Stories

CLOSED 2025 Grant Program Announcement - April 11th Deadline to Apply

APPLICATION SUBMISSION IS CLOSED.

RECEIPENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY THE END OF THE MONTH (APRIL)

The Queen City Rotary Foundation (QCRF) is pleased to announce the opening of our 2025 Grant Program. We are excited to offer two distinct grant opportunities for organizations committed to making a difference in the community. Please note that organizations may apply for both grants, but only one grant will be awarded per organization each year.

A Grant Application(s) should be completed and emailed to queencityrotaryclub@gmail.com. Application deadline, Friday, April 11, 2025. Program Guidelines and Application are located in the Download File section to the left.

Grant Opportunities

Impact Grant: This grant is designed for organizations whose primary focus is serving underprivileged youth in the Greater Manchester area. The program will award a total of five grants per year. The funding amount will range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the scope and needs of the proposed project.

Youth Services Grant: This grant supports organizations with a youth-focused mission. The maximum award for this grant is $1,000.

After reviewing all applications, a Grant Committee will make recommendations to the Board of Directors for final approval with estimated notifications to recipients in late April and distribution of grants in early to mid-May.

We are eager to support organizations that are dedicated to enriching the lives of youth in the Greater Manchester area. We encourage all eligible organizations to apply for these grants and look forward to learning about the innovative projects you are undertaking to make a positive impact on our community.

Natalie A. Jutras, President

Queen City Rotary Club

Another Successful Comedy Bowl

Thanks to all our sponsors and all who attended our 2025 Comedy Bowl. The night was huge success with lots of fun and laughter and over $50,000 raised to support local youth charities. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

2025 Comedy Bowl - January 25th almost Sold Out!

Get your tickets here!
ONLY TWO TABLES LEFT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Reverse Raffle Results!

What an amazing night we had giving away $5000 during our Reverse Raffle fundraiser! Congratulations to Robert Bennett and Adam Johnston who won our Pot of Gold Jackpot! Thanks to all that came down to Auburn Pitts Bar Grill to join us for a fun evening of games and hanging out with us as we drew down 300 #'s to find our lucky winner! We raised over $20,000 where 100% of the proceeds will be donated back to non-profit youth oriented organizations across Greater Manchester.

Thank you to all our amazing sponsors as well!

Congratulations to Vick Mahindru our Ken Wakefield Scholarship Recipient

This year’s recipient of our Ken Wakefield Scholarship is Vick Mahindru. Vic is a West High School graduate and was recognized for his community involvement and academic excellence. Vick has served as the Manchester Ambassador for the SHOALS Marine Laboratory Program, as a SEE Science Center intern conducting Social Science Research, and interviewed U.S. Presidential Candidates, where he asked them “how the soaring obesity rate in the U.S. is in direct correlation with major companies branding chemicals & preservatives as healthy for our children,” Recently, he was awarded a $40,000 Amazon scholarship. https://www.mansd.org/article/1581865. This fall, Vick will attend St. Anselm College and major in Computer Science and Political Science to connect his passion for Engineering, Computer Science, and Journalism.

2024 Grant Program is CLOSED...We will get back to recipients by end of May!

The Queen City Rotary Foundation (QCRF) is pleased to announce the opening of our 2024 Grant Program. There are two grant opportunities for interested organizations. Applications are available in the Home Page Download File section to the left here.

1) The “Impact Grant” – This grant is targeted to organizations whose primary focus is serving the underprivileged youth in the greater Manchester area. It is limited to a maximum of 5 recipients each year. Grants will range from a minimum of $1000 to a maximum of $10,000. In the application, please provide an overall description of the organization and a comprehensive description of the project and how the award will be used (suggested 500 words +/-). We will also require a mid-year update on the impact the grant has made for the organization.

2) The “Youth Services Grant” – This grant supports organizations that have a youth related focus. The maximum award is $1000. In the application, please provide a three to five sentence overall description of the organization, details of the request, and how the funds will be used. Mid-year follow up will not be required for the Youth Services Grant.

The Queen City Rotary Foundation Grant Committee will review the applications for both award levels and make recommendations to our Board of Directors for final grant approval. This committee includes members serving for multiple years to establish and maintain continuity over time.

