Community Corner

Walpole Schools Nurse Kathi Garvin Wins Patriots Difference Maker of the Week Award

Milford's Greenleaf Garden Club had a little help Tuesday in planting fall-friendly mums. Ron Brace, a defensive lineman for the New England Patriots, helped plant and water the new plantings at two locations.

MILFORD-The Greenleaf Garden Club, which maintains the planters across town and helps beautify Milford's barren spaces, had a surprise helper Tuesday.

Ron Brace, a defensive lineman for the New England Patriots, helped the garden club members plant some mums at the Milford Town Library and at the base of the World War II memorial in Draper Memorial Park.

As part of the day's events, Brace presented the Patriots Difference Maker of the Week award to Kathi Garvin, nurse-manager for the Walpole Public School system.

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"Kathi has been an invaluable volunteer member of Walpole's Medical Reserve Corp's steering committee. She has played a big role at the Walpole Public School yearly flu clinics, and was the key to handling needs for dispensing vaccinations during the H1N1 (swine flu) crises. Kathi has volunteered to serve the public through teaching CPR and AED training to Walpole Medical Reserve Corp members, also making her classes open to the community. Her advice, insight and experience as the nurse manager for Walpole Public Schools has been a tremendous asset to the organization and has resulted in keeping numerous members of the community safe and healthy," High School Principal Stephen Imbusch said.

Brace was participating in a Patriots program that selects players for volunteer jobs, called Celebrate Volunteerism, created in 2011 to honor Myrna Kraft, the late wife of Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The Patriots chose Milford and its garden club for this week's event, said Donna Spigarolo, the community relations coordinator for the Patriots.

Find out what's happening in Walpolewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Brace was up to the task, digging in to the work, signing autographs and posing for pictures. The Worcester native was drafted by the Patriots in the second round in 2009. He is a graduate of Boston College.


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