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Manchester Rotary Club is moving out into the community with a new event series designed to celebrate community and make a difference. The club will host its first “Even Better” event from 5-7 p.m. Feb. 23 at Common John Brewing Co. located at 210 Woodbury Highway in Manchester.

Club President Sherry Bowman Douglas said community members are invited to join club members, enjoy an appetizer and beverage in support of a good cause. Each “Even Better” event will be hosted during an even month of the year.

“One of my focuses for my presidency was really trying to figure out how could we come out into the community and get more plugged into what is relevant, what is happening,” Douglas said. “We want to find some innovative, creative ways to connect.”

Each installment of “Even Better” will serve as a fundraiser for a community organization. For the inaugural event Thursday, Feb. 23 donations will be accepted for Life Choices Pregnancy Center in Manchester. A variety of items will be accepted, including diapers size 4,5 and 6, as well as baby wipes, baby wash and lotion and car seats and infant carriers.

Douglas said that the new “Even Better” events are a way for Manchester Rotary Club to be a little more visible in the community. While the club carries out several service projects throughout the Manchester community each year, Douglas said there is some interest in expanding upon its traditional bi-weekly 7 a.m. breakfast meetings at The Mercantile.

“The executive board met in January and we talked about it, and we said we need to break loose a little bit,” she said. “Do people know we are? Do they know what we stand for? Do they know what projects are coming up for us? What could we be doing that would really make a bigger impact?”

Douglas said she is excited to bring the new “Even Better” events to Common John Brewing Co.

“We wanted to get someplace out of the building that had some influence in the community, and so right away we thought Common John has made such a huge impact in Manchester,” she said.

While the Manchester Rotary Club is expanding beyond its traditional breakfast, Douglas said that it is a beloved traditional for many longtime members and will continue to be hosted at its traditional time of 7 a.m.