The joy and rewards of giving and serving
By Aretha Fouch Price
Rotary International News - 8 May 2008
Arch C. Klumph Society inductees:
1) Rajashree Birla stands next to a picture of herself with her late husband, Aditya Birla.
2) Vinay and Rashmi Kulkarni
3) A photo of Everett and Ellen Mayhood
4) Paul N. Geisel
Rotary photos/Monika Lozinska-Lee
Several Rotarians gathered to remember, honor, and celebrate a strong commitment to Rotary during the 21-23 April induction ceremonies into the Arch C. Klumph Society. During the 21 April ceremony, one of the inductees announced an additional US$1 million contribution for Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge.
The induction ceremonies, which were held at Rotary International headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, paid homage to three couples and one individual for their accumulative contributions of more than $250,000 to The Rotary Foundation and Rotary International. The inductees received an Arch C. Klumph Society certificate of appreciation, and their portrait was installed in the Arch C. Klumph Gallery.
Rajashree and Aditya Birla
As an honorary Rotarian of two Rotary clubs, Rajashree Birla from Mumbai, India, says she feels a strong kinship with Rotary because its humanitarian work echoes the values of the Birla family, who has a long history of philanthropy and humanitarian work through the Aditya Birla Foundation, named in memory of her husband. During her speech, Birla reinforced her family’s exceptional philanthropic legacy with a surprise that she would commit an additional $1 million to Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge.
Vinay and Rashmi Kulkarni
A man of many great deeds, Vinay D. Kulkarni leads by example. Rotarian Rashmi V. Kulkarni says the day her husband became governor of District 3130 he gave $250,000 to Rotary.
“As governor of my district, it is my duty to make dreams real,” says Vinay D. Kulkarni of Pune Parvati, Maharashhtra, India. “If you want to be happy, make others happy.”
Everett and Ellen Mayhood
Being in the presence of Rotarians and giving to others were near the top of Everett S. Mayhood’s list. He missed one or two Rotary club meetings and vowed never to miss another. Mayhood actively served more than 40 years as a member of the Rotary Club of Calgary, Alberta, Canada (District 5360) and the Rotary Club of Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii (District 5000).
Fellow Rotarians, family, and friends recall Mayhood as a man who had a head for business and a heart for Rotary.
“My brother loved Rotary. It was family to him,” says Past District Governor William Mayhood of the Rotary Club of Los Altos Sunset, California, USA. “And Ellen [Everett’s wife] loved it just as much as Everett.”
William spoke on behalf of his deceased brother and sister-in-law.
Paul N. Geisel
Some describe Past District Governor Paul N. Geisel, of Fort Worth, Texas, as a walking Public Relations instrument for Rotary and the Rotary Foundation. That, however, only touches on his strong belief in philanthropy.
Geisel talked about how thinking of your own tragedies in life helps you understand the need to help others.
“The people we help are real. This is not an abstraction. That’s why I give money. Somebody real is out there, somebody whose dignity is threatened, whose life is challenged. That’s why we’re here. The continuation of all this is very important. We need to support The Rotary Foundation and make the Permanent Fund grow,” says Geisel.
Jenny Llakmani and Joseph Derr contributed to this report.