by Maya T. Prabhu | Staff Writer
For the past 20 years, Lynn Doyle has had a front-row seat as she watched her four children matriculate through St. Mark Catholic School in Hyattsville – she was at the school with them.
Since she first baked a batch of cupcakes for her daughter’s pre-kindergarten class 20 years ago, Doyle has volunteered at the school in many ways, spending the last 15 years as the volunteer coordinator.
Doyle said she began volunteering to spend time with her children while they were at school.
‘‘[But] once I spent time within the halls of St. Mark’s I was just taken by the love and commitment that was present. We have seen our share of ups and downs over the years, but with the dedicated teachers and staff and the strong parental support, which we always have had, anything was possible,” said the College Park resident. ‘‘With this combination, and the knowledge that there is always a need to fill, I felt this awesome school on Adelphi Road was where I was supposed to be.”
And Doyle knew that any given day of the week she could find a way to help the school her children attended.
‘‘There’s a volunteer opportunity every day. There are major events once or twice a week, but there’s always an opportunity for someone to come in and work on something,” she said. ‘‘I’ve worked with a few thousand volunteers over the years, whether it was older students, parents or grandparents.”
Cheryl Bailey of Hyattsville said she’s worked with Doyle at St. Mark over the past three years as the home and school association president.
‘‘She’s a phenomenal person. She’s done a lot for the school and she’s always there to help,” Bailey said.
Bailey stressed that as the volunteer coordinator, Doyle often works seven days a week while working part time at Catholic University.
‘‘Imagine working 20 years full time and not getting paid to do it,” Bailey said. ‘‘That’s how phenomenal she is.”
Over the years, four of Doyle’s children have gone through St. Mark with her youngest, Sean, graduating from eighth grade this year. She was recently honored by the school for her work and surprised by newscaster Lynn Doyle from the Comcast Network.
‘‘That was the most shocking night,” Doyle said. ‘‘It’s always been a running joke because people will often ask if I’m that Lynn Doyle. I watch her all the time so when she came out the door I was flabbergasted. That was very cool.”
Although that event stands out in her mind, Doyle said she would never be able to choose one thing she’s worked on that was most memorable.
‘‘I’ve done everything in the school from bingo to holidays to teacher luncheons,” she said. ‘‘But I always enjoyed the ones that involved the kids. I really enjoyed everything I did. I’ve never had a bad experience.”
Bailey said Doyle’s passion for working with children and working to make the school better is apparent.
‘‘Her style of working is different from my style of working. But we have the common goal of giving back to St. Mark’s,” she said. ‘‘She’s always doing things that are in the best interest of the kids.”
E-mail Maya T. Prabhu at mprabhu@gazette.net.
