Stories
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Speaker AccoladeA letter of commendation from Dan McMillan
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Rivermead CEO Lara Shea Outlines Challenges for Senior Living Demographic changes in the age of population will force changes in the services offered by Senior Living providers |
Sculpture New Hampshire Launches The idea of creating a sculpture trail or park in the Monadnock Region had its genesis at the annual 2021 Rotary District Conference in Meredith, NH.
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What You Don't Know About the War in UkraineMitzi Perdue, author, columnist, and anti-trafficking advocate was our featured speaker who spoke about her recent trip to Kyiv, Ukraine.  |
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Region 14 Applied Technology Center, Conval High SchoolOn June 21, 2022, Jennifer Kiley, CTE Director at ConVal, attended the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club meeting and discussed the amazing programs that the Applied Technology Center has to offer students from ConVal, Mascenic and Conant high schools. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/DOSKGGFXUv8  |
NH Division of Homeland Security and Emergency ManagementOn June 14, 2022, Vanessa Palange spoke about the role of NH Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Watch the meeting recording here https://youtu.be/ducNvqiMLtA.  |
Reality CheckOn June 7, 2022, Mary Drew from Reality Check spoke at the Grand Monadnock Rotary. Watch the meeting recording here https://youtu.be/sxsj-E3Y9VA.  |
Old Time PeterboroughOn May 24, 2022, Jimmy Smith spoke at the Grand Monadnock Rotary meeting to discuss what Peterborough was like in the 1950s and 1960s. Take a look at the meeting recording here https://youtu.be/wpsNcM5wJdw.  |
3D Printing and ModelingOn May 17, 2022, Dave DeWitt spoke at the Grand Monadnock Rotary meeting to discuss 3D printing and modeling. Dave discussed how he works with the local schools to help teach kids how to use TinkerCAD to build models and then print them on a 3D printer. He discussed how the kids learn about various aspects of engineering without even knowing it and how they are able to learn and use their problem solving skills to build various things. Check out the presentation here https://youtu.be/DzrHJEuLDfY.
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NH Insurance DepartmentOn May 10, 2022, Chris Nicolopoulos the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department spoke about what this agency does. Chris was nominated by Governor Chris T. Sununu and unanimously approved by the New Hampshire Executive Council. Previously, Commissioner Nicolopoulos served as the President and CEO of the New Hampshire Association of Insurance Agents for five years. You can watch the recording of this meeting here: https://youtu.be/QrDqmDLRDVg
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Creating Friendships for PeaceOn May 3, 2022, Betsy Small Campbell talked about the story of Creating Friendships for Peace CFP), a 501C-3 that first began hosting Northern Ireland teen pairs from opposing sides of the conflict for month-long summer homestays in the U.S. under the name Children's Friendship Program of Northern Ireland (CFPNI). You can watch the recording of this meeting here: https://youtu.be/6wZMHmb3EMU  |
Rotary Dublin Park CleanupOn April 28, 2022, a few Rotarians (Rick MacMillan, Dale Gable, Harry Wolhandler) and some others took time to clean up the Dublin Rotary Park trails.  |
Maple Syrup IndustryOn April 26, 2022, Ben Fisk from Ben's Sugar Shack attended the Grand Monadnock Rotary meeting to discuss the maple sugaring industry and plans for his continued growth of his business. There was a great Q and A session, so please watch the recording of this meeting here: https://youtu.be/fjbjyCHvb9o  |
Peterborough Municipal Building UpdateOn April 19, 2022, Ed Walker joined the Grand Monadnock Rotary members and discussed the current status of the new municipal building in Peterborough NH. Please watch the recording of this meeting here: https://youtu.be/wuE6hiHVFco  |
Afghani Refugee CommitteeOn April 12, 2022, Eric Swope and Laurie Jameson attended the Grand Monadnock Rotary meeting to discuss the Afghani Refugee Committee and what this group is doing to help Afghani refugees settle in our area. Please watch the recording of this meeting here: https://youtu.be/SljbsAMri6Q   |
Michael Manjarris discusses sculpture parksOn April 5, 2022, Michael Manjarris from Manjarris Sculpture joined the Grand Monadnock Rotary club meeting via Zoom and discussed the work he has done as a sculptor, building sculpture parks and working with other artists to get their works on display. The Rotary club has been exploring building a sculpture park at Dublin Rotary Park. You can view the recording of his talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZU1P84_N_I. You can also view the slides here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TuKL5h2PkDX-DZksG-KRaQttMdAhm6Vv/view?usp=sharing  |
