~ THE NEW ~
Uxbridge Times
“Your Hometown News” VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 12
A FREE Monthly Publication
Uxbridge • North Uxbridge • Linwood • Douglas • Northbridge • Whitinsville • Sutton • Manchaug
DECEMBER 2011
BVCC honors business leaders By Constance Dwyer On November 9th at the Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, at the 33rd Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, four special awards were given prior to a timely keynote address by Professor Elizabeth Warren. With her usual contagious enthusiasm, Jeannie Hebert, President and CEO of the Chamber, welcomed everyone. The “Cornerstone Award: Linwood Mill” was presented to William, “Bill,” and Patty Giannopoulos who are well known as business owners of Friendly Discount Liquors in Whitinsville for the last 26 years. They are recognized for their entrepreneurial penchant in converting the Linwood Mill into condos and a mixed-use redevelopment site with 75 apartments for a 55-plus community and commercial/retail space. Bill and
New life for rare historic barn By Mary Beauchamp The Trustees of Reservations Along the border between Uxbridge and its mother town of Mendon, lies a quiet 185 acres of land known as “Cormier Woods”, owned by The Trustees of Reservations. Driving along scenic Chapin Street, one is struck with a sense of timelessness as you wind through a narrow stretch of road, lined by stone walls, and literally pass through an 18th-century New England homestead. This complex of buildings and landscape features is historically significant not because it is a large homestead, but because it is close to intact, possibly the only one of its kind in Central Massachusetts. (The Trustees of Reservations, 2010). A rare, if not uniquely early, English tie-style barn on the site is entering the next phase of restoration in the coming weeks, thanks to a donation by the Consigli Corporation of Milford who will begin replacing the asphalt shingle siding with vertical rough sawn boards, in keeping with the historic appearance. Consigli Construction Company was founded over 100 years ago and has been involved in historic preservation projects across New England. The Consigli team has used its ingenuity to help restore many of the historic concrete features of Castle Hill, in Ipswich, MA, a National continued on page 20
POSTAL PATRON
Patty partnered with EA Fish Development to make this jewel in the Valley a reality and Jeannie reiterated the Valley theme the couple exemplifies: “Restore rather than destroy!” Bill, in accepting the award, brought laughter into the filled room when he said...
“I broke the rule in real-estate development. I fell in love with a building. Linwood Mill will be a beacon for the village of Linwood and an asset for Northbridge.” - Bill Giannopoulos The next award, the “Gerry Gaudette Extra Mile Award” was given to Rick Mongeau, President, Board member, and Trustee of Employee-Owned Lampin Corporation in Uxbridge, manufacturer of precision machined products and mechanical assemblies. Lee Gaudette explained that this is the “top award” named after his Dad when he died 8 years ago from lung cancer; Dad “epitomized going the extra mile.” Rick is committed to education and provides financial resources to his own employees and “Lampin Grants” to all schools in the Blackstone Valley, even during the recession. He’s involved with the Manufacturing Academy, a new initiative at the Education Foundation and hosted the Teacher Tour, showcasing modern manufacturing to teachers from the Valley. He also serves on the Grafton Public Schools Facilities Strategic Planning Committee and is proud of the new high school the community supported, through the committee’s ongoing communication with the public. When he received the award, he thanked everyone for “recognizing educational activities” in the Valley and credited others who were involved with him in his multiple projects. The third award for “Tourism” was directed to Sandra Quadros Bowles, a journalist well known as a full-time reporter and editor since l982 and who especially enjoys community journalism. She served as editor of the Valley Telegram and Gazette and OntheCommon.com, two publications that covered the Blackstone Valley. After decades of work in traditional journalism, she now has joined the Patch.com family and shares their enthusiasm for community journalism since she commented that “I have always believed that the most important form of journalism is the one that covers issues closest to home.” Jeannie said that Sandy is “interested in the tourist industry and lives and works in continued on page 12
A CHRISTMAS CAROL ~ This year’s production contains a few familiar faces and some new ones. Dale Place of Boston and Sean Patrick Hopkins of Charlestown, RI return as Ebenezer Scrooge and Bob Cratchit; while newcomers John Davin of Boston and Kevin Hadfield of Uxbridge make their Hanover Theatre debut as the Ghost of Jacob Marley and Topper. The show is recommended for children ages 8 and up. Tickets for kids and students are half price, so the whole family can attend. Performance times are Friday, December 16th at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, December 17th at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday, December 18th at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. and Friday, December 23rd at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit TheHanoverTheatre.org, call 877-571-SHOW (7469), or visit The Hanover Theatre Box Office at 2 Southbridge Street in downtown Worcester.
Business Bio:
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Complete story on page 29
Do you have dancing feet? Debbie Kogut was only 5 years old when she started ballet lessons and discovered that she wanted to dance for the rest of Students, Alicia Miller (left) and Chelsea her life.
Proehl (right) pose with Debbie Kogut; owner of Debbie’s School of Dance.
See story on page 39
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