Please send completed application forms to queencityrotaryclub@gmail.com no later than Friday, April 19th, 2024.

Shilpi Mehrotra, President
Queen City Rotary Club

Welcome Dianne Mercier!

We are excited to welcome the newest member to our club Dianne Mercier! Dianne has served as a champion for the nonprofit sector for many years. She supports the Boys and Girls Club which holds a special place in her heart having helped her as a single mom and serves on multiple boards. Diane is a retired President of People's United Bank and was also named the 2017 Citizen of the Year by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Welcome to our Rotary family Dianne.

Laughing All Night Long for a Great Cause

Another successful Comedy Bowl is in the books! Thank you to all that came out to support our event and all of our amazing sponsors. For those that purchased Super Bowl Squares, check the Download Files column to the left to get your #'s and GOOD LUCK!

Sponsors to thank:

Super Bowl level:
Clark Insurance and Elliot Hospital Solutions

Touch Down level: ARMI, Bank Prov, Crown Chimney, Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Harvey Construction, Bangor Savings Bank, Eastern Propane and Oil

Club level: Guaranteed Rate, Re/Max Prime, Saint Anselm College, Edward Jones, Morin Contracting, Essex Private Wealth, Robert Singer

Kickoff level: Sheehan Phinney, Primary Bank, McMahon Group of Wells Fargo, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Bay State Financial, Matuszewski Architects, Puritan Backroom, Waypoint, Berry Dunn Partners, Sullivan and Sullivan, College Bound Movers, GSC IT Solutions, Boufford & Sons Funeral Home

Safety level: DuganPR, Bank of New England, Linda Seabury, Arias Spa, Karen Metz, Tokena, Art Burns, Bangor Savings, Write Connection, Red Carpet Realty, John K's Professional Painters, Kim Griswold, Fran Ciriello, Raymond Area Rotary Club, Pro Cut CNC Machine, Wadleigh Starr Peters, Cambridge Trust, Primerica, Pelletier Realty Group, NH Demolition, Granite State Tire Golf League,

In Kind Sponsors: Amoskeag Beverages, Angela's Pasta and Cheese Shop, Christian Party Rentals, Special Events Rentals, St. George's Greek Orthodox Cathedral, NH Print & Mail Services, Frank DiDonato/Keller Williams Realty, Martinetti, Mr. Mac's Macaroni and Cheese, Puritan Backroom Restaurant, Rig A'Tony's

Lastly, thanks to all of our amazing club members who organize, sell, cook, wrap, set-up, tear down, clean and in general work VERY HARD to bring you this event and make it AMAZING!

Announcing our 2024 Comedy Bowl!

We've Got Something Magical in the Works!

We are very excited to share a new event that our club has been working very hard on....An Evening at the North Pole! Kids from non-profits in the Greater Manchester area will be invited to join in on this magical evening!

Welcome Osman Sari to our Club!

Osman Sari is one of our newest club members, but he is not new to Rotary. Osman shared with us that he is from Turkey and currently studying at SNHU. In Turkey, he was a founding member of a Rotaract Club (a Rotary Club for young professionals). Osman’s energy and sense of humor are infectious, and the Club is lucky to have him as a member. Welcome Osman!

Pot of Gold Reverse Raffle - Wednesday, Sept. 11

The Queen City Rotary's Pot of Gold Reverse Raffle is BACK! Join us for a fun-filled night of excitement as we see who the luckiest person in the room will be!! This event supports the Queen City Rotary, allowing us to help youth-serving non-profit organizations throughout our Manchester community!

Date:                          Wednesday, Sept. 11^th
Time: 5:00-9:00pm
Location: Auburn Pitts Bar & Grill, 167 Rockingham Road, Auburn NH
Tickets:                     $100 each (300 max tickets sold)
Pot of Gold:             $5,000.00...the last ticket drawn wins the Pot 'o Gold.

Here's how it works:

Purchase a ticket for $100.00. Each ticket sold guarantees one entry in the $5,000 drawing and admits two individuals into the live event drawing.
Ticket holders do not need to be present to win the grand prize, but we hope you join the party so we can celebrate with you when you win!
The night consists of pulling each ticket, eliminating the individual listed from winning the Pot 'o Gold with every draw. (The LAST ticket holds the key).
We will continue to draw until TWO tickets remain. The remaining ticket holders may split the $5,000 pot (if both are present and consent) or continue for the final drawing for a sole winner. The last person standing is the overall winner (barring a split of the top prize). The ultimate winner does not need to be present to win, and you can let us know in advance if you would like to split the pot.

