-The News-
On Sunday morning at approximately 4:30 a.m. the
Manchester Civic Club (a.k.a. The FrontRunner) was
extensively damaged by a fire. The Manchester
Fire Department has (as of 3:00 p.m. sunday) yet to
comment on the 'nature' of the fire. It appears to
have started on a basement wall facing an alley in
the rear of the building, and appears to have spread
up the back of the building, destroying the rear of
the second floor and most of the roof. The rest of
the building suffered some damage from smoke and
water, but the Manchester Fire Department did a
good job of containing the fire. There were no
reported injuries, although the adjacent residential
buildings were evacuated as a precaution.
 
Fortunately, a lot of the old photographs and historical
records of the club were undamaged.
 
The FrontRunner Club was one of two dance clubs in New
Hampshire (The other is Members, a members only
private club in Portsmouth.) and one of the three
gay bars in Manchester. It is also, like Members, a
members only club ( a way of exisiting in the otherwise
restrictive atmosphere of conservative N.H.). It had
been at its current location for 5 years, and has been
in existence for almost 14 years as a gay owned and
operated establishment. The founder, George Mitoulas,
is also the founder of the New Hampshire Aids Foundation
and is quite active in local politics.
 
-My observations-
The NH Pride celebrations were this weekend, and the
mood at the club was festive last night. People felt
that change was coming (albeit slowly) to NH and that
it was just a matter of time until we could feel safe
in NH. I don't really know what I feel just yet.
 
I will follow up when there is more news. I have to
go back to try to help clean up and move things once
the investigators and adjusters clear out.
 
John Greene
 
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____ We shall all be free. Finger jsgreene@mv.mv.com
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