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Laura McColgan has a cool story that she gets to tell.
“My mother was one of the founders of the library in a very small town that I grew up in on Long Island. I think I had library card number 10,” she explained, noting that her dedication to libraries is in her blood. “The first time I was able to vote when I was 18 years old was for my mother when she was running for the Board of Trustees for the library.”
Her father was active, too, acting as a Democratic Party committee person.
“They were both very civically-minded,” she said.
The born-and-raised Long Islander ended up in Northeast Philly with a Tower Records transfer over 20 years ago, but bought her house in South Philly, in part, because of its proximity to the Whitman Library Branch, 200 Snyder Ave. Ever since, she’s gotten more and more involved in her local community in a handful of ways.
“I am the Whitman Council block captain for my block, and I’m also on the Burke Playground Committee, as well. I’m also the President of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Free Library,” she explained. “I’m all over the place.”
But it’s been for her work at Whitman’s library that she’s garnered the majority of her praises. She brought in the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to do an urban gardening program.
“We had the traveling Philadelphia Zoo come out, and we had over 135 people come out for that. The kids absolutely loved that,” she said. “The other one that I’m very proud of is that the National Constitution Center has an interactive traveling history program. They came out and did six different programs on aspects of the Constitution and [1st District City Councilman] Mark Squilla came down to speak to the kids,” she added.
The Secretary for Whitman Council is also a committed vegan.
“I absolutely love being vegan, and I also volunteer at the Humane League of Philadelphia handing out flyers and leaflets,” she said, adding another bullet point to her tall list of commitments.
The 400-block-of-Tree-Street resident received many nominations and is proud to be deemed a Difference Maker.
“I’m very honored by the whole thing,” she said.
Staff Writer Bill Chenevert at bchenevert@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
2014 Difference Makers
/ L. Jay Agnes / Christine M. Beady / Jessica Calter / Mikki Capo /
/ Barbara Capozzi / Giovanna Cavaliere /
/ Christopher DiCapua / Marlo and Jason Dilks / Marie DiStefano / Beth Dougherty /
/ Cornell Drummond / Maureen Fratantoni / Etrulia (Trudy) Gay / Jess Gould /
/ David and Lisa Grainge / Richie Lazer / Tim Lidiak /
/ Shane Martin / Laura McColgan / Akhenaton Mikell / Russell Shoemaker / Lionel Simmons / Tom Wyatt/
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