Last week, Denis Cowhig assisted by David Erickson and other NxNE Austin Rotarians provided the club with the history of the North Austin Rotary Foundation and how it is helping us serve the Austin community. David Erickson told us about the history of the North Austin Rotary Foundation, which was formed in 2006 and about some of its earlier projects including donations of trips for raffles to raise funds for scholarships. He then told us about Gil and Louise Bartz. Gil was a long-time member of the North Austin Rotary Club, who was in charge of attendance. His wife Louise helped him and became an honorary member. Even when they were no longer members of the club, James Starr kept in contact with the Bartz family. When Louise died, David helped with the filing of the papers with the IRS and under Louise’s will 10% of her estate was left to the Austin Rotary Club Foundation to establish a permanent “Gilbert G. and Louise J. Bartz North Austin Rotary Club Scholarship Fund.” The income from the fund was to be used for college scholarships. The North Austin Rotary Foundation worked with the Austin Rotary Club Foundation to get the funds transferred via a court order in 2009. Under that Order, the North Austin Rotary Foundation became the Trustee of the Bartz Scholarship Fund. In 2009, the Foundation received approximately $110,000 from the Austin Rotary Club Foundation. That fund has now grown, and the Foundation currently holds approximately $260,000, the bulk of which is the Bartz fund. Part of the Bartz fund also consists of mineral interests that the executor of the estate could not sell as they were nonproducing at the time. The Foundation currently receives income from a well in West Texas due to the mineral interest that was part of the Bartz estate. Other donations can be made to the Foundation as 501(c)(3) that are not restricted by the terms of Louise Bartz will as modified by the Court order. Beth Seiver reported on the scholarships awarded this year by the Foundation. This year the Foundation authorized the club to select 5 students for $2500 scholarships. There are also currently two students who were awarded 4-year scholarships from the Bartz fund. Students for these scholarships usually come from Navarro and McCallum High School. A $1,000 donation also was made the Foundation this year for a scholarship in the name of Ernie and Shirley Dean that can be used for trade schools.