Paul Harris Fellow Program

Dublin AM Rotary Charitable Foundation
Paul Harris Fellows
 
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 Fellows” program was established.
 
The Fellows 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.
 
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 have added $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 Grants, 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 Fellow you achieve, Rotary will provide an additional Fellow for you to award to anyone you designate.  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.”
 
Dublin AM Rotary has its 4x4 program to assist members in becoming Paul Harris Fellows.  A member can pledge to contribute $200 per year for four years with three other members.  Each  year the club will add $50 to the contribution so that by the end of four years a total of $1,000 will have been contributed to the Rotary International Foundation resulting in the member being a Paul Harris Fellow.