RE: Getting Rotary support - giving support to Rotary

Good ideas, but the funding issue is always a problem, even in Rotary. I
know of persons from my (former?) club that would on a weekly basis pull
from his (and her) own pockets more than was reasonably expected to ensure
that there was sufficient to cover any shortfalls in the cost of the weekly
lunches for the needy that they delivered.
As for the tax incentives, I believe several years ago the tax breaks
offered to companies for charitable donations was removed, I am not aware
that they have been restored. This is why you will find that local companies
will only sponsor events if significant advertising benefits are delivered
to them by this sponsorship. 
For any Rotary project, there must be a Rotarian chairing it and driving the
club's involvement behind it. This is an internal thing and it doesn't mean
they control the actual projects they sponsor in any dictatorial way, but
just that they are responsible for delivering on their club's commitments to
the projects to which they agree to assist and are responsible for keeping
fellow members updated on the project activities. If a project doesn't have
a member of the club advocating for it and being responsible for it, then
the club can't sponsor it. This is one of the reasons why I think they want
Ross to sign up, because he would serve this purpose well and in turn would
be their voice so that they can advocate other clubs and their respective
members to use their individual community resources to assist with the
project and hence build the momentum necessary to make it a more national
project.
Ross, if you do decide to join Rotary, I would appreciate if you would
extend an invitation to the CIS members to join you at one of the weekly
meetings as your guest so that CIS and Rotary people can get to know one
another.
-Nissan

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Allan
Samaroo
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 10:34 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: [cis] Getting Rotary support - giving support to Rotary

It's funny you should ask, as I was bored for a while at a lime last night
and started to think about this rotary business and the CIS.........I cannot
join the rotary at this time as I have academic commitments this year plus
my immobility but if we have representation then my ideas can still be put
forward.

I was looking through the booklet/handout that we got on Saturday and I saw
they have a project called the Can-o-Man where every week a rotary member
would bring a can to meetings and at the end of the month they have a good
quantity of cans to donate to the needy.  

I want to propose a similar and also significantly larger project where the
rotary mobilise companies to sponsor a computer lab at community centres in
the rural areas.  The lab would receive technical support from the
CIS/TTLUG.  I know BP is doing something like this in Mayaro.  Also some
companies give funding to organisations wanting to develop community
projects in the rural areas.  It might also be easier with the politics.

The company would have to sponsor:

1. Computers or cost to transport donated computers.
2. ADSL connection.  Maybe we can negotiate with TSTT to allow residential
rates?

Sponsors get their logo displayed in the community centre, on the CIS
website and in a newspaper spread.  The CIS would provide training to
community centre staff.

Also, something we need to investigate, and the rotary might have
information on this, is the tax benefits companies get here when they
contribute to charities, community development projects etc, so when we go
to ask for funds we can remind them of these benefits.

Okay so that's as much as I have so far.  It's still in the concept stages
and very ambitious I think so maybe you guys could jump in now and help
massage and flesh out the details.  

Allan.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of 
> Ross Gardler
> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 9:46 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [cis] Getting Rotary support - giving support to Rotary
> 
> 
> I have met with Rotary twice in the last four days. Allan was present 
> at one of those two meetings. I will be attending their weekly meeting 
> next week (and most likely weekly from here on in as I no longer have 
> conflicting commitments).
> 
> On Tuesday I have been asked to make another pitch for CIS to recieve 
> support from Rotary, as well as to consider offering support to Rotary 
> on two of their projects (not sure what they are yet, they will give 
> me information on Tuesday).
> 
> Originaly this group was very active with people donating time to come 
> and build the lab. Then something happend. No-one made contacts with 
> their local schools as had been promised, no-one proposed any 
> community centres to assist, nothing! Allan has recently been stirring 
> us up again and now Rotary are coming back into the fold.
> 
> What can I tell Rotary on Tuesday? Do we have anyone here still 
> committed to assisting us (or requesting assistance?). How can Rotary 
> help you? How can CIS help you?
> 
> Ross
> 
>