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06/22/2016 08:30 AMThere is a famous 19th century poem by Rudyard Kipling, “Gunga Din,” about the Indian water carrier who brings a drink to a thirst-parched British soldier. In the 21st century, Sam Chorches of Chester is the Gunga Din of the Four on the Fourth road race. No matter how fast or how slow, how near the front of the pack or the tail end, how young or how old, all runners need what Sam Chorches can provide: water.
For many years Sam has been in charge of the water stops along the route of Four on the Fourth, the traditional Fourth of July race sponsored by the Chester Rotary Club. The run, this year celebrating its 38th anniversary, raises funds for the community projects that Rotary sponsors.
The race draws hundreds of runners from all over New England, according to race chair Pete Yuhasz. And Sam wants to make sure there is not one of them who is thirsty on the course.
“It’s July, so it’s often very, very hot and people need that water,” he says.
There are seven water stops spaced along the route. Some homeowners along the route have volunteered to staff the locations for many years.
“All you need is a hose,” Sam says.
The Rotary supplies tables and cups—this year, Aaron Manor in Chester is donating 8,000 cups. In addition to homeowners, some 20 to 25 counselors from Camp Hazen help staff the water stations as well as other local volunteers. All the volunteers get a road race T-shirt, every year an original graphic design.
“I think some people run just to get that T-shirt,” Sam adds.
The homeowners along the route who volunteer to give water get something else: a thank you note from Sam for their participation.
Sam and Rotarian Angie Vincenty prepare a large plastic bag for each water stop, with the T-shirts and the right number of cups.
“Kids who have been helping out for years grow up so we have to make sure we have the right sizes on the shirts,” he says.
Since the route doubles back on itself, some water stations have to receive more cups than others.
On the day of the race, Sam stations himself at the finish in the center of Chester, giving out water to tired runners once they cross the line. And then he returns to each water stop station to clean up the cups that the runners have dropped after drinking.
“When the runners finish, they are exhausted,” Sam says.
The course, he points out, is hilly.
“It’s a challenging race, a lot of ups and downs.”
Sam, who grew up in West Hartford, spent family summers in Clinton. A very successful Clinton friend told Sam’s mother that he attributed his good fortune in business to the contacts he had made as a Rotary member.
“My mother suggested to me it would be a good idea for me to join Rotary,” Sam, a longtime member, recalls.
At the club’s annual Lobster fest in September, Sam usually works taking tickets on the day of the event.
“But it’s really a whole weekend of work, setting up and then cleaning up,” he says.
Sam graduated from law school at Boston University, where he also did his undergraduate work, but after the death of his father, he owned and operated the family auto dealership in Manchester for more than 20 years until it was sold in l993. He was also involved in national automobile dealers’ associations.
“It was my background. There were not many dealers who were also lawyers,” he explained.
He moved to Chester from Manchester 1995.
“I took the ‘Man’ out of Manchester,” he says, describing the move.
Since 1993, Sam has focused full time on law, with a practice that involves arbitration and mediation in which he has done advanced work through professional organizations and university programs. He does arbitration and mediation in situations as varied as home repair, securities and brokerage regulation, and automobiles whose problems qualify them for settlement under various states’ lemon laws. Sam has worked for organizations that include the New York Stock Exchange, the United States Postal Service, and the Better Business Bureau. One of the things he likes about Chester is the flexibility it gives him to travel to New York, Boston, and other areas of New England as his work requires. Locally, he is vice-chairman of the Chester’s Water Pollution Control Board.
Sam used to be a runner. He did the Manchester Road Race every year on Thanksgiving, a course of a little under five miles. He has also done the Falmouth, Massachusetts race, a seven-mile run that attracts more than 12,000 participants. And he has run in Four on the Fourth, but no more.
“I couldn’t run that today. My knees, they just wouldn’t take it,” he says. “I’d have to walk.”
For more information on the Chester Four on the Fourth race, visit www.chesterrotary.org.