Rotary

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Knysna. Our club, which was chartered in 1962, works enthusiastically to maintain its reputation for outstanding fellowship and commitment to the Rotary principle of Service above Self.

With over 58 permanent members, our club also offers a temporary home to a number of ‘swallows’ or long-term visitors to this lovely area.

Knysna Rotary has raised millions of rands through the annual Pick n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour, which is a major event of the Knysna Oyster Festival.

The Golf Weekend is another major Rotary fundraising and fun event. The funds raised by Knysna Rotary are poured into its many community projects.

The Four way Test of things we Think, Say or Do.
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendship?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

THE ROTARY GRACE
For food, friends, fellowship and the opportunity to serve, we thank you, O Lord. Make us ever mindful of those less fortunate than ourselves.
AMEN

The Object of Rotary
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

First: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service:
Second: High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying by each Rotarian of their occupation as an opportunity to serve society:
Third: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business and community life:
Fourth: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Matching Grants

The Rotary Club of Knysna has embraced the instrument of Matching Grants enthusiastically over the past ten years, recognizing what a wonderful opportunity this provides for supporting our many community uplift projects. PP Joan Huskisson has been the driving force behind the MG success of RC Knysna and projects to the value of over R4 Million have been completed.

At any one time the club has five MGs open, which is the maximum number allowed by the Rotary Foundation. The moment one is completed, a new one is applied for.

Below are the 5 current “live” MGs:

Lovelife’s goGogetters
Providing funding for eight goGogetter grannies to purchase clothing and shoes for some 120 children under their care. This MG was initiated by Damian Lahoud, an Ambassadorial Scholar from Knysna, during his year in Linkoping, Sweden, together with the local Rotary Club. Seed funds from RC Knysna - US $1000, total value R118,000.

Sinethemba Youth Skills Centre
Conversion from a drop-in social facility to a skills centre for welding, pottery, baking and creating a Marimba Band. Initiation was by Lukas Kiefer, the son of a Rotarian from the RC Mönchengladbach-Niers, in Germany. RC Knysna arranged for Lukas to work at Sinethemba for 1 year as a volunteer, sponsored by the German www.weltwaerts.de organisation. RC Knysna seed money - US $1000, total value R166,000.

Rheenendal Primary School
A previous MG enabled the building of two class rooms, three toilets and the provision of educational aids. This one is for catering equipment, not only for feeding the children in school terms, but also for a feeding scheme during the school vacations. In addition, more educational material will be supplied. The initiation was done by Clyde and Vera Bower, who took part in one of RC Knysna’s annual Friendship Tours. They mentioned the school’s requirements to their son-in-law, a member of RC Pismo Beach, California. The Californian RCs of Arroyo Grande & Grover Beach supplied additional funding. Seed money US $1000 – total value R109,000.

A Container of Wheelchairs
This project was initiated by Rotarian Chris Davies, a regular visitor to Knysna and member of RC Cheltenham, England. To date this scheme has provided 104 wheelchairs, restoring independence and an enhanced quality of life to those people who would otherwise have been condemned to a miserable existence. RC Knysna contribution - US $100 – total value R104,000.

Knysna Sport School
This grant is for the provision of bursaries for 111 underprivileged children and youths, to be coached in seven different sporting disciplines. The project was initiated by Rtn Hans Tollenaar, a member of the RC Nieuwkoop, Netherlands and a swallow to Knysna. This is the third year that this MG has been arranged. RC Knysna’s contribution - R50,000 – total value R255,000.

The Key to a Successful Matching Grant Application

Compiled by PP Joan Huskisson

1. Find a project which meets the criteria set by the Rotary Foundation

2. Get approval from your club for seed funds, usually US $ 1000 but it can be as little as US $ 100

3. Find one or more clubs outside South Africa to contribute towards the project

4. Get commitment from your District Rotary Foundation Chairman for approval and funding from the District Designated Fund (DDF), which will be 50% of 2+3, i.e. the funds the participating clubs contribute

5. Submit to the Rotary Foundation, which, if approved, will give the same amount the DDF (see above) has contributed