Filipino Rotarians from Philippines Inducted Into the Rotary Club’s Arch Klumph Society

By: Veronica Leighton

 

Five generous individuals from the Philippines, longtime members of the Rotary Club, were inducted into the prestigious and exclusive Arch Klumph Society last April 12th at the Rotary International World Headquarters in Evanston, IL., “a special celebration of the tremendous philanthropy and leadership” exhibited by this select group of Filipino Rotarians. For membership, each of these dedicated Rotarians has donated at least $250,000 for the category of Family Circle, in support of the Foundation’s educational and humanitarian programs, followed by $250,000-$499,999: Trustees Circle; $500,000-$999,999: Chair’s Circle; $1,000,000-$2,499,999: Foundation Circle; $2,500,000-$4,999,999: Platinum Trustees Circle; $5,000,000-$9,999,999: Platinum Chair’s Circle; and $10,000,000+: Platinum Foundation Circle. Membership is lifelong. Along with recognition pins and pendants, members receive several other benefits commensurate with their generosity.

For recognition, each member has the opportunity to have his or her portrait placed in the Arch Klumph Society Gallery, located on the 17th floor of Rotary International World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA. Portraits are etched on glass plaques, which are back-lit to create a stunning display of the Foundation’s most valued supporters. Society members can choose to be inducted in one of several ways: at a special two-day ceremony at Rotary International World Headquarters, with other inductees; at a ceremony planned with local Rotary leaders during a Rotary institute; at a dinner prior to Rotary International Assembly; or at a special dinner during the Rotary International Convention.

Existing Arch Klumph Society members who give $250,000 or more can honor a family member as part of the Arch Klumph Society Family Circle. Children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, and grandparents are eligible. Arch Klumph Society Family Circle honorees are eligible for the following benefits: Their portraits and names added to the Arch Klumph Society kiosk at Rotary International World Headquarters; Their names listed in Arch Klumph Society publications; An Arch Klumph Society pin or pendant; Access to the Arch Klumph Society lounge at the Rotary International Convention

Their giving promotes peace, fights disease, provides clean water, saves mothers and children, supports education, and grows local economies through grants that: Bring peacebuilding seminars to 200 teachers and 1,300 students in Uganda.; Distribute insecticide-treated mosquito nets and medical services that help prevent malaria in Mali.; Train teachers who are establishing an early-childhood education center in South Africa.; Provide water filters, toilet blocks, and hygiene training to prevent fluorosis in a community in India.; Fund a scholarship for a medical professional to research ways to minimize mortality rates among premature babies in Italy.; Protect children around the world from polio.

History of the Arch Klumph Society:

Arch C. Klumph founded the Rotary Club of Cleveland, Ohio, USA, in 1911 and was the 1916-17 Rotary president. Addressing the 1917 convention in Atlanta, Georgia, he eloquently promoted the idea of “endowments for the purpose of doing good in the world.”

That year, the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri, made the first gift, of $26.50, to the fledgling fund. When the endowment had grown significant enough to require administrators to manage it, The Rotary Foundation was born, and Klumph was selected as one of its first tru stees.

The Arch Klumph Society was created in 2004, during Rotary International’s centennial celebration, as a meaningful way to recognize the Foundation’s highest-level donors. The society’s first dinner was held the following year. Today, members’ portraits, engraved in glass plaques, hang in the Arch Klumph Society Gallery at Rotary International World Headquarters.

Let’s take a look at these generous Filipino Rotarians who are making a difference in the world and recently inducted into the honored Arch Klumph Society… ANTONIO B. and LOURDES ONG CO (Rotary Club of San Juan Del Monte, Metro Manila: The Cos are particularly interested in two of Rotary’s areas of focus: disease prevention and treatment, and economic and community development. Their philanthropy is inspired by the saying, “From those to whom much is given, much is expected.”; RAFAEL NG and LE BE YU TANTUCO (Rotary Club of Sariaya, Quezon): Paeng and Nene were inspired to become Arch Klumph Society members because they share Rotary’s goal of Doing Good in the World. Paeng says administering the polio vaccine to children in the Philippines is one of the fondest Rotary memories.; LYDIRA MIRAL and RUSTICO V. RECTO, JR. (Rotary Club of Lipa South, Batangas): Chito and Lydia are particularly interested in two Rotary areas of focus: water and sanitation, and economic and community development, inspired their participation in Rotary’s fight to end polio in the 1980s, and in an initiative that brought aid to Mindanao, after Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.; JESUS SONGCO and MIMOSA M. NICDAO (Rotary Club of Western Pampanga): They are interested in three of Rotary’s areas of focus: disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation and maternal and child health. They strongly believe that the Rotary Foundation is the best channel to allow them to help the most underprivileged members of society. “I have seen the great and magnificent works of the Foundation, including the fight against Polio, which started in my country.; MARIA ROSANIEVA CARRION (Rotary Club of Manila Supreme 198): Bing’s club has worked closely with 5,000 local high school students, including holding a forum for them on peace and conflict prevention and resolution. She believes education is the key to empowerment and concentrates her efforts on this Rotary area of focus. For her, two other key areas of focus are disease prevention and treatment, and economic and community development.

For the occasion of the Rotary Club’s Philippine Day, we salute our generous, philanthropic and humanitarian kababayan. May your tribe multiply. Quoting Arch C. Klumph, “No one can tell us what Rotary will be tomorrow, but one thing is certain what Rotary will be tomorrow depends upon what Rotarians do today.”

Rotary International’s Filipino Arch Klumph Society Members