The 4 Way Speech Contest has been rescheduled for Thursday April 4th, please look under the Club Events section for more details.

Thank you.

Rotary Nashua West.

Below is a picture from way back in 1976, can anyone identify who the participants were in the Rotary Nashua West Float that year?

If so a small prize will be waiting.  See Zia at one of the weekly meetings.

Here is who we know so far (from left to right)
?   ?   Rolf Pagel   Linda Saren   ?   ?

How West Side Story Got Its Name
by
Charter Members: Joel Saren, President #5, and David B. Fite

When Rotary West began we were mostly young business leaders in the Nashua community. Very quickly we all became good friends.  Our wives also became close friends.  At Rotary West events, it was like a family event without the family turmoil (LOL). 

Members and wives all participated in all the events.  We played co-ed softball games against the Old Man’s Club (Nashua Rotary).  We also played softball men vs women.  Women won.  Men had to bat opposite.  (If you were righty, you had to bat lefty.)  We had Rotary West t-shirts for all.  Even some of our kids played in the game.  I recall that Dr. Robin Guthrie, (OBGYN) played and so did his wife, Mae as well as his son.  We enjoyed each other’s company very much.  We socialized with other Rotary West members.   We even chartered a bus to take us all to the Boston Garden to see the Celtics.  Members, wives, children and friends came. 

I remember on the drive to Boston, I sat next to (Charter member) Paul Munroe.  I didn’t know Paul all that well, except that he worked for 1590 Broadcaster and WSMN radio.  During the drive Paul and I chatted about all types of things.  I asked Paul about where he was before he came to Nashua.  Paul began to reveal his background and time in Hollywood, California.

He told me that he had worked on many early TV shows: Specifically the Morey Amsterdam Show, and the Jerry Lester Show.  He shared stories about many Hollywood stars, I had only read about.  Hearing about his background was amazing and so interesting.  The bus ride ended too soon as we talked about his time in Hollywood and the people he knew, the TV shows he was involved with, and the plays and movies he collaborated on.   At some point Paul just stopped recalling those days and said, “You know Joel,” West Side Story” would be a good name for our newsletter.   So Paul should get the credit for coming up with the name “West Side Story.”  The name “West Side Story” has survived the test of time.  

Prior to the wonderful and appropriate name “West Side Story” we had experimented with other chided names.  At first we tried to tease the Nashua Rotary and their newsletter – “SMILE” so we called our first newsletter “SMIRK.”  Eventually, our Board of Directors approved the name “West Side Story.”  That’s how our West Side Story got its name.

Footnote about Paul Munroe.  Paul had his degree in engineering, but that was not readily known.  At some point he left his job at WSMN and took a job SWEEPING FLOORS at Nashua Corporation from midnight to 8am.  Paul told me that one day, one of the Nashua Corporation owners was walking the shop floor and saw fellow Rotarian Paul sweeping the floor !!!!   Mr. Carter (Nashua Rotary) asked Paul why he was there sweeping floors.  Paul said he needed a job.  Mr. Carter put Paul to work in his field of study as an engineer.

Joel Saren and David Fite

Part III, The first Board of Directors meeting, dealing with growth.

Part IV, How Spaghetti City got its name

Part V, 1976 bi-centennial celebration

Part VI, The Balls in the Mall

Sensitized by tropical storm Irene in 2011, the Rotarians of our District performed magnificently in the effort to provide the 6 Districts in New York and New Jersey stricken by Hurricane Sandy with much needed supplies of food, clothing, water and everyday living supplies. Lead by Vermont coordinator, June Howe From the Brattleboro club and New Hampshire coordinator, Venu Rao from Hollis-Brookline with help from DGE David Hoopes and DGN Rich Berryman, Rotarians mobilized their clubs and communities, collecting the much needed supplies at various locations and then transporting them to Brattleboro and Bennington in Vermont and Nashua in New Hampshire where the material was consolidated and transshipped to designated locations in NJ and NY. As with any emergency, there were a few bumps in the road – mostly having to do with used clothing. Rotary Districts up and down the east coast sent their used clothing to a collection point in Paramus, New Jersey. The wealth of clothing became a 48,000 lb. donation to the   w Jersey Salvation Army. When the word came down in our District, our used clothing was diverted as a donation to the Salvation Army so as not to ship it South where it wasn’t needed. Bennington Bus Delivery Team Shipments left the District mainly on trucks, but there was one converted 1966 Greyhound bus left from Bennington with President Krisin Reed’s two daughters, Alexandra and Elisa and driver and bus owner, Nick Arsden with supplies from the Rutland area, Manchester and Bennington clubs, Assistant Governors Kathie Stone and Lainnie LaCroix assisting. The Brattleboro clubs collected from the Connecticut River Valley area clubs in both New Hampshire and Vermont with AGs, Bill Stevens and Jeff Mobus supporting. Not content to wait on the District, Frank Teas with help from Nashua Rotary, mounted an early relief trip to Rockaway, New York in a locally donated truck full of supplies and cash contributions from Rotarians.    

Dave Fox, President of the Tilton Rotary club, volunteered to haul relief supplies from the Lakes Region, Concord, Raymond and Manchester area clubs to McLaughlin Moving and Storage where Rotarian brothers Marty (Nashua) and Mike (Nashua West) McLaughlin provided storage, packing and shipping in a 53 foot tractor trailer for New Hampshire collected supplies. Local clubs in the Hollis, Milford and Nashua areas transported goods they collected as well. These efforts in South and South central New Hampshire were assisted by Assistant Governors Julie Whitcomb, Doug Rupert, David Countway, Betty Arsenault, Dennis McMann and Rich Berryman. Rotarians can accomplish anything when they put their minds to it. I want to thank you all for your outstanding effort. Thank you from Bonnie, Connie, Joan, John, Greg and Mario – all District Governors from the affected area in New York and New Jersey. Your help was invaluable. 

