Paul Harris Fellows
As Rotary grew, its mission expanded beyond serving the professional and social interests of club members. Rotarians began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need.
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An endowment fund, set up by Rotarians in 1917 “for doing good in the world,” became a not-for-profit corporation known as The Rotary Foundation in 1928. Upon the death of Paul Harris in 1947, an outpouring of Rotarian donations made in his honor, totaling $2 million, launched the Foundation’s first program — graduate fellowships, later called Ambassadorial Scholarships.
Today, individuals gifting $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation (Rotary Annual Programs Fund, PolioPlus or the Humanitarian Grants Program), or people who have that amount contributed in their name, are recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow. Each new Paul Harris Fellow receives a commemorative certificate and a pin.
A donation of $2,000 or more allows an individual to be recognized as a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a pin with one to five sapphires or one to three rubies is given based on the appropriate amount.
Contributions to The Rotary Foundation support a wide range of humanitarian grants and educational programs that enable Rotarians to bring hope and promote international understanding throughout the world.
Today the Rotary Club of Columbia is proud to have in our current ranks, the following Paul Harris Fellows — several, many times over:
Fred Antenberg
Tom Briscoe
Raj DeSai
Russell Gobbel
Rick Hope
Geetha Jayaram
Ed Kreiner
Jay Kumar
Becky Mangus
Jim McDiarmid
Rick Menz
Herb Moltzen
Mimi O’Donnell
Dave Parris
Steve Sachs
Raj Saini
Ty Saini
John Startt
Earl Wilkinson