It was with great sadness that the Dracut Rotary Club learned of the passing of member and past president Paul Gaudette on December 15. 2020. “Paul was someone we could count on when we needed to get something done,” said club secretary Chuck Moran. Paul has been residing most recently, with his wife Chris, at their retirement home in Mashpee.

Paul was the former Dracut Building Inspector and Assistant Lowell Building Commissioner, but began his career in the printing industry. As a Rotarian, he was an example of “service above self,” encouraging club members to reach out to those in need here and abroad. It was Paul who first brought the idea of each member donating an entire Thanksgiving dinner, “soup to pumpkin pie,” to those in need in our community, a tradition that has become a staple of our club’s annual giving for more than 20 years. 

Committed to the club’s Crutches 4 Africa effort, Paul could be found loading donated mobility devices into shipping containers headed for those in need across the world. “When we needed help, I’d call Paul,” said the club’s C4A chairman Chuck Moran.

Our thoughts go out to Paul’s wife Chris, and his family. He was an example to us all.