When Nolan Quinn stepped into his role as director of the Southern End Community Association (SECA) in August, he wasn't just starting the next chapter of his career - he was coming home.

"I grew up with SECA," Nolan said. "As kids, my brother and I would tear through the local parks on our bikes. We were at the SECA pool nonstop in the summertime."

Nolan got his first job working at the Albright Family Community Pool when he was 14 years old. Throughout his teenage years, the Quarryville native and Solanco High School alumnus spent most of his summers working behind the front desk or the snack bar at the pool. It was during this time that he met his wife, Elise, who also worked for SECA as a lifeguard.

After graduating from Solanco High School in 2015, Nolan attended Elizabethtown College and continued to work as the pool's manager on weekends. In 2019, Nolan graduated from Elizabethtown College and moved to southern Maine to be closer to Elise as she attended the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. Nolan began working for an information technology company based in Portland, Maine, while Elise finished school. The couple married in 2022 and moved to Hummelstown in 2023; Elise started a job at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, and Nolan continued to work remotely.

Nolan and Elise moved back to Lancaster County last May. Two weeks before the birth of their daughter, Phoebe, Nolan's employer announced that it would be ceasing operations, and Nolan found himself searching for a new position as he was about to become a father. Less than a week after Nolan lost his job, he received a call from Doug Hassel, an old friend and one of SECA's board members, who asked if Nolan would be interested in becoming the director of SECA. "I believe everything happens for a reason," Nolan said. "I'm really glad it worked out - it's a great opportunity for me to give back to the community that helped raise me."

As SECA's new director, Nolan said he plans to utilize his understanding of the community's needs and personal experiences growing up in Quarryville. One of Nolan's primary goals is to provide local youths with the same opportunities he enjoyed as a kid, but he also hopes to draw from his experience living in New England to introduce programs and events to SECA's roster of community offerings. Nolan added that his years of experience coaching and playing baseball motivate him to expand SECA's athletic programs. "I would love to create a women's division for basketball and flag football if there's an appetite for it," Nolan said.

The first Surf & Turf Benefit Auction and Dinner will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2027, at the SECA center, 299 Park Ave., Quarryville. The fundraiser, which will serve as a reimagined version of the organization's annual benefit auction, will include a surf-and-turf buffet, live music and a silent auction.

For more information, visit http://www.secarec.com or search for "Southern End Community Association" on Facebook.