Sean Collier Memorial Fund Recipients
Organizations and Events Supported Through the Officer Collier Memorial Fund.
Lowell Police Student Police Academy
The Lowell Police Student Police Academy (LPSPA) provides a positive summer experience for more than 360 youths between the ages of 10 and 13! These “student police officers” learn valuable life skills such as CPR, First Aid, the value of proper nutrition and exercise, and discipline all while under the watchful eye of the Lowell Police Department School Resource Officers.
LPSPA has an Unsung Hero Award. It is for the cadet that shows dedication, teamwork, and commitment to the platoon with a positive attitude and always encouraging others. The Memorial Fund awarded new bicycles to the two recipients at the Police Academy Graduation: Friday, July 11th (7th and 8th graders), Friday, August 8th (5th and 6th graders). Each class will have an Unsung Hero.
Greater Lowell Technical High School Students
TYNGSBOROUGH — Six Greater Lowell Technical High School students who have worked with the Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund received scholarships and tools from the fund.
On Tuesday, June 10, Collier Fund Executive Director Richard Sullivan, along with Joe Rogers, the stepfather of Officer Collier, visited the school to provide $500 scholarships and tools to six students who have worked collaboratively with the fund.
For six years now, Greater Lowell Technical High School students in the Carpentry, Metal Fabrication and Automotive Collision shops have made plaques for the Collier Fund's annual golf tournament. They have also made benches for the golf tournament each year, using the skills they have learned in shop to benefit a community organization.
This year's golf tournament will honor Endicott College Police Officer Sergeant Jeremy Cole who was killed early on Thanksgiving morning, 2024. Sgt. Cole was driving home to Exeter, N.H., after completing his evening shift on campus when his vehicle was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver on I-95 in Newbury, Mass.
This year Sullivan and Rogers visited the school, and bought pizza for all students in the shops, as they awarded scholarships to seniors: Beatriz Borba Brasil, Isabella Viera, Khalil Anderson, Cullen Soucy, Michael Santana, and Luis DelaCruz.
"I feel it's important to make sure the work these students do is acknowledged. It is our goal to carry on this event each year.” said Richard Sullivan.
It's Still Not Too Late to Donate to our Fundraising Efforts to Help Save a Child’s Life (we're leaving this next piece on our site becasue it's just Wonderful!)
With your donations and the tireless work of many volunteers more than 75 Lowell Kids got swimming lessons - Our 3rd season here bgins this summer and it will be bigger then last year.
(look at the faces of these kids 🙂 )
Watch the wonderful WCVB News video by clicking here!
A member of the Massachusetts State Police Dive Team smiles as he watches two youth practice swimming at the Raymond Lord Memorial Swimming Pool in Lowell on Thursday, July 18. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department)
LOWELL — Superintendent Greg Hudon is pleased to report that the Lowell Police Department, the Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and Massachusetts State Police collaborated to provide free swimming lessons to about 75 Lowell youth.
This is the third year that free swimming lessons have been offered to youth ages 6 to 16 at DCR’s Raymond Lord Memorial Swimming Pool. This year, the state police Dive Team joined Lowell Police and Collier Fund volunteers and DCR lifeguards to provide the lessons. The lessons were provided in three sessions of 25 students
Youth are partnered with volunteer swim instructors and taught to be cautious but comfortable in the water, as well as how to float, swim, and play safely in pools. The program aims to reduce tragic drownings and increase water safety.
The Collier Fund pays for the majority of the swimming program in honor of Worcester Police Officer Enmanuel "Manny" Familia, who drowned on June 4, 2021, while trying to save three young children who were struggling in a lake.
The partnership is part of DCR’s commitment to enhancing water safety at the state’s pools this summer.
"We are thrilled to partner with the Collier Fund, state police and DCR to help prevent tragic drownings by teaching kids to swim," said Superintendent Hudon. "I'd like to thank all of our partners who have made this program possible. Each child who learns how to swim lessens the chances that the city will experience another tragic drowning."
Colleen Crosby, of Lowell, said she heard about the program via the Lowell School Department and the Lowell Police website and signed up her 6 and 10 year-old grandkids. "They don't know how to swim and I wanted them to be able to be safe," Crosby said. "This is great. It's a really good program."
