Following a presentation that I made at our District 7780 Rotary gathering at Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth, Maine during the summer of 2019, the District Governor, Andrew Glazier, asked, “why couldn’t we make this a challenge for all our clubs this year?”
Registering to be an organ and tissue donor is easy, costs nothing and can literally mean the difference between life and death for someone waiting. Organ and tissue donation align well with our values as Rotarians.
The Challenge Is Issued
The Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club, my home club, is hereby challenging every club in our district to aim for 100% of the membership as registered organ donors by April 2020. Will your club hit 75%? 85%? 98%? Let’s have fun will doing good and promoting such an important cause.
April is National Donate Life month. We are planning some fun recognition for our winning clubs, even though the reality is that we all win with every donor registered.
ACTION STEPS FOR YOUR CLUB –
- Establish a way to record your club members as registered donors or new donors so that you can report your results by March 15.
- Add art and information to your social media pages, website and newsletter encouraging club members to register as organ donors at www.RegisterMe.org
- Schedule a Donate Life guest speaker for a club meeting. (contact scott@linscottphoto.com, 207-400-2481 or https://donatelifenewengland.org/ )
I received my gift of life, a liver transplant, on May 7, 2012. I am alive today because of organ donation. I would be glad to come speak to your club or do what I can to help you reach 100 percent. 123,000 people are waiting for transplants in the United States today. As many as 21 people die each day on the waiting list. I hope your club will rise to the challenge. Our District Governor is correct. It makes perfect sense for Rotarians to get on board.
Scott Linscott
Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club
207-400-2481, scott@linscottphoto.com
Drinking from the Same Dipper 