​Merrimack Rotary Gives Straight Through Pandemic​

MERRIMACK, NH - The Merrimack Rotary Club met the challenges of 2020 with generous giving and continuous weekly meetings. Club President Bob Best recently summarized this most unusual Rotary year with a multitude of accomplishments despite its challenges.

“The club never skipped a beat during the pandemic,” said Bob Best, Rotary Club of Merrimack President 2019/2020. “We just adjusted our traditions a bit to make it work for the Merrimack community.”

Despite this year’s cancellation of the club’s largest fundraiser - the Independence Day Celebration on the 4th of July - the club continued giving to community charities. Such contributions included:

· Contributed $800 to the YMCA Summer Camp Fund
· Contributed $1,500 to Friends Forever International
· Contributed $2,000 to Friends of Aine
· Contributed $500 to the Music Program at Founders Academy
· Contributed $1,500 to the Bulgarian Project
· Contributed $1,500 to Newburyport Rotary- Merrimack River Water Quality Project
· Contributed $16,000 in Scholarships to Merrimack High School Students
· Contributed $500 to Merrimack Rotary Scholarship Inc. In the name of Jackie Flood
· Contributed over $800 to Operation Santa gifts
· Contributed $1,500 to Operation Care for the Troops
· Contributed $1,000 to Wasserman Park function hall painting project
· Contributed $5,000 to Meals on Wheels
· Members Contributed 3 i-Pads to Community Health & Hospice during the COVID pandemic
· Contributed $1,750 to area food pantries before the onset of the COVID Pandemic
· Contributed $4,230 to area food pantries after the onset of the COVID Pandemic
· Contributed infrared thermometers to Rosehaven Nursing Home
· Contributed Automatic blood pressure meter to Rosehaven Nursing Home
· Distributed about 1,200 free masks to the community to fight COVID
· Contributed $1,000 to the Guatemala Literacy Project
· Participated in Adopt-a-Road roadside clean up
· Contributed $600 in awards to Merrimack High School students competing in the 4-way speech contest.
· Contributed $500 in gift cards to Merrimack’s top 10 scholars

Throughout the year, the club continuously met on a weekly basis via Zoom. The meetings were conducted as if in-person including club business, happy fines and a guest speaker. The club also inducted a new member. Among the speakers that presented this Rotary year were: Pete Giacapuzzi- Merrimack Crimeline, Lisa Beaudoin- Able NH, Tom Jokerst- Anheuser Busch, Mark McLaughlin- NH School District, Denise Roy, Chief of Police- Merrimack COVID Response, Yvette Couser- Merrimack Library COVID Operations, Holly Morales- 9-Round, Charlie McIntyre- Executive Director of the New Hampshire Lottery, Paula Telage- NH Homecare & Hospice, Harry Vogel- Loon Preservation Committee, Jane Cormier- Piccola Opera, and Matt Casparius- Merrimack Parks and Rec.

Founded in 1971, the Rotary Club of Merrimack is a volunteer organization of business people and professionals supporting the community. Merrimack Rotary projects have included the Roger Duhamel Pavilion at Watson Park, scholarships, reconstruction of Kids' Kove Playground, scholarships, the Merrimack July Fourth festivities, the Rotary 4-Way Speech Contest, Interact Club, lighting at Reeds Ferry fields and more. The club works with other clubs on international projects like eradication of polio, Pure Water for the World, and hurricane relief in Honduras. Rotary Club of Merrimack also has an annual recognition of the three premiere Gold Award winners for the Green & White Mountain Council of the GSA and bestowing annual individual awards to the two Daniel Webster Council's best Scouts who earned the Eagle Scout of the Year & the Glenn & Melinda Adams Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year.

To RSVP for a meeting or for information about membership, contact Chris Christensen at 603.424.2542 or mailto: chris@christensenNH.com or visit www.merrimackrotary.org.