Rotary Club of Newton’s HeroMaureen Grannan
4 Years in Rotary
Paul Harris Fellow
Testimonial of Club President, Susan Peghiny/Service Impact
Maureen personifies Service Above Self and supports Rotary’s Community Development and Disease Prevention areas of focus. She deserves to be
recognized as a District 7910 Service Hero because of the way she weaves her personal, professional and Rotary lives together to amplify the work she does for each.
At work she recruits and organizes volunteers to provide simple, yet crucial services such as transportation to medical appointments, yard work, computer literacy assistance, and simple home assistance (such as changing lightbulbs, taking out the trash, installing/removing air conditioners, etc.). Newton At Home (NewtonAtHome.org) is a non-profit organization. Working with a very small staff, in the basement of a local senior living community
and with a continually underfunded budget, Maureen works doggedly to ensure that our older neighbors remain connected to their community (a proven way to keep seniors healthier: Disease Prevention) and have regular interactions with other people. This support of multi-generational neighborhoods meshes with Rotary’s Community Development area of focus.
Maureen is my personal hero because she has given me consistent support and guidance throughout my presidency. She’s encouraged me whenever I’ve “poked the bear” and reminded me that change is hard but necessary. She’s always in my corner with a quiet compliment or a well-timed sarcastic joke. Her experience and insight are always valuable and given freely.
She joined the Rotary Club of Newton in January 2014 after visiting as a guest speaker. She has served as the Secretary of our club for 3 years, runs our “Student of the Month” recognition program, is involved in our RYLA program, and serves on the board of our independent foundation (the Newton Rotary Foundation). She regularly participates in our hands-on service projects and is a regular and reliable attendee at our weekly meetings.