In 1962, the new military regime in Myanmar, then known as Burma, began expelling foreign aid workers and restricting the activities of charities. By 1979, the last two Rotary clubs in the Southeast Asian nation had disbanded, after 50 years of service.

For decades, Myanmar lingered in crumbling isolation, as many countries imposed economic sanctions and few tourists ventured there. Once ranked among the richest nations on the continent, the “Jewel of Asia” became the poorest.

Rotarians from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries continued to provide humanitarian aid, however. They’ve worked quietly behind the borders with Burmese partners, preserving good relations and a window to the outside world. Among them is J.T. Warring, of California, USA. On a side visit from Thailand, where he helped with tsunami relief, he learned that children at orphanages in Myanmar often contract diseases from contaminated drinking water, and that their daily ritual of carrying water from distant rivers and ponds leaves little time for education.

Warring launched an effort in 2005 that has provided 26 orphanages with sustainable water management systems, including the tower at the Aung Zayer Min Monastery. The systems, built with funding from The Rotary Foundation, supply clean water for drinking, cooking, washing, and irrigation.

Since Myanmar’s recent introduction of political and economic reforms, the tourists have returned to see Asia as it existed 50 years ago, with picturesque temples and rice paddies – and extreme poverty. International businesses are opening offices, as many nations, including the United States, have restored full diplomatic relations. After visiting the water systems, Kalyan Banerjee, 2011-12 RI president, announced that he would lead the effort to reintroduce Rotary, and its commitment to humanitarian service and peace, in Myanmar.

There is no higher calling for a Rotarian than to serve as District Governor. It is an opportunity that is open to all Rotarians who have acquired the necessary experience in Rotary. It is a great deal of work to be sure, but the satisfaction of furthering the aims of our sixty wonderful clubs is priceless. I encourage every committed Rotarian to consider serving in this capacity. The best way to make an informed decision is to discuss your interest with myself or with any Past District Governor. Any of us would be happy to assist you. The selected candidate will have two years of exciting preparation, one year as District Governor Nominee and one year as District Governor Elect. This will entail several important training, education and motivation events, including:

·         Two Rotary Institutes for Governor Elect Training Seminars (GETS)

·         Two President Elect Training Seminars (PETS) where you and your classmates will train two classes of club presidents, including the one you will lead.

·         One or two Rotary International Conventions

·         International Assembly where you will meet your 534 other Governors Elect from around the world and be forged into a “Class of Governors.”

I invite you, with the support of your club to undertake this worthy venture. If you have a spouse or partner, careful consultation with them would be advisable. You are eligible if you:

• Are a member in good standing in your club
• Have been a Rotarian for at least seven years (by July 1, 2015)
• Have served an entire year as a Club President
• Have the  endorsement of your club

• To apply, please submit the Governor-Nominee Data Form, signed by you and your Club’s Secretary to the Chair of the Nominating Committee, PDG Jan McElroy, P.O. Box 325, Henniker, NH 03242. The form must be received not later than October 15, 2012. Each candidate will be interviewed by the nominating committee in November. The committee will make its selection based upon the interview and provide it to me. I in turn will notify via email the club president of each club who submitted a candidate and afford them the opportunity to challenge the selection. If the selection is challenged by one or more such clubs, I will initiate a ballot by mail process. If the selection is not challenged within 14 days of notification, I shall designate the candidate selected and notify Rotary International accordingly.

Yours in Rotary,

Tony Gilmore

District Governor

Our Club

The Rotary Club of Nashua West is pleased you’ve come to our website…  We welcome you to peruse our pages and get an understanding of our club’s activities and interest.

Considering Membership?

If you’re considering membership in our club, we wish to extend our welcoming hand to you.  We are looking for more generous people to help us carry out our mission of Service Above Self.  There are many in our local, regional, and international grasp that are in need of people like you to help.  Our club needs many hands to help us carry out our mission, for, many hands can do what a single hand cannot.  If you like what you see and would like to learn more about becoming part of our amazing club, please send the Membership Committee Chair an email.  The Membership Chair can be found under the list of Directors on our home page (down and to the left).  Simply click on the link and fill in the inquiry form.

Looking for a Grant?

Each year our club accepts grant requests from local non-profit institutions.  If your local non-profit is interested in applying for a grant, please get in touch with our Community Projects Committee Chair.  The Community Projects Committee Chair can be found under the list of Directors on our home page (down and to the left).  Simply click on the link and fill in the inquiry form.

Going On To School After High School and need a Scholarship?

Each year our club accepts applications for our Scholarships for those seeking Post High School educational opportunities.  If you’d like to apply for one of our Scholarship programs, please get in touch with our Scholarship Committee Chair.  The Scholarship Committee Chair can be found under the list of Directors on our home page (down and to the left).  Simply click on the link and fill in the inquiry form.

Need More Information or Wish to make a Suggestion?

If you cannot find the information you’ve come to our website to seek or want to make a suggestion on how we can improve our website, please get in touch with any of the Directors that you think might help.  If you cannot find the director you need, please get in touch with the President directly.  The President can be found under the list of Directors on our home page (down and to the left).  Simply click on the link and fill in the inquiry form.