The Rotary Club of Dover, NH, offers opportunities for our members — and those interested in making a difference — to get involved. Through meetings, social events, and volunteer projects, our members learn about the issues facing our community and communities all over the world, partnering with local, national, and global experts to exchange ideas about potential solutions and to draw up action plans to respond. Along with these opportunities to serve, members also are able to regularly network, resulting in lifelong friendships and business connections.
Our club is a proud part of this community and of Rotary International. Rotary is a global network of more than 1.2 million members who believe that great things happen when dedicated minds come together. We are community and business leaders representing different professions, experiences, and perspectives but with a shared desire to connect with others to address the challenges affecting our community and communities around the world.
Join the Rotary Club of Dover NH, Community Action Partnership of Strafford County and Gather to keep local food pantries stocked by dropping off non-perishable food items.
This food drive will take place from 9:00am-12:00pm on May 1st in the parking lot of Tucker's located at 238 Indian Brook Drive in Dover.
Help us help those those in need!
On Saturday morning, if you were out and about, you may have seen Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Dover NH as we shopped for those in need through our Homeless project as we partner with Community Action Partnership of Strafford County to deliver items in need, including wool gloves, hats, long underwear, wool socks, rain coats, tarps and gift cards to Dunkin Donuts.
We look to delivering these items this week to CAP so that they can get to those in need in our Dover community.
DOVER – Dover Public Library staff and other city officials gave thanks to the Rotary Club of Dover for its $75,000 donation to upgrade the children’s room in the library at an event Thursday in the McConnell Center Cafeteria.
1. How long have you been in Rotary?
Twenty years!
2. My favorite Rotary moments:
I used to love the "Unwanted Christmas Gift auction" that John Cogan used to do. He would always pick on Malcolm, especially if Malcolm wasn't in attendance! I also enjoy the Annual Golf Tournament.
3. Where I currently live and where I grew up:
I currently line in Downtown Dover.
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio. My father was originally from New Jersey but was working on his PHD in Clinical Psychology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. When I was in 4th grade, we spent a year in England while my dad taught a visiting year at the University of Leeds. It was fascinating to go to an English school and study about Guy Fawkes, Kings and Queens, and learn how to spell words the English way.
The most important thing that happened while we lived in England was that my homeroom teacher happened to be the choir director. She asked me to play piano for a piece that the choir was singing and that started my lifelong career as an accompanist!
After England, my father was offered a job at UNH and we settled in Durham where I stayed through high school graduation and then college. Since then I have lived in Boston, York, Dover, back to Durham, Rochester, and finally back to Dover where we plan to stay!
4. My Hobbies:
I love to read, swim, crochet, walk the dog, go to theater in Boston and NYC with my husband of 34 years, and watch movies.
5. My Business Profession or Current Working or Non-Working Environment:
I am primarily a piano teacher and professional pianist for church, choirs and musical theater.
Now I enjoy going into the church office, putting on some music, lighting a candle and working. It's a nice contrast to teaching and directing. From 1977-1988, I played in two different top 40 rock bands. The 2nd one, Crossfire, took me all over New England and a little to Canada and helped me break out of my classical roots and be "cool", at least for a little while! I met my husband while in the band and he became my road manager for 3 years.
6. Something my fellow Rotarians don’t know about me:
In the summer I live on an island on Lake George that was bought at an auction in 1950 by my grandfather and his 8 siblings. The family had come to America through Ellis Island from Lithuania in the early 20th century. Buying the island was a way to keep the family together in the summers year after year. We were supposed to have a 70th anniversary celebration in July but had to cancel due to Covid. There are 6 cottages and 2 covered bridges with bedrooms on the upper level. Everyone on the island is related either by blood, or marriage!
7. Final words:
There are a lot of good charities in the world that do many good things. Rotary is the one that I choose to give my time, talent and treasure to. I trust the organization to be a good caretaker to my efforts and it makes the choice simple.
As part of the “Million Mask Challenge”, the Rotary Club of Dover NH distributed and delivered 3,000 masks to the Dover School Superintendent of Schools, Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, Community Partners NH, SOS Recovery Community Organization, Triangle Club, The Doorway, and Wentworth Home so that they can share with their employees and clients as they come through their doors in order to be safe.
There is plenty of work to be done to help others in our Dover Community and Rotary makes it easy!
1. How long have you been in Rotary?
I have been a Rotarian for 11 years. I joined Rotary in Utica NY at the urging of my financial advisor, Catherine McEnroe, who is still a member of that club.
2. My favorite Rotary moments:
It was in Utica that I developed a passion for reading to first and second graders once a week in a program that was developed long before I came on the scene. At one time 60 Utica Rotarians participated, but by the time I got involved it was less than a dozen and finally was terminated. We would have continued it forever, but due to a state wide change in education policy, all “extraneous” enrichment offered by non-school personnel was severely cut back or terminated just as I was leaving Utica to head to the NH Seacoast in 2013.
3. Where I currently live and where I grew up:
I live in Dover after 17 years of living in Utica and 17 years before that in Salem MA where I met my late wife, Mary. I was born in Ithaca NY and stayed there for all of 6 months, not too many memories of life high above Cayuga’s waters, I’m afraid. After that my life was a whirlwind of changing residences, Oak Park Illinois, the Bronx, Johnson, Cranston, and Providence, Rhode Island all before I was 7. I did end up in Providence from the 4th grade through graduating from Brown University with a degree in Anthropology. Next it was 5 years in Rochester NY as an anthropology grad student and a staff announcer for WBBF-FM a commercial classical radio station. When it went under on Valentine’s day 1976 with me as the last on air announcer [I played Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony], the local public radio station WXXI picked us up.
