Fire Control, Theater Arts, and Cycling…. what the heck do these things have in common and what do they have to do with Rotary?
Over the past few months, the Milford Rotary Club was reminded that community service and living a life of “Service Above Self” come in many forms.
Martin Michaelis, Milford Rotary Club’s 41st president, was recently honored by Governor Chris Sununu for his decades of service to the State of New Hampshire. Prior to his “retirement” on January 9th, Martin had served for forty-four years as the Architects representative on the State Board of Fire Control having been first appointed in 1975. The Governor and Council presented a special citation to Martin with his family present for the celebration. Martin joined the Milford Rotary Club in 1974 and currently serves as an Honorary Rotarian. In addition, Martin served his hometown of Amherst with great dedication for 43 years as an appointed Commissioner to the Nashua Regional Planning Commission.
As Governor Sununu tweeted “Martin Michaelis has dedicated his life to serving New Hampshire - and he has the photo collection to prove it. It was a privilege to recognize his extensive service as a member of the State Board of Fire Control!”
Many of you know Claudine Hessmer-Husainy as our District’s powerhouse around youth services. Claudine was the first to champion EarlyAct clubs in our District and now leads the charge around Interact, Rotaract and Youth Services initiatives. In addition to all of her Rotary service and volunteerism, Claudine has been an Andy’s Summer Playhouse parent, volunteer and Board member many years. Her dedication to Andy’s, to the “kids”, and to theater arts in New Hampshire was honored at the 2019 NH Theatre Awards.
Last fall, Milford Rotarian David Hammer was honored by the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and TIME as one of a select group of 51 dealer nominees from across the country. The TIME Dealer of the Year award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted honors. Nominees are among the nation’s most successful auto dealers who also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service. As wonderful as this honor was, those of us who know David know that there are other very important wheels in his life.
This August, David will ride for the ninth time in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), a two-day, 192 mile, bike ride that raises money for the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2018, over 6000 cyclists and 4000 volunteers raised an unprecedented $56 million for Dana-Farber, bringing the PMC’s 39-year contribution to more than $654 million.
To date, David and his PMC team have raised $115,710 to help find a cure for cancer. As he shared in a NADA interview ““Personally, I am committed to supporting the fight against cancer. For me it’s a way to remember and honor loved ones who were taken too soon, to give thanks on behalf of survivors like me who were able to win their battles with cancer, and to give hope and courage to those currently battling cancer.”
When they are not “dealing with wheels”, David and his wife Audrey actively support many other community endeavors including the Souhegan Valley Boys and Girls Club, the food pantry at SHARE Outreach Inc., Opportunity Networks, and, of course, numerous Rotary initiated projects.
Congratulations and bravo Martin, Claudine and David! You truly are living the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self”.