You might know that Rotary clubs like the Eden Prairie (A.M.) Rotary Club sponsor and donate money directly to humanitarian projects worldwide.

What you might not know is that the not-for-profit Rotary Foundation, supported almost solely by donations from club members around the world, often matches or multiplies those local dollars.Rotary emblem

That’s the case in two projects recently sponsored by the Eden Prairie club.

Both of the projects involved Honduras and were coordinated with the help of Cheryl Schraeder, a member of the EP club and a leader in the non-profit international relief organization known as International Health Service (IHS).

One project started with a $3,500 Eden Prairie donation that grew to $27,000 with help from the Burnsville club, Rotary District 5950, the Rotary Foundation and IHS. The money was used to purchase an ambulance and provide medicine to more than 10,000 needy Hondurans.

Another effort began with a $4,000 donation from the local club and grew to $16,400 to pay for a water tower and water tank in a village that didn’t have good access to potable water.

That just goes to show that, when it comes to Rotary, small donations can have a very big impact.

(Rotary Rooter focuses on the activities of the Eden Prairie A.M. Rotary Club, which meets at 7:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the Biaggi's restaurant at Eden Prairie Shopping Center. Guests are welcome. You can learn more about the club by visiting www.epamrotary.)