Trio Behind Worcester Hill-O-Ween Honored By Police

WORCESTER, MA — Three people were honored by the Worcester Police Department for their work in the community.

The Rev. John Madden of St. John’s Catholic Church, James Sullivan, head basketball coach at Worcester Academy, and Worcester police Officer Sean Lovely received a Chief of Police Citation for helping organize Hill-O-Ween, a Halloween event held at Worcester Academy that drew more than 4,000 children last year, according to Worcester police.

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The event has been held for the past 10 years and has grown into a major Halloween night gathering for neighborhood children. The annual event features donated candy and is held at Worcester Academy.

Hill-O-Ween has been a partnership between the Worcester Police Department, Saint John’s Food for the Poor and Worcester Academy, Spectrum News 1 reported. The event was created to give children in the Union Hill, Grafton Hill and Vernon Hill neighborhoods a safe way to celebrate Halloween.

Officer Lovely helped organize the event and previously worked with the Oak Hill Community Development Corporation on Hill-O-Ween for children in the Providence Street neighborhood, according to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.

Lovely was previously granted the Team Excellence and Merit Award, which is presented by the DA's office to law enforcement personnel and first responders who show great courage and embrace a team concept, in 2019.

"For the past 10 years, these three individuals and their organizations have come together to host the Hill-O-Ween event on Halloween at Worcester Academy," Worcester police wrote in the announcement. "Their commitment to the community deserves recognition."

See Also:

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• Worcester Schools Communications Team Wins 4 National Awards