Colleen O’Halloran Receives Community Service Award

Colleen O’Halloran was recently honored with this year’s St. Hilaire Community Service Award.  O’Halloran has served as the president of the Parents Advisory Council, or PAC, at Seekonk High School since 2009. She is also treasurer of the Seekonk Athletic Boosters.

She spends a great deal of time volunteering at Seekonk High School, running the school store and putting together bake sales at many sporting events.  O’Halloran also coordinates clothing drives and the Stop & Shop rewards program. She volunteers 8-10 hours a week. She says she was surprised to learn of the award because she didn’t even know she was nominated. “I was honored to have been chosen and appreciate the recognition, but I’ve never been one to seek out recognition,” O’Halloran said.

PAC awarded 16 scholarships to students at the high school this year and typically raises about $12,000 to $15,000 a year for students. The Athletic Boosters raise a similar amount. “I try to volunteer my time and help out when I can. You’re there anyway (at school events), so if you can lend a hand, why not lend a hand,” O’Halloran said.

Colleen and her husband Chris have both volunteered their time since their oldest was in grade school. They have four children: Caitlyn, 21; Michael, 19; Molly, 17; and Erin, 14. Chris helps runs the school store with Colleen and he has been school photographer for years. The O’Hallorans and a few other parents give their time to open the school store every afternoon from 1:45-2:15 p.m. O’Halloran also runs bake sales at town meetings and elections, with all the proceeds going to help student programs. O’Halloran took over as PAC President from another longtime volunteer, Karen McKenna.
“Those were big shoes to fill,” O’Halloran said.

Robert McKenna, Karen’s husband, was a previous recipient of the St. Hilaire Award. He passed away in 2012.  Karen helps run the annual golf tournament, along with Colleen and the current president of the Boosters, Michelle Silva. O’Halloran says she was taught as a child that it is important to give back and she tries to teach her children the same thing. “I think it’s something to set an example to your kids that you have to give back and make the time to help others,” O’Halloran.

The community service award was created in 2011 by the Seekonk Library Trust and is named for its first recipient, Sharon St. Hilaire, who served as director of the Seekonk Public Library for 34 years before she passed away in 2011. O’Halloran says PAC is always looking for volunteers and she can always use help with the bake sales. Anyone interested in volunteering, can contact O’Halloran at: c3m2eo@comcast.net.