Proulx adding a new role as chaplin
By Nicole LeBlanc

Acurls runs to him, a huge smile on her adorable face. When he bends over to greet her, she puckers her lips to give him a kiss.

To Aurora, he's Daddy but to others in the Ashburnham community, Pastor Dale Proulx is the new Ashburnham Fire Chaplain.

Fire Chief Paul Zbikowski recently asked Proulx to fill the position of fire chaplain - a position that was vacated when Father Joe Jurgelonis moved to Holy Cross Church of East Templeton in June. Leaving the chaplain position vacant was not an option for Zbikowski.

"The chaplain is somebody to bring calmness to a tragic time," Zbikowski said. "Someone who can talk to the family after a disaster."

Jurgelonis was the department's first chaplain and he served for seven of the 16 years he lived in town. Now Proulx is learning the ropes, while balancing his many other important responsibilities.

"It's always a little overwhelming when you start something new," said Proulx. "It's a lot to learn. But I am really excited about being the new fire chaplain in Ashburnham."

He has served as pastor of the Ashburnham Community Church for 12 years. The fire chaplain position is a part-time job that demands service at a moment's notice. Proulx was given a person- al portable radio, which he is required to keep by his side at all times. When he hears his call sign, he must be ready to drive to a tragedy where he will offer the moral support that a victim will need.

Sometimes responding will mean changing into protective gear. Always, responding will mean preparing himself emotionally to offer hope during a seemingly hopeless situation.

Knowing when to respond to a call has been a learning experience in itself, Proulx said. Recently hearing an emergency on the radio, he said that he accidentally responded to an ambulance call even though he wasn't needed.

"It's good that I didn't go out with all my gear," he said.

Still, members of his church board found the story to be rather funny.

"I might wear my gear to the next board meeting, since they were so amused," he said with a smile.

As part of the learning process, Proulx is currently working to join the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains - a group of chaplains that can be called upon should a large-scale tragedy occur. He said that he will take the basic-training course when it is offered next.

"If there is a crisis, [the corps] can summon how many chaplains they need to help," Proulx said. "So during something of a more serious magnitude - something like 9-11 or even the Worcester tragedy [a

deadly w a r e -

h o u s e

fire in 1999] - they can say they need however many chaplains to come help in the aftermath of the crisis."

On a more local scale, Zbikowski said that Proulx will attend some of the firemen training sessions, making his face a familiar one.

"It's easier to talk to someone you know," Zbikowski said. "He came in the other night and spoke to the group. And he knows the townspeople. These are the people who get affected during the emergencies."

Being available to others isn't a new concept to Proulx. He has earned the love and respect of his congregation.

"One of his gifts is the ability to communicate on a one-to-one basis," said Donna Slochum, a member of the Ashburnham Community Church. "He really likes to be involved in the community."

But titles, education, and community responsibilities aside, at the end of the day, Proulx is husband to Christine and father to Elizabeth, Joshua and Aurora. Making time for them isn't easy, but it is important. Saturday is the day that he and Christine - a special education teacher - both have off, so they do their best to designate them as family days.

Although no one wants to require the services of a fire department's chaplain, it is Proulx's caring personality, dedication to family and easy interaction with others that assure people he is ready for the job.

"Dale is supportive of reaching out to people with emotional difficulties and who are isolated," said Emily Clune, a 2006 Boston University graduate who grew up under the pastoral leadership of Proulx. "He really shows how he cares for others, and he's convicted to help people. He tries to live out the Word."

Proulx is currently studying for his master's in counseling. He believes that this will better equip him in his position as fire chaplain, as counseling can be a part of the healing process.

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Nicole LeBlanc is a 2005 graduate of Eastern Nazarene College, in Quincy. She is living in Templeton.