Koren Quesada, of Lowell, signed up his 6-year-old son after hearing about several tragic drownings and said he thinks it's important that authority figures like police are providing such a service. "I find it good that the police department is involved in getting the kids familiar with the water and the cops," he said. "It lets them know they're not bad people. They're really good and they do try to help out the community when they can."
"I have a 13-year-old daughter with autism and it's her second year here," said Ashley Bell, of Lowell. "Last year she picked up so much in just two weeks. The amount she's able to learn in a two-week period is amazing."
Joe Rogers, the director of the Officier Sean Collier Memorial Fund said, "We are delighted that so many kids are benefiting from the 3rd year of this swimming program. Hopefully this program will be expanded into other communities."
August 2023 -The Memorial Fund Donates To The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem, NH
August 2023 - Saint Ann’s Home
March 2023 -
Former Heavy-Weight Champ Buster Douglas Shares Life Lessons, Skills With Young Boxers In Lowell
Thirty-Three years ago, James “Buster” Douglas beat Mike Tyson to become Heavy-Weight Champion. Today, he gives motivational talks to future boxers. Douglas was recently at the new Lowell Police Youth Services Boxing Gym, built thanks in no small part to the Sean Collier Memorial Fund, a youth program free for 200 kids in the city.
The Memorial Fund Donates To The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem, NH
We stopped by the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem, NH last month. On behalf of the Memorial Fund, Kelly Dolan, presented the Boys and Girl’s Club with a check for $3,500. (Kelley’s husband Joel is Salem, NH Chief of Police.) We hope that this will help the Boys and Girls Club provide a safe and affordable place for kids and teens during critical out-of-school time. We look forward to developing this relationship in the future.
Dec 2022
• Flag Football Clinic & Tournament - The Lowell Police Department Youth Services Program, in partnership with the Afro-American Community Collaborative, Merrimack Valley Flag Football League, and Sean A. Collier Memorial Foundation, offered a flag football clinic in the summer of 2022 for Lowell residents in grades 5-8.
• LPD Youth Boxing - The Lowell Police Department (LPD) provides a youth boxing program for Lowell residents between the ages of 10 – 18. The workouts are great for cardiovascular fitness, balance, endurance and hand-eye coordination. LPD officers volunteer to provide mentorship and training to youth.
Oct 2022
• Annual Golf Tournament at Four Oaks Country Club - On September 12, the Memorial Fund had its Annual Golf Tournament. We honored two law enforcement heroes: Trooper Tamar Bucci of the Massachusetts State Police, (End of Watch March 3, 2022) and Sergeant Brian Sousa Jr. who passed away suddenly on April 16, 2022.
• Lowell Police Department and Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund Team Up to Offer Youth Swimming Lessons
• Halloween Party Fundraiser for Salem NH Boys and Girls Club
July 2022
• Lowell Police, with Support from the Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund, Opens Youth Services Boxing Facility
April 2022
• It’s Still Not Too Late to Donate to Our Marathon Team’s Fundraising Efforts to Help Save a Child’s Life - There are 18 days to go before the Boston Marathon is held on April 18, 2022. Plenty of time to make a donation.
• This summer we are teaming up with the Lowell Police Boxing Club and the City of Lowell to provide swimming lessons to young people. Almost half of all children have few to no swimming skills. Drownings are a leading cause of injury/death for young children ages one to 14. It is estimated that for every fatal drowning victim, another 5 to 10 victims receives hospital related care for non-fatal drowning injuries. Last summer it seemed like there was a drowning of a child every few days. Police Officer Enmanuel Familia of the Worchester Police Department (E.O.W. – June 4, 2021) drowned while attempting to rescue a juvenile who had gone underwater in a small pond in Green Hill Park.
• Comedy Night Fundraiser - we held our Boston Marathon at Princeton Station in No. Chelmsford, MA on March 25th. It was a great success. The Dinner and Comedians were great. All proceeds from this event went to support the Officer Sean Collier Marathon Team’s fundraising goals.
