Unsung for over a decade, among the street urchins of Cavite, this hero is now enjoying continental praise. I'm referring to the recognition of Filipino "Pushcart educator" Efren Penaflorida as the CNN Hero of the Year just a week ago. His dream of bringing education to street children thru his "kariton classroom" he began in 1997 with the Dynamic Teen Company finally received worldwide acclaim and whatever financial reward he has received will multiply a hundredfold as his mobile literacy program is replicated across the country and continents who have likeminded heroes.

Like Efren, we at Rotary District 3850have always been moved to serve others above self, through various projects we have initiated such as those dealing with Water, Health and Hunger, Literacy in answer to basic needs of our less fortunate countrymen. Our Clean water project in Guimaras and Negros, our adopted schools, Zamboanga's Stop TB, our water project of Zamboanga City west and Dipolog, and many other assistance we have extend. Now and many other assistance we have extended utilizes the wealth of goodwill, human, technical and financial resources of Rotarians of D-3850.

These worthwhile projects cannot be sustained without digging into our pockets for our contribution to the Rotary Foundation. By giving $100 a year or less than $2 a week to the Annual Programs Fund through the Every Rotarian, Every Year initiative, Rotarians become part of the Foundation's mission to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. As we individually endeavor to give our 100 dollars , we shall reap the benefits of our commitment in 3 years, when half of what we have given will come back to us full circle in the form of matching grants for the continuation of our needful community projects.

This is the beauty of giving... it also begets more generosity... and more lives changed for the better.

As we observe Thanksgiving this month, may we never forget that the future of Rotary is in your hands.

DG Edgar Sy