Jacqueline Roland from Avenue AOn March 29. 2022, Jacqueline Roland form Avenue A was the guest speaker at the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club meeting. She discussed the programs at Avenue A and the resources available to kids in the ConVal area. In addition, she talked about the leadership program they did with Friends Forever International with the support of the donation GMRC made to fund this effort. Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtRQ_IyEaeU
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Luca Paris from Greater Keene and Peterborough ChamberOn March 22. 2022, Luca Paris spoke at the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club meeting and discussed the role of the Greater Keene and Peterborough Chamber. He talked about some of the changes the chamber is making and the effort to connect business with community. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdvRErcZBpk  |
End 68 Hours of HungerOn March 15. 2022, Carol Cleary and Linda Caracappa from End 68 Hours of Hunger joined the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club via Zoom to discuss the program and the needs to help children and families in the ConVal area with food support over the weekend. This program serves Antrim, Bennington, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough, and Temple (all the towns of the ConVal School District). To learn more about the program and to make a donation visit: https://www.end68hoursofhunger.org/find-your-community/new-hampshire/conval-sau-1/. You can also watch the presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ket0CjhtWis  |
Girl Scout Cookies for Hospital StaffersJust imagine the smiles generated when $2,700 worth of Girl Scout Cookies showed up at Monadnock Community Hospital. That generous donation was made by the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club through the Hometown Heroes program run by Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains on March 7.  |
Cyndee McGuire from MCHOn February 1. 2022, Cyndee McQuire from Monadnock Community Hospital joined the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club via Zoom to discuss the current state of the Covid situation and the hospital's integration with state consortium of hospitals. You can watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__k5iOVTj6U  |
Katherine Gekas Clinical HerbalistOn January 18. 2022, Katherine Gekas who is a clinical herbalist joined the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club via Zoom to discuss medicinal plants and how to safely use them. You can watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uai-nRARJi0  |
NH Office of Workforce OpportunityOn January 11. 2021, Jimmie Hinson, from NH Office of Workforce Opportunity spoke at the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club meeting and discussed the services offered by NH Office of Workforce Opportunity. To find out more you can visit their website at https://www.nhworks.org/ or contact Jimmie Hinson directly at 603-419-0995 or Jimmie.R.Hinson@livefree.nh.gov.  |
Operation Santa Celebrates 35 Years of Gift Giving
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Hungry Bear FarmOn November 9. 2021, Gene Jonas from Hungry Bear Farm joined the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club via Zoom to discuss local farming and the importance and value of local resources for food.  For more information about Hungry Bear Farm and what Gene has been up to, refer to this link: https://hungrybearfarm.com/
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MAPS Counseling ServicesOn Tuesday, November 2, 2021, Bethann Clauss joined the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club meeting via Zoom to discuss the services that MAPS Counseling Services provides to the community.  To learn more about MAPS, please visit their website at https://mapsnh.org/. |
Nuttin Ordinary TourOn October 26, 2021, the Grand Monadnock Rotary club was visited by Adam and Josh from Nuttin Ordinary which is in the same building as where the club meets. Adam gave an overview of what has been going on with the company and then we were given a tour of the Nuttin Ordinary facility by Josh and Adam.  |
River CenterOn October 12, 2021, Margaret Nelson from the River Center spoke at the Grand Monadnock Rotary meeting to discuss the current things the River Center is doing along with their extensive list of volunteers. Margaret also said the River Center is always looking for new volunteers and needs help with volunteers that can assist with tax returns.  |
Leadership NHOn September 28, 2021, Mandy Sliver from Leadership NH attended the Rotary meeting to discuss Leadership NH and to answer questions. To learn more about Leadership NH, please visit their website: https://leadershipnh.org/ |
Afghanistan SamsortyaOn September 21, 2021, Mariam Raqib from Afghanistan Samsortya join the Grand Monadnock Rotary club via Zoom to discuss how Afghans can be supported now and also how she supports needed environmental revitalization in Afghanistan. She discussed her background in Afghanistan as a young child and how and why she started this organization to help rebuild the environment with new trees and clean water. To learn more about this program please visit: http://www.afghanistansamsortya.org/.
