(Chelsea Update would like to thank Shawn Personke for the information in this story.)
The Chelsea Area Historical Society recently announced that Bill O’Reilly was named the 2022 Volunteer of the Year at the annual members meeting.
Jan Bernath, president of the CAHS, surprised O’Reilly, noting his long dedication to all things history, and specifically Chelsea history.
“Bill served the Chelsea Area Historical Society as president for five years and his footprint leaves a lasting legacy,” said Bernath.
“He worked with a silent angel to help us pay down the mortgage, established the Founders’ Room, secured funding for the Firehouse dedicated in September, 2021, and the display of the Holmes cutter that is currently underway.”
While O’Reilly no longer sits on the board, the current board is happy to have him help out with special projects.
“We’ve got plenty of exciting projects lined up – and others that may come along unexpectedly — so we’re always glad to have his expertise,” said Bernath.
O’Reilly said it was a true honor to be selected the CAHS Volunteer of the Year.
“I’ve very much enjoyed being the president of the society for the past 5 years and I encourage anyone at all interested to reach out to see about volunteering with the society,” he said. “It’s been very rewarding for me and a great way to connect with lots of wonderful people.”
The mission of the Chelsea Area Historical Society is to gather and preserve Chelsea area history, educate the public, and promote the restoration and preservation of historic buildings and sites for future generations. The museum is located in the 1853 Boyd House, at 128 Jackson St., across from the Chelsea Depot.
For more information, visit www.chelseahistory.org or call 734-476-2010.
