Page 44 - Florida Sentinel 2-5-21

Local
Former County Commissioner Les Miller Honored As Lightning Community Hero
The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Les Miller as the third Lightning Community Hero this season during the first period of Saturday night’s game against the Nashville Predators. Miller, who re- ceived a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Founda- tion and the Lightning Com-
presented by Jabil, will donate the money to the Tampa Alumni Guide Right Founda- tion and Gamma Theta Omega, Inc.
Miller is a shining exam- ple of devotion for helping out others in the Tampa Bay com- munity. For three decades Miller has trailblazed his ca- reer in public service, as a
member of the Tampa City Council, the Florida House of Representatives, the Florida Senate and as a Hillsborough County Commissioner. He has committed himself to many causes that provide growth opportunities through men- torship and career advance- ment programs for Tampa Bay area African American stu- dents.
Together with his wife, Gwen, he has endowed a scholarship at his alma mater, the University of South Florida, for education majors engaged in their Black Leader- ship Network. Les' legacy has built and continues to build a better tomorrow for many in the Tampa Bay community.
Miller becomes the 414th Lightning Community Hero since Jeff and Penny Vinik introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in
munity
Heroes
program,
Les Miller (414th Community Hero) with the $50,000 check he received from the Lightning Foundation.
2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through Saturday evening's game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $21.65 million to more than
750 different nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. Dur- ing the summer of 2016, the Viniks announced that the community hero program will give away another $10 million over the next five seasons.
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