這對凱思琳和我而言真是一項驚喜。沒多久前，我們還沒有任何打算，將能夠做這樣的捐贈。我們都來自小康的背景，我是在社會補助與國民住宅下長大。凱思琳的家庭也一樣都是很普通。我們都在教育界工作並且從來沒有賺過大錢。

This was really a surprise for Kathleen and me.  Not too long ago, we had no idea that we would be able to make this kind of gift.  We both come from humble backgrounds.  I grew up on public assistance and a public housing project.  Kathleen’s family likewise had very modest means.  We both worked in education and never made very much money.

我們最後把捐贈湊在一起。

We ended up laminating gifts together.

在我們的第一份禮物上，我們擁有一間出租但難以管理的地產。當我們決定要將它賣出時，我使用Turbo Tax並發現我們會虧欠美國國內收入署美金四萬元的稅金。所以我們決定將它捐給扶輪基金會，來替代巨額稅金，我們三年內得到美金25,000元的稅捐抵扣，現在我們每年都收到從慈善信託餘額來的美金七千元，這些錢用做扶輪旅行之用。

In our first gift, we had a rental property that was becoming a nuisance to manage.  When we decided to sell it, I ran Turbo Tax and found that we would owe the Internal Revenue Service $40,000 in taxes.  So we decided to donate it to the Rotary Foundation.  Instead of the huge tax bill, we received a $25,000 tax deduction over three years, and we now receive $7,000 a year from this Charitable Remainder Trust, which we use for Rotary travel.

當我們最近要退休時，發現我們其他的投資都零星不完整，到處都有。舉例而言，當四十年前我還是一位年輕的專業者，我投入數千元在一些投資基金上。今天，它已有美金四萬六千元的價值。我們決定整合這些投資，並且發現這些零零整整的加起來遠超過我們的想像。我們被你們同胞Bernard Alexis de Tocqueville所提醒，他於19世紀中期環遊美國，並經歷了美國義工組織之後回法國，他說：“我們所有人都比我們想像的還有錢.” ，所以我們決定提供另一份捐贈給扶輪基金會以贊助一位扶輪和平獎學生。

When we recently retired, we discovered that we had other investments in bits and pieces— here and there. For example, when I was a young professional forty years ago, I put a couple thousand dollars into some investment funds.  Today, it is worth $46,000.  We decided to consolidate these investments, and found that the bits and pieces added up to more than we thought we had.  We were reminded, Bernard, of your countryman, Alexis de Tocqueville, who toured the United States in the mid 19th century.  And when he returned to France after experiencing America’s voluntary organizations, he said:  “We are all wealthier than we think we are.”  So we decided to make another gift to our Rotary Foundation to endow a Rotary Peace Fellow.

為什麼是扶輪和平獎學生？你們聽到法蘭西斯卡今天上午所說的。她是一位年輕女士已經參加過許多國家的和平建立的過程。因為我們倆都在中年時期回到學校進修博士學位，當你已經在你的職業領域工作之後，我們會知道研究所教育的經驗所能提供的價值。它能幫助你將事情做的更好。

Why a Rotary Peace Fellow?  You heard Francesca this morning.  Here is a young woman who has already worked in the peace-building process in several countries.  Because we both went back to school for doctoral studies in middle age, we know what a value a graduate education experience can be when you have already been working in your profession.  It can help you do what you do even better.

最後，我們這樣做是為了我們的小孩。他們已經上班賺錢，並且他們知道扶輪為世界所做的好事。他們也都是扶輪青年交換學生。我們認為給他們最好的禮物是展示如何做到寬厚。這份捐給扶輪基金會的基金將會為了他們及他們的小孩來協助世界建立和平，並且，它會是我們知道最好的一個方式來告知我們小孩，留給他們的遺產就是寬厚 。

Lastly, we did this for our children.  They are already gainfully employed, and they know what good Rotary does in the world. They were both Rotary Youth Exchange students. We feel that the very best gift that we can give them is to show them how to be generous.  This endowment to the Rotary Foundation will contribute to building peace in the world for them and their children; and— it is one of the best ways we know to tell our children that our legacy to them is to be generous.