The Helderberg Rotary Sunrise Club is making great strides in feeding the hungry, according to the club’s communitry services chairperson, Chris van Der Leij, because of significant donations from overseas Rotary clubs.
“Our twin club in Terrigal, Australia, has donated A$6 000 and their Rotary district matched that with a district grant of A$6 000. It amounts to some R138 000.
“Ton Houben, one of our ‘swallow’ members from the Netherlands, raised R200 000 from his club and one other in the Netherlands,” Mr Van der Leij said.
“Helmut Jung, also a ‘swallow’ member, from Germany, raised over R200 000 from three clubs in Germany. Finally, a Swiss Rotary club has donated R100 000.
“I think for me as a Rotarian in seeing the incredible interaction between clubs worldwide has brought home that we are a global village, basically, as Rotary. And that for me is the true meaning of Rotary. Feeling, not just empathy, but feeling affiliated with other parts of the world that are in even greater need than theirs,” Mr Van de Leij said.