Dec 2021
Town of Wilmington, MA Declares January 3 is Sean Collier Day
Thanksgiving Dinner for Homeless Veterans and Veterans In Need
Lowell Police Boxing Club
Aug 2018
• 5th Annual Boston Strong Memorial Basketball Tournament
• Brandon Odom Skills & Drills Academy – 2 week basketball camp
• Boston Judo Club – scholarship funds for students
• Academic scholarship to Salem State University
Oct 2021
125th Boston Marathon
Honoring Officer Emmanuel Familia of the Worchester PD at the Annual Golf Tournament at Four Oaks Country Club.
Supporting Police and Community Youth Sports Programs
Feb 2019
• Collier Memorial Fund Donates Wrestling Mat to Lowell High School
• Conducted 3 different fund raisers for the Team Collier Strong Boston Marathon proceeds of which are distributed through the Memorial Fund
Nov 2019
• Golf Tournament
• The Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund honored the memory of Somerville Police Officer Louis Remigio at its Annual Golf Tournament on September 9, 2019 at the Four Oaks Country Club in Dracut, MA.
• State Police pround to partner with Boston English, and the Memorial Fund to help young people to increase awareness of MSP
• Sock Drive for Homeless Veterans – In keeping with the spirit of giving and as winter approached, we have decided to continue to help those who have sacrificed for the country. We held a Sock Drive for Homeless Veterans with the support of the Dracut, Melrose, and MIT Police Departments.
Feb 2021
• The Memorial Fund responded to requests to help feed nurses, doctors and other medical responders at the hardest hit local hospitals
Jul 2021
• Comedy night – Fundraiser to finance memorial fund projects
Oct 2021
• 125th Boston Marathon - On Monday, October 11, our Marathon Team finally had the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon. All six runners: Ashley Kmiec, Robert McMahon, Paul King, Kelly Dolan, Kassandra Storms, and Kim Kopicko fulfilled their dream of running and completing the Boston Marathon.
• On Monday, October 11, our Marathon Team finally had the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon. All six runners: Ashley Kmiec, Robert McMahon, Paul King, Kelly Dolan, Kassandra Storms, and Kim Kopicko fulfilled their dream of running and completing the Boston Marathon.
• Supporting Police and Community Youth Sports Programs - The Memorial Fund distributed $10,000 worth of sports equipment (baseballs, softballs, soccer balls, baseball mits, etc.) that was donated by Mike & Cindy Kuenzler of All Sports Heroes: Uniforms, Sporting Goods, & Promotions
• K9 Kitt of the Braintree Police Department (End of Watch - June 4, 2021)
• At our golf tournament we also honored K9 Kitt who was shot and killed when a domestic violence suspect opened fire on officers who were searching for him in a wooded area.
• Comedy Night Fundraiser - We held our Summer Fundraiser at Princeton Station in No. Chelmsford, MA on August 6th. It was a great success.
• The Memorial Fund In Conjunction With Princeton Station Chelmsford sponsored
Thanksgiving Dinner for Homeless Veterans and Veterans In Need.
Dec 2021
• Town of Wilmington, MA Declares January 3 is Sean Collier Day - Wilmington's Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to declare January 3 of each year (Sean’s Birthday), “Sean Collier Day” in honor of the Wilmington native and MIT police officer who was killed by the Boston Marathon bombers.
• Lowell Police Boxing Club - The Memorial Fund has decided to support the newly formed Lowell Police Boxing Club which aims to be a place where the city’s youths can be off the streets and take part in constructive activities.
Sock Drive for Homeless Veterans
Police Departments.To compete, to remember
Lowell High wrestling mat honors officer lost in marathon blast
By Kori Tuitt, [email protected]
LOWELL -- Sean Collier's name has been synonymous with heroism. Now, the name of the late officer who lost his life in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing will live on as part of the athletics at Lowell High School. A wrestling mat, worth $12,000, was recently donated to the high school. The red mat reads "Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund." Richard Sullivan, a member of the Collier fund, said the goal is to start a wrestling program at the Stoklosa Middle School.
