Breakfast ‘big shot’ deals great hand for Buttonwoods Community Center

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 5/5/15

Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi was just enjoying Sunday breakfast at Buttonwoods Fish and Chips when Leona Patenaude came up to him calling him a “big shot.”

As a regular …

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Breakfast ‘big shot’ deals great hand for Buttonwoods Community Center

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Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi was just enjoying Sunday breakfast at Buttonwoods Fish and Chips when Leona Patenaude came up to him calling him a “big shot.”

As a regular at the Buttonwoods Community Center and part of their senior card league, Patenaude had worked with others for a while on getting the center new card tables to no avail.

Shekarchi said, “One day she just came up and asked for my help getting these tables. She said the old ones were taped and falling apart, the cards wouldn’t slide anymore.”

In the following weeks, Shekarchi worked on getting the non-profit a legislative grant for the tables.

“Every week after I’d go up to him and ask where our tables were. One day at breakfast he handed me a check for $500,” Patenaude said.

Mayor Scott Avedisian and the city of Warwick matched the grant, giving the community center $1,000 to purchase six brand new six-foot card tables.

On Thursday, April 23, the senior card league held a small celebration to thank Shekarchi and Avedisian.

There were nearly 50 card players shuffling decks and calling cards at the center.

Patricia St. Amant, director of the Buttonwoods Community Center, said that the tables would do more than just give card enthusiasts slicker tables, but help everyone use the space by having sturdy and new tables.

“Any socialization and fun we can use to keep the seniors interested and happy is good,” she said.

George Gange, who runs the card league, said the league hosts card tournaments throughout the year and the tables will really help.

He said he and some others had been working for years to get new tables, but to no avail before the representative and mayor’s help.

“It feels wonderful to finally get some new tables and it won’t only serve the seniors; it’ll help everyone who uses the facilities,” he said.

While Gange cut into the double-layered sheet cake, Shekarchi said, “When good people work together good things happen.”

He said the community center is an example of “tax dollars put to good use,” and the grant will really benefit all who come to the center.

“I was happy to play a small part in making it a bit better for the patrons,” Shekarchi said.

Avedisian said Warwick is a great city in that it is so easy for the citizens to reach out to the mayor or a representative to get things done.

“We can have a conversation and put it straight to action,” he said.

He said matching the grant was just one way the city can thank the seniors for living, staying, and sometimes working for Warwick.

“We try and fill niches; these seniors may not take part in any other city service,” Avedisian said.

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  • CameronClueless

    how special. in the meantime the mayor looks to pay out $800k in city worker bonuses to buy himself votes

    Thursday, May 7, 2015 Report this