Jun 6, 2013
By Nick Fazio Valencia Lakes, a 55+ active adult lifestyle retirement community, dedicated a Veterans Memorial Park ‘Circle of Honor’ on Memorial Day. The community is home to many military veterans. Nick Fazio, president, and Peter Adams, treasurer, co-founded the Valencia Lakes Military Veterans Club, Inc. (VLMVC). Enrollment is open to all residents, not just(…)
May 23, 2013
By Derek Maul The Bridges retirement community resident Clyde Piercy has been married to his bride, Margaret, for 71 years (and counting). Looking back over seven decades, Piercy’s most difficult moment may have been the day in 1944 when he left his wife behind, along with their two-year-old son, to begin his military service. Piercy,(…)
Apr 21, 2013
By Michelle Colesanti The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Gary Sinise Foundation created a strategic partnership program called “Building for America’s Bravest.” Gary Sinise, the actor, is also a musician and has a band. You probably know him best as the current star of CSI-New York and the actor who played the(…)
Apr 1, 2013
By Derek Maul Theodore “Ted” Dmetroshko may look a little young for a World War Two veteran. But the 86-year-old Michigan native pulled it off by lying to the Army about his age and enlisting at 16. Ted grew up in Detroit, where his parents settled after fleeing Russia in 1912. His father, a former(…)
Apr 1, 2013
By Tamas Mondovics Five months ago, FishHawk resident Army Sgt. Mike Morton, a member of the U.S. Ultramarathon Team, returned from Poland as the 24-Hour Run World Champion, stirring a sense of pride within the hearts of his friends, family, neighbors as well as the community. Morton’s title included breaking the U.S. field record, adding(…)
Apr 1, 2013
By Marie Gilmore For the 39th year, the Lakeland sky will become the destination for thousands of pilots, airplanes and air show enthusiasts as Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In, Inc. kicks off its annual exposition of everything airborne. This year’s event which attracts almost 200,000 attendees each year, will be held April 9-14 at Lakeland Linder Airport.(…)
Mar 26, 2013
For the 39th year, the Lakeland sky will become the destination for thousands of pilots, airplanes and air show enthusiasts as Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In, Inc. kicks off its annual exposition of everything airborne. This year’s event which attracts almost 200,000 attendees each year, will be held April 9-14 at Lakeland Linder Airport. With 2,200(…)
Mar 17, 2013
By Libby Hopkins The American Veterans National Service Foundation (AMVETS) was created in 1944. It’s a volunteer-led organization that formed after WWII with the goal of supporting the returning veterans from WWII by aiding them in their readjustment back into civilian life. That goal continues today and Commander Israel Gonzalez of the AMVETS Post 26(…)
Feb 26, 2013
By Derek Maul When The Bridges resident, Dorothea Kelchner Wyda, saw her brother, Larry, leave their Pennsylvania home to join the Navy, she knew she wanted to help the war effort too. It was 1944 and Dorothea was 22-years old so she joined the Navy Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). She served for(…)
Feb 26, 2013
By Marie Gilmore The Tampa Bay Lightning honored WWII Veteran and Honor Flight of West Central Florida co-founder, Leonard Black, as the 22nd Lightning Community Hero of the year during the first period of its game against the Montreal Canadiens in February. Black, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning(…)
