Rotary honored as one of Chamber's top businesses
Editor's note: This story is one in a series highlighting the 2013 Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award winners.
EXETER — After remaining in a humble shadow for the past few years, the Exeter Rotary Club was honored in March with the Chamber of Commerce's 2013 Business of the Year award in the education/non-profit category.
Rotary President Ann Schieber and Public Relations Chairman Marilyn Kellogg both said this accomplishment was a great and incredible honor for the club.
"We have a history of not wanting to draw attention to the club itself," Kellogg said.
Despite this modest nature, the club has received much recognition from Rotary International, who helped to set up the Exeter chapter of the club in 1959, according to Schieber. Those awards include the 2010 Outstanding Club Award within the district and the Five Year Growth Record Award in 2012.
The non-profit civic organization works within the community to "work on world peace and good will throughout the world," Kellogg said.
The group brings businesses and professional leaders together in order to uphold these ethical standards in the community by creating community service projects that address these major problems, according to Schieber.
"Our motto is 'Service above Self' and we are all about serving the community," Schieber said.
Schieber credits much of the group's success to the members of the club.
"We are an openly receptive forum for like minded people who want to give back to the community," Schieber said.
The club works to give back to the community specifically by helping to collect food and goods for the local pantries and Salvation Army, as well as providing scholarships for students pursuing vocational degrees and adult education students. Funds for these community service events are raised through annual events run by the club, such as Seacoast Idol, Calendar's for Causes, and a Holiday Auction.
"We enjoy what we do and we have a great time doing it," Schieber said.