The Natchitoches Rotary Club welcomed South Shreveport Rotary member and District Rotary Foundation Chair, Bob Molloy, to their regular Tuesday lunchtime meeting. Also visiting with the group was Glenda Stark, past president of the South Shreveport Rotary Club.

Natchitoches Rotary President, Kendal Perkins, began the meeting by praising the District for its support and resources to the Natchitoches Club. Rotary Club President Elect Fre Terasa introduced Molloy as a prime example of what the Rotary Foundation is, noting several awards he has received and numerous positions he has held within the South Shreveport Club.

Molly opened his talk by describing, in simplest terms, what Rotary is – a group of individuals exchanging ideas and taking action. He defined the goals of The Rotary Foundation: transforming local Rotarian’s gifts into projects close to home and around the world, focusing on promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies.

These goals are accomplished through Foundation grants such as the ones received by the Natchitoches Club, which support the annual Dictionary Project and Essay Contest. Over the last 3 years, this District has received over $100,000 from The Rotary Foundation. Molloy also stressed that, along with local projects, countries across the world have benefited from The Foundation’s life-changing work such as planting trees, supporting orphanages, providing programs in prisons and supporting ambulance service. He encouraged members to continue supporting the Polio Plus effort. Through 2018, any donation Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched 2:1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For more information, go to https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/rotary-foundation.

Pictured from left are Rotary Club President Kendal Perkins, Glenda Stark, Bob Molloy and Rotary Club President Elect Fred Terasa.