Every day, as students at Hampton Bays High School enter the building, they often pass by or get stopped by an individual who has a vital role at this school: our long-time security guard, Joe Gilroy. Aside from keeping students safe and absolutely rocking sunglasses every day, Mr. Gilroy also works hard each year to raise money for a greater cause.
Many students at Hampton Bays recognize Mr. Gilroy’s holiday spirit at school on Halloween or before Christmas break, when he dresses up to match holiday traditions. For example, on Halloween, he would dress up as Darth Vader, and recently, for the holiday spirit week, he dressed up as the Grinch. These and other characters tend to make an appearance every year and have become a part of Hampton Bays tradition.
Mr. Gilroy, along with many others on Long Island, also celebrates holidays at home by decorating his house with lights and other festive decorations. This tradition started in memory of his mother to follow her love of extreme decorating during the Halloween season and has continued over the years to spread joy and holiday spirit. Usually, his house displays follow a specific theme; this past Halloween, they stuck to a zombie theme. For the 2025 Christmas display, different sections included a candy cane cove, a section with elves, and Santa on his sleigh. Additionally, visitors are encouraged to hop on the sleigh and take photos with Mr. Gilroy, who occasionally joins them dressed as Santa, Buddy the Elf, or other characters.
In more recent years, however, Mr. Gilroy doesn’t just participate in this act out of fun and tradition; the lights from his display are also used to attract people to donate to charities and meaningful organizations. Over the years, he has contributed to causes like the Ronald McDonald House and children’s hospitals through this process around Halloween using a QR code, which has also been used in the past to cover the cost of candy and decorations. In 2025, he extended the fall tradition into winter to celebrate Christmas for a particular cause.
After hearing out about recent complications with 8-month-old Cole Jordan Groth, who has a congenital heart condition that led to him needing a heart transplant, Mr. Gilroy has dedicated his recent display to helping the Groth Family pay for hospital bills. “At the end of the day, it’s for my mother’s purpose of just enjoying the holiday. So we decorate, but we try to do good from it.” Gilroy states.
