May Volunteer of the Month - Mike O'Kane

We have an amazing community of volunteers who faithfully and generously give their time and energy to serve seniors throughout Boulder County. In an effort to recognize their work, and so that our entire community can get to know our volunteers, we started our Volunteer of the Month award program.

We are pleased to introduce you to Mike O’Kane, our May 2019 Volunteer of the Month. Mike is a Fix-It superstar who helps seniors stay safe and independent in their homes with minor repairs.

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Where did you grow up?

New Jersey.

How’d you make it out to Colorado?

A cross-country road trip after college.

What was your first job?

I was a paperboy. I borrowed my dad’s bike and had to put a big basket on it to hold all the papers.

What was your proudest moment?

Watching my kids being born.

What is your greatest challenge?

The biggest Fix-It challenges are plumbing jobs. There’s a few self-inflicted wounds in there, too.

What are you most passionate about?

Helping others. Giving back.

What are some of your hobbies?

Golf. Hiking. Walking our dog, Baxter—he’s a cocker spaniel. He loves my wife and follows her around.

What would your perfect day look like?

You mean when I actually get something fixed? I’ve had a lot of perfect days. I’ve been fortunate.

What is one item on your bucket list?

We’re planning to take a trip down to South America. We went on an African Safari with a tour group and they have tours in Argentina and Chile, as well. We thought about going down to Antarctica, to have visited all seven continents, but I’m not sure how much there is to do down there.

We’ve bounced around. My son was in the Air Force for awhile and so my wife and I would go and visit him. He was in Korea for a year and we went to visit. Our daughter came with us. We went to Vietnam for a week. Then our kids had to go back to work so my wife and I went to Beijing for five days.

What three words would you want to describe your legacy?

He helped others.

What inspires you?

Giving back. I’ve had a lot of people help me along the way. It’s my time to turn the tables.

What advice would you give to a generation other than your own?

Take care of your neighbors.

Who is a senior who made a significant impact on your life, and what is one lesson you learned from them?

Probably my mother. She lived until she was 99. The last few years she was living with my sister in Delaware. She was always willing to help others. She was my inspiration. She was two weeks into her 100th year when she passed away.