Hilda was a quiet Rotarian, active with her club in British Columbia, Canada. Originally from the UK, I met with her in 2014, and she told me the story of being a young student there, when her teacher asked them to imagine their future and write it down. And so, she did.
Who would have thought that the simple exercise of asking a child to imagine something would have led to her decision to move to Canada and become a teacher here. Teachers inspire their students to learn, to dream and to succeed, a priority for Hilda, because of her own experience.
Rotary's work in Basic Education and Literacy aligned well with Hilda's values and vision for how to create positive in the world, inspiring her to name a gift to the Rotary Foundation Canada in her estate plans. In 2021, upon her passing Rotary followed her instructions to establish her named endowment for Basic Education and Literacy, which now helps to fund global grants in this key area of focus each year.
She imagined as a child, what could be possible and imagined as a Rotary member, how her legacy could change the world…one child at a time, and it is. Rotary's endowment is a crucial tool to fuel our mission today and will continue to fund our mission in the years to come, thanks to the vision and generosity of Rotary members like Hilda.
Written by RI staff-Senior Major Gift Officer, Carolyn Ferguson.