Michael Colaneri received the Spirit of the Vineyard Award Thursday to a standing ovation from friends, family and colleagues at the Portuguese-American Club.
The annual award is given to someone who has made meaningful contributions to the Island through volunteer efforts. It is presented by Vineyard Village at Home.
Mr. Colaneri served on several local government committees, including the school committee and West Tisbury’s affordable housing committee. He also volunteered for the West Tisbury Fire Department for over two decades.
Mr. Colaneri is a mainstay of “Dumptique” volunteers. He also worked at the hospital as a physician’s assistant for over 30 years.
Tom Norton, one of the event speakers, highlighted how important Mr. Colaneri’s attitude was in his line of work at the hospital.
“Mike has a special talent for coming up with the right words to comfort people, to console people, under great stress,” Mr. Norton said.
He added that Mr. Colaneri’s compassion, paired with his ability to talk, allowed him to get so much done for the community.
Greg Orcutt also touched on Mr. Colaneri’s hospital career.
“My mother would work in the hospital…and she would talk about his nice young man and how good he was, how talented he was,” he said. “Michael had to be special because my mother was not always the easiest person.”
Mr. Orcutt met Mr. Colaneri years later when they were both working on a Habitat for Humanity project.
“I ran into Michael Colaneri, who was putting up shingles, and I said what are you doing, and he said, ‘I helped create this neighborhood,’” Mr. Orcutt said.
He emphasized that beyond Mr. Colaneri’s work on the affordable housing committee, Mr. Colaneri was also taking part in the physical labor needed to get things done.
Tom Bennett, who has been friends with Mr. Colaneri since they attended Sunday school together, emphasized that Mr. Colaneri’s dedication to the community went beyond trackable accomplishments.
“I know he quietly connects with and helps out his neighbors,” he said.
Mr. Colaneri was born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard. He was a member of the second graduating class from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. After high school, he was drafted in 1964. After his service, he went to Duke University before going to work at the hospital on the Island. In addition to his volunteer service, Mr. Colaneri has been on the West Tisbury Board of Assessors for over 40 years, where he helped digitize the town’s property records.
“Volunteerism is so important. I can’t convince enough people to volunteer,” Mr. Colaneri said. “It makes such a difference, not just for the people you’re helping, but in your own life.”
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