A number of individuals and businesses received awards and recognition from the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce during its annual dinner meeting held in the Colonial Hotel in Gardner recently.
With more than 100 people in attendance, the Marine Corps League Pequoig Detachment 1168, Nate Johnson, Pete’s Tire Barns Inc. and the Town Of Phillipston were all recognized. In addition to announcing Jeanette Robichaud, immediate past Executive Director of the Athol Area YMCA, as its “Citizen of the Year,” the following presentations were made with Orange Selectman Ryan Mailloux tasked with introducing the recipients and reading the biographies.
Presented to the Marine Corps League Pequoig Detachment 1168 of Athol
Originally awarded in the late 1980s, the Arthur H. Platt Community Service Award is named after a champion of business and community for the North Quabbin Region. Platt was a real estate developer and unwavering advocate for community-building in the area.
Platt championed many projects, including saving the important Pequoig Hotel in Athol, turning it into affordable housing, and pioneered a renaissance in the Town of Orange during his time here. Deeply rooted in his adopted home of the North Quabbin, the late Royalston resident is forever remembered as a community hero.
The Marine Corps League was founded in 1923 by Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune, United States Marine Corps, and is the only federally-chartered Marine Corps-related veterans’ organization in the United States. Membership is open to former and retired Marines, Navy Corpsmen, and chaplains assigned to Marine units.
Jim Sottile, as Commandant of the Department of Massachusetts, oversees the conduct and operation of the Department Staff headquartered at the State House, and the 28 Detachments across the Commonwealth. Our local, Pequoig Detachment 1168, was chartered in April, 2004, through the diligent efforts of Marine Earl King, who served as its first Detachment Commandant.
Locally, Detachment 1168 conducts the annual Toys for Tots Christmas toy drive, provides color guards for parades and ceremonies, honor guards, and “Fallen Marine” rituals for deceased Marines, and sponsors the annual Marine Corps Birthday celebration each November 10. The group supports and works in conjunction with other veterans’ organization in the North Quabbin area.
The large contingent of members was thanked for their service, and “with great pleasure,” the Chamber presented the Marine Corps League Pequoig Detachment 1168 with “our Arthur H. Platt Community Service Award,” accepted by Commandant Sotille, on behalf of the League.
Town of Phillipston/Open Space Committee
Two local residents of Phillipston, Wayne Richard, an engineer, and Mark Miville, a physical education teacher, have led an extraordinary effort to improve their community. Along with other residents, they realized that as a rural community, they had no formal park area, and certainly not one that could accommodate groups of different ages.
The two put their collective ideas together, and came up with a brilliant idea. They would construct a park, playground, community gathering area, and an extensive trail system for the benefit of the Town’s inhabitants, as well as visitors.
Seizing an opportunity to purchase a 25-acre parcel adjacent to their elementary school, they set off on a long and involved project that would yield stunning results.
The parcel they purchased included a house, which was repurposed as a new police station. The remaining acreage would become the park. They used a variety of funding resources, including a Community Preservation Fund grant, to assist with the purchase, and later the construction of the playground. Those funds are also being used to construct a fully-accessible walking-trail.
The park has brought people’s attention to a unique, natural phenomenon – The Phillipston Glacial – a balancing rock hidden in the woods, at the end of the trail. This feature is the cover photo on this year’s Phillipston Town Report.
Construction of the playground was a truly community-wide event, with all hands on deck. Scores of volunteers came together to assemble and install the playground, which includes a rock-climbing wall, slides, swings, rope walks, and zip line, which plays to the inner child in many adults.
Construction of the extensive walking trails throughout the park area are continuing in the current phase of the project.
Kevin Flynn, Phillipston’s Chief Administrative Officer, and Bonnie House, a member of the Community Preservation Committee focused on open space, as well as member of the Town’s Open Space Committee, accepted the award on behalf of the Town of Phillipston.
North Quabbin Inspiration Award
Nate Johnson
According to Mailloux, “inspiration takes as many forms as there are people to inspire us. Nate shows everyone he encounters that dreams, turned into actions, change people, and in turn, change your community.”
Johnson is revered as a man who will never dismiss anyone’s ideas or dreams, or set them aside to focus on himself. His attention and focus always leans towards finding solutions that will lift everyone up. He’s also one of the busiest people in the North Quabbin region.
A life-long resident of Orange, Johnson has served in many roles, and continues to inspire people by serving even more. He also has a wicked sense of humor and often displays it when people least expect it.
