Related Page

 

 

The foundation was established in April 2006.

 

 

Initially, the foundation Board and President were members of the Rotary Club of Gig Harbor.  The Board has expanded to include members of other Rotary clubs and non Rotarians. The Board selects its own officers and meets quarterly to review fundraising and International project opportunities.

 

Funding comes from both Rotarians and non-Rotarians.  Since inception, the Foundation has raised about $200,000 from nearly 200 different individuals and organizations.  Six persons have listed the Olson Foundation in their wills.  The current endowment is over $150,000.

 

With the Foundation’s leadership, over $500,000 in projects have been completed.  The Foundation partners with others, obtains matching grants and utilizes contributed services from communities to maximize leverage and to increase commitment to successful projects. Several water projects have been completed in the Camana valley of Peru and in the Northern Highlands of Guatemala.

 

The Peru projects involved design and construction of water pumping, piping and treatment equipment for small agrarian communities.  Clean water has been provided to four different communities.  The Rotary Club of Camana, Rotary International, and local municipal governments have been significant partners in the projects.  In some projects wind driven pumps lift water to a holding tank and then it is piped to spigots at each home in the village.  Local community members contribute about 40% of the cost through contributed labor.  This results in a high level of community commitment to ongoing maintenance of the completed systems.

Several Guatemala water projects have been completed partnering with “The Ripple Effect”, a Washington non-profit focused on working with northwest Guatemalan indigenous Mayan communities.  These projects also involve participation by Rotary International, the local community government and the Rotary Club of Barrias, Guatemala.  Because this is a mountainous area, water is piped from springs to the villages below.

 

The Foundation encourages support of International projects in District 5020 by providing an International Club of the Year Award. About 15 to 20 applications have been received each year since 2010..  The award includes a perpetual trophy and a $500 contribution to the recipient’s projects.

 

We need your new or continuing support with donations of cash, stock or codicil recognition in your will. The stock donation or bequest process is simple and legal services can normally be provided at no cost to you.   We pledge to carefully screen our projects and only address true needs with long-term sustainable solutions.

 

Foundation is a permanent endowment.  Through cash pledges, annual fund-raising campaigns, and bequests we plan to continue to build our capacity to “Lend a hand of hope” with financial and technical assistance to provide clean water and to alleviate hunger, disease, illiteracy, and poverty in the developing world. 

 

We welcome your suggestions and assistance in our work.

 

Jeff Harris              President              2015 -                  253-884-4697      j_mharris@msn.com

Bob Martin            President               2012 – 2015         253-851-7117      rotarybob@netjeff.com

Gary Glein             President               2006 – 2012         253-514-8152      gaglein@comcast.net