…And the 2007 Greater Picayune Area Chamber of Commerce award for Volunteer of the Year goes to Mrs. Donna Seal.

Known as the woman with the heart of gold, Mrs. Seal, a native of Picayune, is married with three grown children, 7 grandchildren, and one great grandchild on the way. She is a retired school teacher who still gives her time as a substitute teacher.

Donna Seal is a champion of helping others. She volunteers every year for Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society’s relay for the fight against cancer, where she has been the chairperson for the survivors team for 5 years. She is a volunteer and a supporter of the Save-A-Life Organization of the Pearl River area where she participates in the Walk for Life. She was also a volunteer for the Door to Door Neighborhood Heart Association drive. She has given her time in the Picayune Police Summer Children’s Camp and also during tourism week at our local welcome center on I-59.

Her love for her church, New Palestine Baptist Church, is also very evident in her actions. She has worked for them in many capacities that include vacation bible school and other youth programs, and has served on several church committees. Furthermore, she works each year with the foster kids camp program.

Donna Seal can also be considered a pioneer of women’s athletics in Picayune. In fact, it was Seal who helped start the first women’s softball team in Picayune and coached many years with the local girls’ softball league. She helped pave the way in getting the girls their first lighted softball field before they moved to Friendship Park where she continued to work with the program. She helped start the first soccer league in Picayune and also coached soccer for several years. Additionally, she coached girls’ basketball at Pearl River Academy and girls’ softball at her local church.

Staying active in her community, Seal was on the board for Pennies for the Park and helped in building the Local Business, Kid’s Kingdom. She continues to work with one of the most active clubs, Picayune Main Street, where for the past 9 years she has served as chairperson for both the membership and advertising committees, and is also a member of the tourism and economic, nominating, street fair, and the annual egg drop committees.

Mrs. Donna Seal is an inspiration and a continuous example to everyone.