Johnson is a graduate of Mount Wachusett Community College, with an Associate’s Degree in Human Services. He was honored with the “Service above Self” award, and went on the University of MA Commonwealth College (honors program) where he graduated Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. He translated that into the Vice Presidency of North Quabbin Citizen Advocacy, a role he left when he was hired as one of their coordinators, and later accepted his current position, as Executive Director.
A member of the Starry, Starry Night Committee, North Quabbin Trails Association, a director on the Greater Athol-Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs (GAAFSON) Board, Johnson is the 2017 recipient of that organization’s Innovation Award.
Johnson is also a member of the Franklin County Young Professionals, an affiliate of the United Way, and on the Planning Committee for Creating our Commonwealth, an initiative of the Department of Developmental Services.
“For his spirit, his endurance, and his limitless love of community, the North Quabbin Chamber is honored to name Nate as a true, North Quabbin Inspiration,” saud Mailloux.
True to his nature, Johnson used his acceptance speech as an opportunity to inspire the audience to take part in their communities, and turn ideas and dreams into reality.
Pete’s Tire Barns, Inc.
Pete’s Tire Barns, Inc. was started by Peter A. Gerry, then just 18 years old, in 1968, at a small garage in Athol. Originally selling automobiles (as Pete’s Auto Sales) and performance tires, the company expanded its operation to include a full line of passenger tires, new an retreaded truck tires, farm and agricultural tires, off-road tires, and several other product lines. Today, 90% of their business is in commercial truck tires and related markets.
Gerry’s goal has always been to provide the best overall tire products and services for the New England Market. By aggressively pursuing expansion opportunities, Pete’s has built network strength through acquisitions and new store development. This growth has allowed the company to provide customers with top-notch sales and service, regardless of where they operate in New England.
Through these efforts, Pete’s Tire Barns has grown to one of the largest independent commercial tire dealerships in the country. Gerry currently operates 19 full-service locations in New England, a brand new state-of-the-art distribution center, two Bandag retread facilities, employs more than 200 people, and operates a fleet of more than 100 service and delivery vehicles.
Last year, Pete’s Tire Barns celebrated their 50th year in business. They’re growing stronger every day.
Gerry and his staff have always believed that building a better business also means helping to build a better community. They have done some outstanding things to make that mission a reality. The list is long, but to give you an idea, here are some highlights:
Sixteen years ago, Pete’s Along with AOTV and the Dean Brothers, founded the North Quabbin Food-A-Thon, to raise funds, food, and awareness about food insecurity in the region. The event raised thousands of dollars, and tons of food every year, which is distributed to local food pantries.
This year’s Food-A-Thon just took place two days prior to the Chamber’s award presentation – bringing in $25,000 in cash donations and nine tons of food for distribution. Without Gerry’s initiative and generosity, this event would not be possible.
Personally, Gerry has always been keenly aware of environmental concerns, and runs his company with those concerns in mind. The Bridgestone Corporation has recognized Gerry as a leader in operating his business in the most environmentally-responsible manner possible.
Gerry is a consistent and generous sponsor of dozens of community events including support our area’s regional schools with contributions to after prom parties, athletic teams, and myriad other education endeavors.
Each year, Pete’s Tire Barns donates 250 hams, and 250 five pound bags of potatoes to the Athol Salvation Army for Christmas meals. They also recently donated funds to the Salvation Army for a series of much-needed upgrades to their building.
The Christmas hams and potatoes donation is actually a greater, regional effort, and involved more than 1,000 hams, and 1,000 bags of potatoes, going to ten food pantries across New England
Gerry corporate culture is such that this generosity is enjoyed by employees, as well. Each Thanksgiving, every employee in the company is gifted a gallon of freshly-pressed apple cider and half-bushel of apples from local orchards, and at Christmas time, an enormous fruit basket, topped with a ham.
A large percentage of Gerry employees have been with the company for decades. Their turnover rate is less than 5%, a positive reflection on the company as a whole, and especially on Gerry, as a leader.
Gerry is also incredibly generous to his employees in need, offering guidance and help when they need vehicles, or are buying homes, and particularly when they are experiencing illness, whether it is the employee or someone at home. Gerry truly cares about his employees and what is going on in their lives.
Peter Gerry and Pete’s Tire Barns serve as the best examples of what it means to build community. The award was accepted by Peter Gerry, his wife, Nancy, and a large delegation of employees.