Keeping it Fun

The first ticket drawn and eliminated from the Pot o' Gold will receive a $100 to alleviate some of the hurt.
For those in attendance, smaller prizes will be awarded throughout the event. You need to be present to win these consolation gifts.
Games, cash bar and appetizers will be available.

Tickets:
Can be purchased through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pot-of-gold-reverse-raffle-tickets-916609372307or directly from a Rotarian by sending an email to us at queencityrotaryclub@gmail.com.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

If you are interested in sponsoring our event, check out the Sponsorship information and levels flyer under the Document Download section to the left.

THANK YOU TO OUR MAJOR SPONSORS!!

Taking time to give back at Families in Transition

Taking time to help Families in Transitions with a new facelift on their Market Street Property.

QC Rotary Club Welcomes Dan Bednarski!

Our club continues to grow with amazing new members! Welcome Dan.

2023 QC Rotary Club Scholarship Recipients

Each year our club gives well deserving kids in our community funds to help out with their extended schooling after graduating high school.

Our Toolship Awards focus on the trades and we give out two $1500 awards to graduating seniors from the Manchester School of Technology (MSOT). Our recipients this year were Savannah Alves (left) who will be studying Cosmetology, and Hannah Jenkins (right), who will be studying Architecture. Congratulations to both!

We also give out a Ken Wakefield Scholarship to a graduating high school senior who demonstrates a passion for giving back to our local community through volunteering. This year's recipient is Emily Bisson who will be attending Mount Holyoke College in the Fall.

Congratulations to all three of these amazing young ladies!!

NH4Ukraine

Brian and John are friends and both retired from their respective careers. Brian was a business owner and John was an air traffic controller. Together they decided they needed to help the Ukraine people survive this horrific war. They presented a sad but hopeful tail of their humanitarian trips to the Ukraine battle zone.

Comedy Bowl Success! A BIG THANK YOU!!

Our Comedy Bowl event held on the evening of Saturday, Feb. 4th was a HUGE SUCCESS! The #'s are in, drumroll please.... over $45,000 DOLLARS raised with ALL proceeds to be granted back to our local community non-profit youth oriented organizations in the coming months.

There is much THANKS to be given to pull off this major fundraising event. First our sponsors (identified below) which provided us the foundational funds to build from. Second, our 400+ amazing guests that came out in the frigid cold and joined us that evening and reached deep into their pockets to buy raffle tickets, bid on auction items and provided drink donations. We hope you enjoyed the event and had lots of laughs with our comedian line-up. And lastly, a big shout out to all of our fellow Rotarians who worked tirelessly to pull off this event. Efforts included the endless solicitation of sponsors and auction items, ticket selling, venue set-up (including our amazing stage backdrop), venue tear down and clean-up, food and bar prep, serving and cleaning, silent auction management, raffle ticket and Super Bowl Square selling, front-desk check-in and coat check crew...the list goes on. Truly an amazing Rotary VILLAGE effort by all.

The success of our largest fundraising event would not happen without our sponsorship support! Please join us in supporting these amazing businesses who are doing good in our communities!

Our major Super Bowl level sponsorship is CLARK INSURANCE!

Touchdown level: BanProv, Matuszewski Architects and Morin Contracting Services

Club level:
College Bound Movers, Edward Jones Investments, Guaranteed Rate Mortgage, Harvey Construction, Lally Property Source, Pro Cut CNC Machine, St. Anselm College, Tokena Corp.

Kickoff level:
ARMI, Bank of New England, Berry Dunn, Boufford Funeral Home, Elliot Hospital, GSC IT Solutions, LAZ Parking, Monarch Title, Parnell Michels & McKay, Primary Bank, Sullivan & Sullivan, Truncellito and Davis Insurance, Waypoint

Safety level:
Arias Spa, Art Burns, Butenhof & Bomster, Cambridge Trust, Franne Ciriello, Craig Donais, Dugan PR, Essex Private Wealth Management, Friends of Aine, Mike Domingue, Granite St. Tire Golf Leauge, Kim Griswold, HarborOne Mortgage, Karen Metz, Primerica, Safe Sports, Linda Seabury, The Write Connection, Wells Fargo

New Community Catalyst Project!

