MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Rotary Club, which is celebrating a century of service to the community, recently announced a $15,000 grant to the Manchester Historic Association and Millyard Museum.
The announcement came during the MHA’s Annual Historic Preservation Awards held at Saint Anselm College, as incoming Rotary Club President Susan Manchester shared the news to a rousing ovation.
The grant was presented for the express purpose of funding educational field trips to bring every fourth grade class in the city to the Millyard Museum beginning in September.
“Manchester is a resilient City that has reinvented itself more than once,” said the aptly-named Manchester. “We need to learn from our past, which is why Manchester Rotary Club is pleased to donate this sum to MHA so our students can witness the successes, challenges and perseverance of those who came before them.”
The grant money will cover bus rentals and the cost of two educational programs at the Millyard Museum, which was recently named “Best Educational Activity for Kids in New Hampshire” by AmericanTowns Media.
“How perfect that Rotary will commemorate its own historic milestone by helping students appreciate the history of this amazing city,” said MHA Executive Director John Clayton.
The grant award was also embraced by Manchester’s Superintendent of Schools, who is an avid fan of the Millyard Museum.
“Manchester has a rich history, and all of our children should have the opportunity to learn more about what makes our city unique,” said Dr. Bolgen Vargas. “We are thankful to the Manchester Rotary Club for providing the resources that will help the Millyard Museum reach more than a thousand fourth graders in the next school year. I know that our teachers and students will be eager to participate in the educational programs available.”
As funding permits, the MHA will also reach out to Parochial schools and charter schools in the city, according to Clayton.
“To this day, I remember my fourth grade field trip to the MHA from Gossler Park School,” he said, “and the Manchester Rotary Club is now giving that same opportunity to so many kids. We couldn’t be more grateful.”
