area of need at Perryman Village in Brunswick. Lucy said, “we went into the picnic area and just planned on sprucing the place up with chips that had been donated. Then we got to know the kids, and found a project that became dear to our hearts.” They too listened to the needs and came up with the idea to build a shelter over the picnic area. Once awarded the grant, the pavilion was built in August and has been an active place! They have enjoyed a Chewonki (A traveling natural history program - click here to learn more!) presentation already, and more are planned. The pavilion was dedicated with a celebration over the summer and they’ve hosted a Halloween party, so just like the pergola, it has been used nonstop since its completion. The two clubs worked together with the Brunswick Housing Authority and had assistance from students from Bowdoin’s Center for Common Good, and Art Van. A true community effort!
Brunswick Coastal’s pavilion at Perryman Village
All Clubs Should Apply for Grants.
Both Carolyn and Lucy agree that District Grants are something all clubs should consider. Carolyn said that their club usually does their research and applies each year. She did feel that it is helpful to have someone who gets familiar with the process, and encouraged those new to grants to attend the District training. Lucy felt the training she received at the District Assembly was most helpful, the sharing of projects completed by other clubs was wonderful. So reach out to other clubs that have done a project that you like the sound of, and I am sure they would be happy to share their successes and also things they might have done differently.
Just like these clubs and their members, please consider contributing to Our Rotary Foundation, applying for District Grants, working with community support, Connecting the Dots and doing good in the world!