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Join the Community Walk for Recovery
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New Peterborough Library presented |
A Healthy Democracy is Good BusinessOn August 31, 2021, Brian Beihl, Deputy Director of Open Democracy, attended the Grand Monadnock Rotary club meeting to discuss how business & civic leaders can play a role in a vital democracy without being partisan, and at the same time encourage younger workers to stay, keep employees engaged at work but also engaged in the community, and make sure our election system works for everyone.  A poster for 'A Healthy Democracy is Good Business' states, "When everyone can participate in our electoral process, and they are properly and fairly represented, our government and economy work better for all." Civic and business leaders play a critical role in helping to defend our freedoms, and by doing so, can help keep our democracy and economy strong.  The nonpartisan Open Democracy, founded by Dublin's Doris "Granny D" Haddock, advocates for "an equal voice for all," whether that is equalizing the voice of the voter with that of special interests, making sure voting districts are created with a fair, nonpartisan & transparent process, or by making sure that everyone has the freedom to vote. Brian also leads the six Open Democracy Teams around the state as they engage with local, state and federal governments on democracy issues. He recently moved to Alton Bay, NH, but was a 35-year resident of Antrim, where he was a business and community leader for many years, and citizen of the year in 2013. He also was a Scoutmaster, chair of the Mt Monadnock District of Scouts BSA, and served on the Daniel Webster Council, among many community roles.
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Peterborough new fire station and municipal campus designOn August 24, 2021, Ed Walker, Peterborough Fire Chief, discussed the new proposed Peterborough fire station and municipal campus planned for Elm Street.  Ed gave an overview of Peterborough Fire & Rescue history and various buildings that have been used over the years. In addition, he spoke about the EMS services it performs in Peterborough and surrounding towns. Ed discussed the plans for building a new municipal campus and how that would benefit residents and Peterborough Fire & Rescue.  There will be a public meeting on Wednesday, September 1st for people to learn more about the project and to get their questions answered. |
Lionheart Classical AcademyOn August 17, 2021, Barry Tanner spoke at the Rotary meeting and discussed plans for a new public charter school in Peterborough, NH named Lionheart Classical Academy. The school will begin as K-5 with plans to add an additional grade each year until becoming a K-12 school. The plan is to open the school in the fall of 2022. The current proposed location will be 10 Sharon Road in Peterborough. Enrollment will be offered through a lottery system and is available to students in the surrounding towns.  |
Monadnock Community Early Learning CenterOn August 10, 2021, the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club invited Louise Danforth (see picture below) from Monadnock Community Early Learning Center (MCELC) to talk about the learning center and some of the challenges during the pandemic. MCELC was selected to serve as a preschool for essential workers by the State of NH and operated during the pandemic. Louise talked about the challenges of operating a preschool during the pandemic and the protocols used to keep children and staff safe. She also talked about the challenges facing preschools now and in the future and proposed initiatives to expand early childhood education.  Louise Danforth is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Monadnock Community Early Learning Center. She also served as Executive Director of the school before becoming Program Director at Monadnock Community Hospital in the fall of 2008. Judy Watkins from Monadnock Community Early Learning Center was going to join us as well, but she was unable to attend due to last minute scheduling changes. Judy was appointed Executive Director of Monadnock Community Early Learning Center in 2019 and, in NH, has also worked at the Crotched Mountain Foundation and Concord Head Start. |
Fourth Rotary Cruz-In Event of 2021 Announced
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First Hybrid Meeting for 2021On August 3, 2021, the Grand Monadnock Rotary held its first hybrid meeting after a year plus of having online only meetings. There were 18 people in attendance for the meeting which was held at MaXT Makerspace in Peterborough NH.  Our guest speaker was John Therriault from Monadnock Beekeepers’ Association. John retired in Keene NH after a career in high tech with IBM, Lockheed Martin and Danaher. He began to garden and noticed the lack of honeybees. This led him to research honeybees and pollinators that in turn led to beekeeping. He keeps bees in 5 different kinds of hives, captures swarms and removes honeybees from buildings. He is the President of the Monadnock Beekeepers' Association and an alternate member of the Keene Conservation Commission. John discussed pollinator protection and provided lots of great information about the importance of this and creating environments to support pollinators. |