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Standing on the newly donated wrestling mat in MIT Police officer Sean A. Collier memory is L-R, Richarl Sullivan, Joe Rogers of Wilmington and Sean Collier's father, George Bossi Lowell HS wrestling coach, with the LHS wrestling team in back. SUN/ David H. Brow
"Originally, we were going to put it there, but then more thought got put into it and we thought it would get more use at the high school with Sean's logo on it," said Sullivan, of Dracut. He said the idea for the wrestling mat came from himself, Kyle Dolliver, a teacher at the Stoklosa Middle School, and Joe Rogers, Collier's stepfather. Collier was an MIT police officer with roots in Wilmington. He graduated from Wilmington High School in 2004 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Salem State College in 2009, according to the memorial fund's website. At just 26 years old, Collier was killed in the line of duty on April 15, 2013. Rogers said when he first came to New England, he settled in Lowell and has lived around the city for the past 30 years. He currently lives in Wilmington.
"I felt like I know the city, I know a lot of the people. We get a lot of support for the charity out of Lowell and the surrounding towns," Rogers said. "So, I just wanted to give back. This is the type of program I think Sean would have liked." With sports programs like these, Rogers said it keeps students off the streets and gives them something productive to do. Lowell High wrestling coach George Bossi agreed. "That's why we're into sports," Bossi said. "We save kids all the time, not only just wrestling, every activity. Keep them off the streets."
Bossi said the oldest wrestling mats the high school has date back to 1964. The new mat, he said, is beautiful. "It's very portable and lightweight and they're very adaptable to today's situation," Bossi said. "Big, heavy mats we had years ago are too heavy and they're very hard to transport." The ultimate goal is to have a wrestling team or club or intramural program in each of the middle schools in the city, Bossi said. "It's not something where we're just going to buy the mat and say, 'See ya later,' and just forget about what we're doing," Sullivan said. "We're trying to make the connection in Lowell with these kids and give them a reason to want to go do stuff."
5th Annual Boston Strong Memorial Basketball Tournament
Brandon Odom Skills & Drills Academy
Boston Judo Fund
Saving a Hero’s Place
Saving a Hero’s Place is a volunteer group founded by police officers in San Antonio, Texas. Officer Tommy Capell, his wife and a couple of police buddies started this charity. They build Honor Chairs for the Roll Call room commemorate officers who have died in the line of duty.
When an Officer makes the ultimate sacrifice, his/her presence is missed. The Honor Chair is placed in the roll call room as a reminder that even though they are not there physically, the Officer will always be with you as you head out to the battles, carrying on the watch… carrying on the watch…
This charity was started because of Sean’s death. Here is their story.
http://www.savingaherosplace.org/index.php/our-story/
Saving A Hero’s Place, Inc. was formed through tragedy. In 2013, I was contacted by another Police Officer to build a chair similar to several chairs that were placed at another sub station years back. This chair would be in honor of a San Antonio Police Officer who died in the performance of his duty. The chair was built March 2013 and placed at the sub station where the officer worked. The following month, on April 18, 2013, MIT Police Officer Sean Collier was killed in the line of duty by the Boston bombers. Officer Sean Collier was sitting in his patrol vehicle serving his community. Unable to sleep for weeks, I knew something needed to be done for this officer. I immediately got with my wife Robbie Capell and two fellow classmates Brandon Bunch and Michael Pullen. It was decided that an Honor Chair was just the answer. MIT Police was contacted and welcomed the idea of an Honor Chair. After quickly raising money from the community, friends, and family, The four of us traveled by vehicle over 2,000 miles to deliver the honor chair. Officer Sean Colliers honor chair was presented on May 28, 2013. The emotions that came with this honor chair, and seeing what the chair meant to the MIT Police department, made us all realize we were not done.
I have added a picture of the chair.
They have a website and a Facebook page
http://www.savingaherosplace.org/
https://www.facebook.com/savingaherosplace/
Jonny Castro Art: Portraits of Valor
Jonny Castro is a Philadelphia Police Officer. His job with the police department is that of a Forensic Composite Artist. He paints portraits for the families of first responder killed in the line of duty. Here is a newspaper article about him: https://www.policeone.com/quiet-warrior/articles/372739006-Courage-on-canvas-How-a-forensic-artists-portraits-give-fallen-cops-new-life/
His Facebook page has a several videos about him and his portraits
https://www.facebook.com/jonnycastroart/videos/1422551961097270/
Here is the main Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/jonnycastroart/
Police Unity Tour
The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. The secondary purpose is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum.
Salem State University – Sean A Collier Criminal Justice Scholarship
Annual Award is given for students majoring in criminal justice.
