The Raymond Area Rotary Club is excited to announce the formation of a new community service effort — designed to expand opportunities for people who want to make a difference but can’t commit to weekly morning meetings. Our club has long met on Wednesday mornings at 7:30 am, and everyone is always welcome to attend. However, we’ve heard from many community members who appreciate Rotary’s mission but have work, family, or other commitments that make morning meetings difficult.

A New Way to Serve Together

The Community Impact Team will bring together individuals from across Raymond, Epping, Deerfield, Candia, Nottingham, and Fremont to serve local needs and build connections. Sponsored by the Raymond Area Rotary, this new group will meet once a month in the early evening to plan service projects and fundraising efforts. The goal is to host at least once service project each month, offering flexible ways to get involved in meaningful work.

Focusing on Real Needs

One major area of focus will be food insecurity — an issue already familiar to our club. Rotary members regularly partner with local food pantries and volunteer at the New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester. By including representatives from local food programs, we hope to strengthen collaboration and ensure they have the volunteer support they need.

Other potential project areas will evolve based on the group’s interests and passions. Community members have already shown enthusiasm for environment initiative and animal-related efforts, including support for local dog park projects. Nothing is set in stone — the Community Impact Team is designed to grow and adapt to what matters most in our communities.

Join Us for the First Meeting

The first meeting of the Community Impact Team will be held on Thursday, October 23rd at 5:30 pm in the lower level of  Raymond Baptist Church, 145 Route 27, Raymond, NH. Light refreshments will be provided, including subs from Jersey Mike's of Epping. Everyone is invited to come, share ideas, and help shape this new community effort!

First Service Project

Our first hands-on project is already scheduled! On Wednesday, October 30th, a team of up to 12 volunteers will assist at the New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester through the  “Fresh Rescue” program. Volunteers will sort donated frozen goods, repackage them, and prepare them for distribution to food pantries across the state.

If you’re interested in joining the volunteer crew or want to learn more about the Community Impact Team, please contact:
📧 Steve Puderbaugh – spuderbaughdg@gmail.com
📞 603-303-0239