ROTARIANS CARE; ROTARIANS SHARE
By Frank
Deaver
Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa, Alabama USA
One year ago, the world watched in horror as Hurricane
Katrina, one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, slammed
the Gulf Coast of the United States. Its destruction was compounded
by broken levees that failed to protect New Orleans, the only
American city below sea level.
What followed was a year of complaints and criticism about
inadequate and inefficient response by government agencies,
insurance companies, and relief organizations. Less recognized,
however, was that Rotary offered rapid and reliable relief, and
without waste or overhead expense.
Even as the storm approached, and before its full fury could be
anticipated, Rotary sprang into action with preparations for meeting
predictable needs. District Governors Stuart Vance (6820) and Neil
Alford (6840), whose clubs were in the anticipated path of the
storm, began collecting funds to assist Rotarians and others when
power would be lost and banks and ATMs closed.
As nature’s unleashed fury created far greater need, Rotary
created greater response. Vance and Alford set up a two-district
Rotary Katrina Fund, receiving Rotary donations in excess of
$968,000. Earliest emergency disbursements were for food, gas,
medicines, and other critical needs. As relief turned to recovery,
building materials became a major expenditure.
The fund had no expenses. One hundred percent of donations
were channeled to recipients.
Rotary zones 29 and 30, including all districts suffering
Katrina damage, established a donor advised fund within The Rotary
Foundation, facilitating contributions from Rotarians beyond the two
suffering districts. With spreading news of the storm and
resulting floods, Rotarians from across the country and around the
world joined in one of the largest, most immediate, and most
efficient of all of the relief efforts.
As evacuees poured into inland cities, local Rotarians were
prominent among those offering shelter and food. Even the little
ones were not overlooked. A Rotary Club in California had been
collecting soft toys for distribution to traumatized children, and
they offered several boxes of them for kids in hurricane evacuation
centers. Rotarians in central Alabama took pleasure in delivering
the cuddly little stuffed animals to children of dislocated
families.
A Google search on “Hurricane Katrina and Rotary” yielded more
than 200,000 websites. Many, of course, were irrelevant or
duplicate, but the number of sites indicated evidence of worldwide
district and club involvement in assistance. Generous donations
flowed in from Rotarians on all continents. Bangladesh, often
ravished by monsoons, and one of the world's poorest countries,
offered funds to help in the rebuilding efforts.
And why is all this being summarized on the first anniversary
of Hurricane Katrina. A simple four-word answer: Rotarians care;
Rotarians share.
