Squires receives Pine Island Chamber’s Alan Mills Award
Bobby Holloway Foundation and annual fishing tournament founder Ernestine Holloway Squires found herself completely surprised when she received the call about the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce 2025 Alan Mills Award, honoring those with outstanding dedication to the Pine Island Community.
Squires was told by a member of her board that there was going to be a recognition given to the Bobby Holloway Foundation. She later learned this was just told to her in order to keep secret the fact that she’d won the Alan Mills Award, which was presented on Monday, Feb. 10. What turned out to be admittedly one of the highlights of her life was a mystery until the last moment.
“I didn’t think much about it. I had no clue. I was so shocked,” Squires said, admitting that she understood the desire for secrecy completely.
Receiving the award itself, Squires said, was a surprise and an honor, describing it as prestigious. The chamber managed to keep a tight lid on the recipient, as always, as she said, she had no idea.
Squires said she does what she does and it’s like breathing, as there is hardly any effort she has to put forth to want to serve other people.
“I never think about the things I do for an award or for thanks or anything like that,” Squires said.
Not having been prepared for anything like this award left Squires without a speech of any kind, she said, with a laugh. She was prepared, however, to talk about the upcoming event, she affectionately refers to as ‘The Bobby.’ With the 2025 Bobby Holloway Fishing Tournament coming up on April 5, Squires said, although she knows it’s been a difficult season, she’s praying the community supports The Bobby, the way they always do with sponsorship and donations.
“The more that we get, the more we can give. I just want to give everything. It becomes addictive and, after a while, you just want to help and help,” Squires said.
Years of raising funds and meeting needs has caused an almost mandatory reflex for Squires, as she comes back time after time, hoping to provide a fishing expedition for both island and mainland kids who may have never been fishing on a boat or in a tournament before. This past year, she said $63,000 was raised and given in scholarships.
“I’m very proud of that. It’s a huge number. I’m also very proud to support our Little League, our Pine Island Elementary School and all the individual requests that we have, whether it be for food or medical,” Squires said.
The Bobby Holloway Foundation also adopts kids at Christmastime, she said, reiterating how proud she is of the work she has been able to accomplish in her son’s name. While Squires admits the reason she started the Bobby Holloway Foundation and Fishing Tournament is awful, she said she can’t help but be thankful to her son, who would likely be content with all she has been able to undertake through the tragedy of his death. Because of him, she said many lives have been touched and it all helps heal her heart.
“One thing about the tournament is that we have our ‘Little Bobbers’ division. I’m very proud of how much that has grown. Our youth get to go out and have a great day on the water with our local guides and they are treated like little fishermen that are chartering a boat or something,” Squires said.
People who have gone out as kids have grown up to see their own kids become a part of this tradition, she said, admitting having been able to accomplish this kind of progressive leadership has been a blessing all of its own. Squires gives a great deal of credit for all she’s been able to achieve to her board and volunteers, saying none of it would be possible without them.
“I have to say thank you to Bobby. Because of him, I get to bless other people and I am blessed,” Squires said.
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