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07/20/2022 08:30 AMWhen you talk about volunteers, there’s one name that comes to the top of the list in Killingworth. Jan O’Sullivan’s history of civic action is long, and for decades, her efforts have allowed the Killingworth community to thrive despite municipal issues that many towns ordinarily do not face.
Jan and her husband Dan have a long tradition of volunteerism, ever since they moved to town in the late 1980s. Jan says her husband actually had relatives at one time in Killingworth, and they chose the town specifically so they could establish roots in a community where they could dedicate their efforts.
“When we first got married, we said to each other that we wanted to be more involved in the community, and the church. So, we never really got that chance when we lived in Newington, but when we decided to move to Killingworth, we dove right in,” says Jan.
Jan has volunteered for the PTO, local school funding efforts, and organizing voters.
“I helped form a political action group focused on school building and renovations, which were very hot topics way back when. There was a huge effort to resist approving by those who didn’t want to pay for new schools, but as a new parent, I really believed in good schools,” says Jan. “As a group, I can tell you that we all agreed that we didn’t have time for bake sales, we needed to take action-so that was kind of the start of my civic involvement in Killingworth. And I was quite proud of our efforts. There was a great core group of us, we made signs, went to meetings, and as a result of our efforts, my husband ended up being a member and Chair of the School Board.”
Despite her numerous causes and efforts Jan jokes that she sometimes can’t remember every organization she helps.
“Believe it or not I have said no to a whole lot of offers, and I know it doesn’t sound like it when I list my efforts, but I have had to turn down things,” says Jan.
However, Jan has volunteered for Helping Hands, which is the local food pantry for the Killingworth area, she also became involved in the Library Board, the Historical Society, and assisting seniors with their taxes during income filing season as well.
“My husband recommended that I volunteer for folks with income tax assistance at that time,” says Jan. “I looked into that and started volunteering for the AARP TAXAID organization, that helps seniors file their taxes,” Jan says. “I have also taken over the all the organizations under the local Estuary Region involved in this work. It’s a lot of work to run it, I’d much rather just be doing tax returns because that is what I’m good at it. But it's very important and helpful work for those who need it, so I am happy to be part of those efforts.”
Jan came onto the Library Board in 2008 and elected treasurer in 2009. She says this position and work is near and dear to her because the library has become such an important part of Killingworth’s community.
“The job has certainly gotten more complex lately, obviously with the challenges of the pandemic, but I truly love the job and the people I work with,” Jan says. “This job is much more like a business than most other volunteer positions. I’m the treasurer so there’s payroll, and there’s payments and bills that need attention. So, it is a great fit for me.”
One of the complexities of Killingworth’s municipal finances is that they are severely limited without a large commercial tax-base to draw on. For those who don’t know the history Killingworth, the town once used to encompass the entire town of what is now Clinton.
When the towns diverged, as many municipalities did along the shoreline (Madison used to be East Guilford until 1826), Killingworth was left with a disadvantage. Not only was there no true ‘town center”, there was very little industry or commercial property to establish a tax base, meaning that some of the town institutions such as the library, can only be partial funded by the tax payer dollars.
Those operating costs have to be made up somehow and volunteers like Jan are the ones who are in a constant state of readiness to raise funds and keep these opportunities available for residents.
“We have to raise about 25-30 percent of our operating budget every year, which is a bigger percentage than many other towns. I don’t want to put the town in a bad light, they do help us with our budget, but in a town like Killingworth there simply isn’t the money available to fully fund the library. We are not a municipal library. The town does give us money, but there is still a huge gap that needs filling for every budget,” says Jan. “The pandemic certainly had an effect on us. Many organizations rented out our conference room and with the pandemic and the advent of Zoom, people have found other ways to gather. So, it has definitely been a challenge with all the moving pieces caused by the pandemic.
Jan says the library has become extremely important as a social center for the town. Without a true downtown or municipal complex, the library provides a refuge for many in town to visit and find out what’s happening in the community.
“People really do gather here. They come obviously for the books. But also, to use the WiFi and computers, and to just see friends,” says Jan. “We don’t have a town green here, and we don’t have a town center-so the library is the de facto gathering spot for many folks. The meeting room is also very important for our small town.”
The library is also seeking volunteers, says Jan. Front desk positions are available, and anyone wishing to volunteer to man the front desk can contact the library. There is also one of the biggest fundraisers of the year coming up in August.
“We are largely staffed by volunteers here, and the pandemic really affected that. We really encourage anyone who is interested to inquire about it. We truly need and appreciate our volunteers,” says Jan. “We will also be hosting a fundraiser on Monday August 15th at the Clinton Country Club. It is a beautiful course and they have been fun to work with. The event is a big one of us so we also encourage anyone on the shoreline to come out and be a part of that. And we haven’t had the tournament in two years, obviously due to the pandemic, so this one is truly and important one for the Library and helping us get back on our feet.”
Anyone wishing to volunteer at the library can find out more information by visiting their website at www.killingworthlibrary.org/, or calling 860-663-2000.
The library will also be hosting a golf fundraiser on Monday August 15th at the Clinton Country Club. You can find out further info on this event at the above contacts.