RCME Foundation

Servicing Our Community

Rotary is founded on development of relationships with other business leaders and professionals of similar mindset while serving together to make the world a better place.  This is all meant to be accomplished under the following guidelines:

  • Rotarians are encouraged to live by the highest standards in their business/professional and personal lives.
  • Rotary is global in scope so as to advance goodwill and peace through world fellowship of business leaders and professionals.
  • Rotarians are caring, service oriented people of action.
  • Our call to service encompasses not only high ethical living, but also includes sharing our resources with others in need.
  • To that end, Paul Harris established the Rotary International Foundation to be an instrument for accumulating and sharing financial and technical/professional resources globally.

Why does the club have a separate foundation?

 In 2000 the Rotary Club of Memphis East created its own tax-exempt foundation to complement and support the RI Foundation. This allows us to raise funds in a tax-deductible manner.  Fundraising primarily for local/regional needs that could not be supported at the same level by RI has allowed us to grow a fund that is presently around $500,000. Not only do we annually grant regionally, but we also send 25% of our funds raised to the RI Foundation for their global use. Today our annual grants exceed the amount raised in a given year thanks to great stewardship of the foundation by our board. While building our fund is important, it is more important for us to use it to make this area a better place to live.

Locally we have granted several hundred thousand dollars to numerous not-for-profits with specific needs as well as to our adopt-a-schools White Station Elementary and previously Georgia Avenue Elementary. A few times we have supported international projects in coordination with a local club in that country which is sponsoring and supervising that project. Some of these projects also qualify for matching grants from the RI International Foundation.

Sometimes we are asked if one must be a Rotarian to contribute to the foundation, and the answer is that all who wish to support the causes of Rotary are welcome to contribute. We would also encourage you to consider becoming a member of Rotary Club of Memphis East.

Officers & Directors for the Foundation:

John Ueleke, Chairman
King Rogers, Vice Chairman
John Seabold, Secretary
Kevin Boes, Treasurer

Nina Gourley, Director
Cliff Williams, Director
Matthew Gant, Director
Neal Graham, Director

Mark Griffee, Director
Tom Wilson, Director
David Leake, Director