4. My Hobbies:
My hobbies include the two “s”s, singing and sailing. As a tenor I never have a problem finding a spot in a community chorus or small ensemble. During the pandemic I have been exploring the wonders of virtual performance! Until I came to Seacoast NH I’ve always had some sort of a sailboat. Not sure if I’ll venture down that path again, but I’m severely tempted every other week. Pre-pandemically I indulged in my passion by volunteering as crew on the gundalow “Piscataqua” handling lines four times the diameter of what I had been used to on my 21 foot sloop. When I was in my 50s and academic jobs were drying up yet another time, I retooled as a Museum Director thanks to a magnificent program at Framingham State. The thrill of my life was becoming Museum Director/Manager for the Shako:wi Cultural Center of the Oneida Nation of New York. At last I had found a niche that matched my skills and talents and was of use to the public!
5. My Business Profession or Current Working or Non-Working Environment:
I’ve been retired since 2009 and a widower since early 2015 so have had time to devote to one of my first loves – writing. I have been writing poetry since my teen-aged years, but have been more disciplined about it in the past five years writing at least one poem a day. My “The Mary Poems” appeared in 2016 and I have some of my individual poems published in print an online.
6. Something my fellow Rotarians don’t know about me:
Something my fellow Rotarians might not know about me is that when I was a pre-adolescent I was a student at Christopher Wren School in London England. As the sole Yank, I was encouraged to provide entertainment to my mates at Christmas, so I played a mock guitar and sang “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” to the whole school at the Christmas Pageant, successfully to my surprise. More to the point, the education I got in the short time I was in First Form [=7 th grade here] was so intensive I didn’t have to crack a book to get an A in almost any subject after I got back to the States until the 10 th grade although I had been only a fair to middling student in “Merry Olde” [as we jokingly called England]
7. Final words:
My final thought is that the fellowship, sincerity of purpose, and follow through on community service projects that Rotary provides has been a source of comfort to and purpose for me ever since I joined back in Utica in October of 2009. I still can’t think of a better way to stay in touch with the pulse of our community here in Dover and to be afforded the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of all of our citizens. It is an honor to be part of a pragmatic outfit that lives up to its ideals.
1. How long have you been in Rotary?
20 years
2. My favorite Rotary moments:
Shortly after I joined Rotary, I found out that I was expecting my first child. I loved sitting with Doc Wilson who gave me tons of advice for my new baby. Ozzy was one of my first visitors in the hospital (he volunteered at WDH and made me promise to call the volunteer office to let him know). Gary D. shared some very special parental advice with me that I cherish. They were all there for this very special part of my life.
3. Where I currently live and where I grew up:
I live in Dover but grew up in Concord, NH. I like to say that Dover is just like Concord but with better access to the ocean. I love being part of the Dover community.
4. My Hobbies:
I love to ski, sit on the beach, walk my dogs, take photos, and travel. I won’t say I am a runner but I do enjoy the Dover Race series, have plans for Reach the Beach in 2021 and I get killer splat points at Orange Theory. Pre-covid, I spent a lot of time cheering on my kids from the sidelines, working concession stands or driving to every sport field or band show in New England.
5. My Business Profession or Current Working or Non-Working Environment:
I am the CEO of Community Action Partnership of Strafford County and celebrated my 10th anniversary this September. I can honestly say that I look forward to going to work each day with an incredible team.
6. Something my fellow Rotarians don’t know about me:
I went to Space Camp. After the Challenger, a school in Scottsdale, AZ raised money to send two students from Concord to Space Camp. I was chosen to attend with another student from Concord. I was in 7th grade. It was my first plane ride and we went without parents! It was an incredible experience to be one of 400 kids with only 13 females at camp. The work of STEM is so incredibly important for rising middle school students, especially girls, in our schools.
7. Final words:
There are incredible opportunities to be engaged with Rotary and flexibility depending on where you are in your life. I appreciate the support from my fellow Rotarians over the years and connections I have made. I look forward to another 20 years.
This week I have the opportunity to interview and learn about our Rotarian, Ken Plante.
Sit back, relax and let’s learn about Ken.
1. How long have you been in Rotary?
Ten years or so.
2. My favorite Rotary moments:
Hands on projects. They are a great opportunity to get to know other members. See you at the shredding event on Saturday.
3. Where I currently live and where I grew up:
I grew up in Somersworth and moved to Dover with my parents in 1980. Elaine and I live on Back Road in Dover.
4. My Hobbies:
Cycling, golf, skiing, cooking. I also enjoy working in the yard when I have time.
5. My Business Profession or Current Working or Non-Working Environment:
I own and operate Tri-City Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Tri-City Subaru.
6. Something my fellow Rotarians don’t know about me:
You probably didn’t know that I’m a Dead Head. I spent many days and nights of my misguided youth seeing the band in concert. Fortunately they have their own channel on Sirius radio so I can still catch a show.
7. Final words:
You probably didn’t know that I’m a Dead Head. I spent many days and nights of my misguided youth seeing the band in concert. Fortunately they have their own channel on Sirius radio so I can still catch a show.
