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Honored
Gary Osbrey, right, received the first annual George Brown Community Champion Award from the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse. Coffeehouse president Fred Ruhlemann, left, stands with Pam Brown. Linda Lemmon photo.



By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — “George Brown never complained. He never even thought about saying no,” said Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse president Fred Ruhlemann.
Brown, who died last year, was a “solid rock of his community,” he added.
Honoring that community champion, the first annual George W. Brown Community Champion Award went to Gary Osbrey.
Each Tuesday, veterans from the northeast corner, Massachusetts and Rhode Island meet, for breakfast, camaraderie, useful program and expert veteran advice at the Putnam Elks Lodge.
The lodge members, including the chefs, volunteer their time to create a welcoming place for veterans.
The breakfast was sponsored by Linemaster Switch and Mark Provost of M Provost Landscaping.
Table flowers came from the Sunshine Shop and the Arc Eastern Connecticut donated the pastries.
Jan. 31 was special in that it honored Brown and Osbrey. Ruhlemann recounted Brown’s service — to his community as an ER nurse, as a volunteer firefighter (and fire chief) and as a veteran as Brown served in Vietnam. Ruhlemann said, “George had a great love of his family, friends, country, church and community.”
In giving the award to Osbrey, Brown’s wife, Pam Brown, said “George is smiling down right now.”
Osbrey told the 80-plus veterans, “Losing George reminds me how fickle life can be” and so he urged the audience “If you love someone, tell them.”
He recalled their close friendship and said he remembered having a beer with Brown. And two days later George was gone. “He was the most incredible man of character I’ve seen in my life,” Osbrey said.
Osbrey and Brown worked together on many, many community projects including the Food Share during the height of COVID-19. He recalled one hot day when the food delivery truck was six hours late. Brown was the smart one; he found a nice shade tree and took a nap. When the truck arrived he was up and at ‘em.
Ruhlemann said in August the veterans coffeehouse will put out a suggestion box for a month for suggestions on the second annual winner of this heart-felt award.

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