Gear Up for School - Manchester Memorial High School Gym, August 14th:

Gear Up for School is a backpack drive focusing on bringing together the community (and specifically kids) to assemble 3,000+ backpacks to distribute to other kids in the community. The Queen City Rotary and Hooksett Area Rotary Clubs are looking for volunteers to assemble the backpacks, which will be distributed to kids in the Manchester, Hooksett, and surrounding Southern NH town school systems.

More information on the Community Catalyst page . . . .

https://queencityrotary.org/page/community-catalysts

Hitting the road for a great cause

As part of its ongoing mission to support youth in need across greater Manchester, the Queen City Rotary Club proudly announces the return of a critical fundraiser, The 2021 Road Rally.

Saturday, June 5 @ 3:00 p.m.

Brady Sullivan Building (back parking lot area)

1750 Elm Street, Manchester, NH

“The Road Rally is a wonderful part of our legacy,” said Leslie Gendron, President, Queen City Rotary Club. “And as with all of our efforts, 100% of the proceeds directly benefit youth across the community.”

The Road Rally is “a scavenger hunt on wheels,” according to event chair Rory Parnell. “Teams compete against each other to figure out clues and solve puzzles to find their next destination in the quickest time with the most correct answers. It’s also a neat way to explore greater Manchester and learn about its rich history.”

Gov. Chris Sununu Speaks at QCR

Look who dropped by this morning . . . .Thank you to Governor Sununu for taking time to speak at our weekly Rotary meeting.Very informative update on the state of the State!

Giving the Manchester Police Department a "Clean" Start

The Queen City Rotary Club is pleased to announce a donation of two special cleaning machines to the Manchester Police Department (MPD) to protect the force and the public from COVID-19.

Catie's Closet Update

Catie's Closet is opening up another location at Parkside Middle School here in Manchester!

The Community Service Committee is looking to organize a Paint Party to get this space finished for them.

We are planning to get the painting done on Saturday November 14th, beginning at 8:30am at Parkside Middle School, 75 Parkside Ave., Manchester.

Please RSVP to Lisa via email at lallypropertysource@comcast.net if you are able to volunteer on the 14th. Painting will go until it's done.....last finish time was around 12:00pm. All paint and supplies are provided - just need volunteers!

Food Drive

A Food Drive is in the works, please collect non-perishable items. Perishable items will be collected the week leading up to Thanksgiving. They may be dropped off at MPAL

MASK UP NH

QCR FOOD DRIVE SUCCESS!

Thanks to everyone who participated in our food drive this past weekend. You helped to keep a lot of families in the greater Manchester area fed! The Boys and Girls Club, Girls Inc., and MPAL are very appreciative . . .

QCR FOOD DRIVE

QCR FOOD DRIVE TO BENEFIT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB, MPAL AND GIRLS INC.

SATURDAY, MAY 23RD 9-11 AM

CURBSIDE, NO CONTACT DROP OFF AT NORTHEAST DELTA DENTAL/FISHER CATS STADIUM. NON PERISHABLE ITEMS.

Here's a list of non-perishable and other items:

Cereal

Juice Boxes

Granola Bars

Bread

Canned Meals (meals for kids to open and make themselves)

Ramen Noodles

Soups

Pasta

Canned veggies

Pasta sauce

Peanut butter

Jelly

Tuna

Mayonnaise

Rice

Beans

*Any non-perishables

Individual snacks are a big request:

Peanut butter crackers

Pretzels

Cheeze-its

Popcorn

Goldfish

Hygiene Items:

Hand soap

Sanitizer

Toilet paper

Shampoo

Conditioner

Deodorant

Toothpaste

Laundry soap

Kids activity items:

Coloring books

Art

School supplies

Jump rope

Kick ball

Board or card games

Jax

Miscellaneous items:

Gas card

Walmart or Grocery store gift cards

Another Successful Comedy Bowl

A big thank you to everyone who joined us or supported the Comedy Bowl in any way. It was a fantastic evening with lots of fellowship and laughs. We'll post the results of our fundraising efforts as soon as we have them!