Valrico Edition
May 2023
Page 29
LOCAL VETERAN WITH A LIFETIME THREE BLOOMINGDALE LACROSSE OF SERVICE HONORED AT CAPTAINS CELEBRATE ADMITTANCE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING GAME TO MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES By Jane Owen Lewis Palumbo has givtional Security Agency. en a lifetime of service to While Palumbo retired his country and communifrom military service in ty. He celebrated his 91st 1979, he never stopped birthday, along with his serving. He lives up to the wife of 72 years, Virginia, U.S. Marine Corps motto, this past June. “Once a Marine, always a The Tampa Bay LightMarine.” According to the ning honored Palumbo US Marine Corps website: on the ice with the honor “There truly is no such guard before their game thing as a former Marine, against the San Jose as after service our MaSharks on February 7. rine Veterans are just as Lewis’s longtime friend, dedicated to advancing Retired USMC Captain Lewis Ken Muzyk, brought him our Nation and defending H. Palumbo at the Tampa Bay to the game and surprised Lightning game against the San Jose its ideals.” Sharks on February 7. him with the honor. Palumbo volunteered “You may never meet tirelessly for 22 years someone of that caliber with TOPSoccer, a recyour whole life. He’s not reational sports program one of those guys that for children with disabiliwants to be patted on ties, and THORN (Thankthe back, but he was in fully Helping Others’ Real awe, and he was grateful,” Needs) Ministries, which Muzyk said. feeds the homeless in the A career Marine, PaTampa area. Palumbo lumbo is a veteran of the also regularly volunteered Korean War, Vietnam at the Nativity Catholic War and Cuban conflict. Lewis Palumbo (right), who volun- Church Food Pantry. teered with THORN Ministries for Palumbo enlisted in the THORN founder Kristin 22 years in caring for the homeless, Marines in 1949. While pictured with his friend, Ken Muzyk. Taylor said Palumbo has a fighting as part of the big heart for others, espe4th Battalion of the 1st Marine Division, he cially homeless veterans. was wounded in the Korean War Battle of “Seeing homeless veterans never sat right Chosin Reservoir and received the Purple with him, so … he would quietly collect metal Heart. Following the Korean War, he served to sell to buy socks for the guys. Lew is simin the Howitzer Battery and the 2nd Signal ply the father and husband everyone could Battalion of the 2nd Marine Division, among ever hope for. The friend and mentor you other units. He received his commission as thank God for every time you see his face. a second lieutenant in 1966. He retired as a He is the most honorable yet humble man captain in 1979 after working with the Na- I’ve ever known,” Taylor said.
By Jane Owen
“If everyone This balance is is thinking alike, extremely hard then someone to accomplish isn’t thinking,” even for some of said George S. the best leaders Patton, one of in the world,” the best-known Gray said. American genAll three stuerals in World dents had difWar II. His ferent reasons words mean that for applying to if every person the academies. is thinking the Cases will be same, then every Coach Cody Gray stands proudly with Bloomingdale la- f o u r t h - g e n e r person is just a crosse players Simeon Rate, Ryan Mothershed Cases, Lelyn ation military, Kirby who are heading to the U.S. service academies follower. Rate’s dad and Ryan Mothbrother attendershed Cases, Lelyn Kirby ed the Air Force Academy and and Simeon Rate are leaders. Kirby felt the Naval Academy They are all captains on the would give him tools for sucBloomingdale High School lacess to help others. crosse team. They also have all The desire to serve is what accepted prestigious appointwill continue to make them ments to U.S. service academies. Cases good leaders. and Kirby will attend the United States “Growing up, I knew that no matter Naval Academy. Rate will attend the Unit- what I did after high school, I wanted to ed States Air Force Academy. serve others,” said Rate. Bloomingdale’s lacrosse coach, Cody “What inspired me to apply to the acadGray, said it is very rare to find the leader- emy is my desire to do good and give back ship qualities they possess as high school to my country,” said Kirby. athletes. They lead by example and exude “Having received the appointment, I accountability. know that I’m no longer doing things for “They’ve demonstrated immense ac- me but for those around me because evcountability in both holding themselves erything is not about me at this point, it’s accountable, but even more importantly about us,” said Cases. their teammates. This can bring a lot of According to Gray, their combination of confrontation to the table if done incor- leading by example with effective comrectly. However, I trusted them both sea- munication led players to follow. Simply sons as their coach to do so in a radically put, he said, they are an inspiration for candid manner. They cared personally, but others and will have a huge impact on our also challenged their teammates directly. county for years to come.
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