By Lisa Capitelli
OC Today

	Donahue

This is one of the many reasons why the OC Recreation Boosters chose Donahue as the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Volunteer of the Year for 2004. He will be recognized publicly at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13, at the Northside Park Recreation Complex.

Recreation superintendent Kate Gaddis said Donahue is always willing to do anything you ask.

“He has a positive attitude toward sports and is always willing to explain a call or the rules to kids to make sure they understand,” Gaddis said. “He is not just putting in the hours, it’s the quality of the time he is putting in.”

Donahue was quite surprised when he was told he had won the award. He said he had received an award from the Cockeysville Spring League in Baltimore County for his 25 years of service, but nothing like this.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Donahue said. “Like I said, there are 50 or 60 guys that I know who work in the program that deserve the award, too.”

He began volunteering in 1965 when his first child was old enough to participate in recreational sports activities. From 1965 to 1990, he volunteered with the Cockeysville Spring League and had five children — four boys and a girl — who went through the programs. He worked with them in soccer, football, baseball, softball and basketball.

In 1990, he retired from ADT, a burglar/fire alarm company, after 27 years, and moved to Ocean View, where he still lives.

He was still interested in working with children, so he volunteered to work with them at the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department. The department’s assistant director, Susan Petito, had played softball with Donahue’s daughter and was coached by him.

“He is one of those people that always seems happy, upbeat and always has a smile on his face,” she said. “His heart is in the right place and you know he is there for the right reasons. He does it because of his passion for sports and he loves the kids.”

Petito said his recognition is based not only on the amount of time he has dedicated to the department, but mostly for the quality of time and the quality experiences he has provided to so many.

Donahue has coached, refereed and umpired. He volunteers his time with the baseball, Ponytail softball and basketball programs and clinics and also helps out for different holiday events.

“I believe I’ll probably die on either the basketball court or the softball field because I’m still devoted to helping kids and keeping them off the streets,” he said. “But I enjoy it. If I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t do it.

“I like mentoring the kids, teaching them the very basics of the sport starting off with how to dribble a ball in basketball, how to pitch a ball in softball... I just love working with kids, no matter whether it’s boys or girls.”

Donahue said he likes working with the recreation department staff because they are “very kind and congenial.”

Kim Kinsey, recreation supervisor, has known Donahue for about 15 years. 

“I would describe Mr. Frank as a caring, dependable, and a dedicated man. He will help you in anyway he can and never complains. He has a true passion when it comes to working with children,” she said. “You can really see the enjoyment Mr. Frank gets from being around this environment. Mr. Frank is not a man who seeks recognition; he is the type of person who always recognizes others.

“The fact is, he is probably one of the most deserving of this award,” Kinsey continued. “In all my years here, I can’t think of someone who has given back to this department more than Mr. Frank.” 

Recreation supervisor Al “Hondo” Handy also had some kind words to say about Donahue.

“When you meet Mr. Frank, the one thing that will make you remember him is the fact that he is always smiling. He enjoys working with the kids and you can see it in his smile...” Handy said. “I say, ‘Thanks!’ to Mr. Frank. Thanks is a very small token of appreciation for all of his volunteer hours.  It takes someone special and very dedicated to do such a big job. Little did we know it would come from such a small person carrying such a big heart.”

When asked to describe himself, Donahue said, “They tell me that I’m always smiling and joyful. Some people say I never have a cross word to say with the kids. I always feel as though I would put myself at their age and teach them from the beginning and teach them the right way, to do things the right way ... Maybe it will be my one step that gets me into heaven.”