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Northborough Southborough Villager

Governor honors Southborough man for work in town
By Charlie Breitrose/Staff Writer
Thursday, December 14, 2006 - Updated: 05:04 PM EST

SOUTHBOROUGH - James Chance sort of fell into volunteering for the town soon after his retirement, but since then he has served on several boards and was rewarded for his efforts by receiving the governor's Points of Light Award.

Having worked with GTE and later General Dynamics as a telecom engineer, Chance, 70, knew a thing or two about computers and put his knowledge to work at the Southborough Senior Center.

``I went down to the senior center and discovered they were moving,'' Chance said. ``When they heard I knew something about computers, they asked if I could help. The next thing I knew, I was running computers and setting up networks.''

Pam LeFrancois, director of the senior center, said Chance's expertise has been invaluable.

``We are social service workers around her, so we don't know much about computers,'' LeFrancois said. ``Jim helps us with out with that.''

Soon he joined the Council on Aging - where he served as chairman for two years - the Scholarship Committee, the Phase II Stormwater Committee, the Emergency Management Committee, the Facilities Committee and the Cable Television Committee.
Chance also helped shape town government, literally, said facilities manager Basilio Diaz. Chance helped layout the office space for the town planner, the building inspector, the Health Department and the Assessors Office, in a planned new community center.
Then he took on designing the space for the Youth and Family Service and Facilities departments in Fayville Hall, and came up with a design for the yet to be approved Police Department's lockerroom, Diaz said.

``He would spend time with the customers, trying to combine the desires and the requirements into an accurate plan,'' Diaz wrote in his nomination letter. Diaz noted that all the designs had an estimate, which were accepted and funded by Town Meeting.
Southborough has been Chance's home for the last 32 years, but his whole family - his wife Rita and their three children - was born in England. He was sent to the United States by GTE after a stint in Italy. He went back to the United Kingdom for about a year when they told him he would be heading back across the Atlantic.

``When we came here again, (GTE) said it looks like it will be indefinite. Gradually, over time, we became U.S. citizens and we have been here ever since,'' Chance said. ``We have grandchildren here, and we are fortunate that all three of our children live in Massachusetts, within an hour's drive.''

Chance has been forced to cut down on his volunteer activity, as he faces a new challenge - cancer.

``I'm afraid I've been ill this year, and have had to withdraw from all of (the boards) except the Council on Aging and the Facilities Committee,'' Chance said. ``They were the ones I was most involved in. The doctors told me to cut back.''

He was well enough in November to attend the gala Points of Light awards dinner at the State House, where he accepted the award from Gov. Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann.
Only eight Points of Light awards are given out each year, one in each category. Chance was chosen in the Older Adult category.

The award came as a total surprise for Chance, though there had been some talk in his household.

``I didn't know anything about it until the announcement had been made and they called me to tell me,'' Chance said. ``Apparently my wife knew but they told her not to tell me.''
Chance said he could not have gotten the award on his own.

``At the ceremony, I acknowledged the fact that although this was a personal award, I do not regard as such,'' Chance said. ``I believe this is an award for our town, the many volunteers as well as the town employees.

``I have made a lot of friends with many volunteers and town employees they are wonderful people.''