Kathleen and Jonathan Paquin selected as 2013 Uxbridge Grange Community Citizen award recipients

UXBRIDGE- Uxbridge Grange #200 is pleased to announce that Kathleen and Jonathan Paquin, owners of the Yarn-Shop, have been selected as the 2013 recipients of the Uxbridge Grange Community Citizen Award. The Community Citizen Award is designed to honor individuals or groups in Uxbridge and the surrounding area that are making a difference in the community.

Kathleen Paquin, her husband Aram, and their family, moved to Uxbridge approximately 30 years ago. They started the Yarn-Shop in 1998. Jonathan Paquin has been involved for many years as a consultant for the Yarn-Shop and continues to provide support and assistance to his mother to further their efforts to grow their beloved store. The Paquin’s have a special desire to not only operate the Yarn-Shop successfully, but to also offer a means of providing a “ministry” to those who frequently shop there. “Yarn-Shop was built with the understanding that the business is not defined by the product. It is defined by our relationship with the community,” says Kathleen Paquin on their website. When Kathleen and her husband Aram were at Dana Farber treatment center, as he was receiving treatment, they were inspired to create a program that would involve the knitting community and help others in their own special way, and they started the “Chemo-Cap” program. Knitters may create many different styles of these caps, with yarn provided by the “Shop”, and then these caps are distributed to Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, Women and Infants, as well as 3 locations of Dana Farber.

The Paquin’s received their award on May 28th at a special meeting of Uxbridge Grange, besides their award they were presented with citations from Senator Richard Moore and Representative Kevin Kuros. As part of their award they were given a monetary donation from Uxbridge Grange to give to the charity of their choosing. At the award ceremony Kathleen and Jonathan opted to present the donation to the Grafton Boy Scout troop in which Kathleen’s grandson is a member. Musical entertainment for the evening was provided by Massachusetts State Grange Talent Contest Winner Brett Johnson of Haverhill.

Founded on March 30, 1893, Uxbridge Grange is a fraternal, community organization with a focus on community service, agriculture and family. The Grange is very involved in the community and meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month with fun and interesting programs. For more information about Uxbridge Grange visit www.grange.org/uxbridgema200.