Four Way Test Speech ContestRotary Four Way Test Speech Contest Offers Prize Money to High School StudentsThe Rotary Four Way Test offers guidance for ethical and honest relationships in our personal and professional lives. All High School students living in the Conval School District are invited to compete in the Grand Monadnock Rotary Four Way Test Speech Contest with a top prize of $250! You must prepare your speech based on the Rotary Four Way Test, showing ALL FOUR (4) of the questions as applied to your life or a segment of society and demonstrate its impact. This is the Rotary Four Way Test:  Topics are up to you. Coaching and gathering feedback are encouraged, but students are responsible for creating and delivering their own speech. Speeches must be between 5 and 7 minutes long and will be delivered over Zoom in late April and early May. Prizes:
Important dates:
Click here to download the Four Way Test Speech Contest Rules.Click here to Register: Enter the Four Way Test Speech Contest.Confirmation of your contest entry will be sent by email. A Zoom link to the contest and the time slot assigned for your speech will be sent approximately a week before the contest begins. For questions about entry and the contest, contact GMRC president Harry Wolhandler <Harry(at)Accelara.com>
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Messages to the Community from the Recovery CommunityMessages to the Community |
Community Walk For RecoveryLearn what Communities can do to reverse the Opioid Crisis and support those suffering from Substance Use Disorders |
Grand Monadnock Rotary Club Launched in RegionGrand Monadnock Rotary Club Launched in Region  There’s a new Rotary club in the region, the Grand Monadnock Rotary Club (GMRC). Rotary clubs are formed of business, professional and community leaders committed to service to our communities and our world. Their tag line, “Serving Our Towns & Our World”, underscores Rotarian’s commitment to improving conditions in the world around them, and the power of community members to help make things happen. |
GMRC Sponsors MASK UP NHFree Re-Usable Masks Distributed by Grand Monadnock Rotary Club  As we all know, the number of Covid-19 isn’t going away soon. We need to Mask-UP for summer. Rotary has stepped up to make a difference. Grand Monadnock Rotary Club has partnered with the Rotary Club of Plymouth NH and the Common Man Restaurants to distribute 3000 masks free. The distribution will be on July 10, 3 pm - 7 pm and July 11th 10 am to 2 pm at South Meadow School in Peterborough. |
Rotary sponsors "Angst-The Movie"Grand Monadnock Rotary Sponsors "Angst" - The Movie  Angst, an lndieFlix documentary designed to raise awareness around anxiety, includes interviews with kids, teens, educators, experts, parents and a very special interview with Michael Phelps. Screened in schools and theaters around the world, the film and materials provide tools, resources and above all, hope. Click for more info |
Watch Community Walk For Recovery video |
Community Walk For Recovery - Great Success! Monadnock Rotary Club hosted its first annual Community Walk for Recovery from Substance Use Disorder on October 20, 2019, from Dublin School to Historic Harrisville (3 miles). One hundred people walked and then attended presentations about recovery. The exhibitors were Monadnock Voices for Prevention, The Doorway (Cheshire Medical Center), Phoenix House (Dublin), Monadnock Family Services, Maps Counseling Services, Reality Check, Keene Serenity Center, and Better Life Partners. Speakers presented information about the community and state efforts including Jay Kahn, NH State Senator; Polly Morris, PRSS-FO, Harbor Homes, Dr. Rudy Fedrizzi, WRJ Public Health Services District. Life stories were told by recovery advocates: Shawn Maguire, Sam Abbot, and Tom Davison. Financial Sponsors included: Monadnock Rotary District 7870, local Rotarians, Aldworth Manor, All Saints Church-Peterborough, anonymous donors, Rev Sandi Albom, Bar Harbor Bank, Belletetes, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Monadnock Community Hospital, Monadnock Paper Mills/Verney Foundation, Rivermead, Peterborough Rotary Club, Phoenix House, and Yankee Publishing. Donors included the walkers and others who attended presentations. Media supporters included Monadnock Ledger Transcript, Keene Sentinel, Monadnock Radio Group and Silver Direct. This fundraiser is to provide Rotary grants to support front line organizations in the recovery and prevention community. |
MRC Community Walk For Recovery
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