Page 6 - June 30

The Rotary Foundation

Need expert advice? Ask Rotary's Cadre of Technical Advisers

By Arnold R. Grahl

The Rotary Club of Dajabón in the Dominican Republic wanted to build greenhouses in rural
villages and teach farmers how to use them to enhance their income. The club partnered with
the Rotary Club of Everett in the state of Washington to apply for a Rotary Foundation
global grant that would support loans to farmers. Coupled with business training, the loans
would help farmers launch their greenhouse enterprises. But the application process came to
a halt when the clubs had trouble identifying a local financial institution that was qualified to
handle the loans.
Enter Wally Gardiner, a Canadian member of The Rotary Foundation's Cadre of Technical
Advisers. A specialist in microfinance and technology, Gardiner used his connections to find
a microfinance bank in Dajabón that was happy to assist, and he helped negotiate a deal.
With the bank on board and a memorandum of understanding signed, the project moved
forward. Score that as another successful accomplishment for Rotary's Cadre of Technical
Advisers.

With nearly 600 Rotary members in about 80 countries, the Cadre has been helping Rotary
members tackle complex projects since 1995. Cadre members volunteer their professional
skills and expertise in varied areas to help clubs plan and implement projects more
effectively. Over the years, they have helped Rotary members pursue larger projects and
secure millions of dollars in Foundation funding.

"Our primary work right now is working as a coach with clubs that have an idea they would
like to do," says Cadre Chair Carolyn Johnson, a Maine Rotarian and past district governor
(7780) who specializes in basic education and literacy projects. "We try to help them develop
something that is deeper and more sustainable."

Since 2020, every Rotary Action Group has been required to appoint a Cadre member to
serve as a technical officer to foster collaboration between the Cadre and the action groups,
which also lend expertise to clubs. In addition, the Cadre chair appoints regional organizers,
who work to strengthen relationships between the Cadre, regional leaders, and other Rotary
members.

A mini-UN convened in Calgary as Rotarians unite

By John Hewko, general secretary and CEO of Rotary International and The Rotary
Foundation.

I'd always wanted to visit Calgary, though not merely as a tourist. Nor did I desire to observe
the recent G7 summit, where members of the global power club addressed the world's
pressing trade and geopolitical issues. Instead, I flew from Chicago to participate in a
meeting of a different type of club. More than 15,000 Rotary members from Canada, the
United States, and over 120 other countries and regions descended on the city 21-25 June for
a convention and turned the BMO Centre into a mini-United Nations.

The trend toward isolationism and looking inward is taking hold in many developed nations,
with Canada standing out as a notable exception. Drastic shifts in governmental policies have
led to significant cuts in humanitarian and development funding and programs. In these