TAMPA, FL – The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Edith Shepherd and Rebecca Bray as the Lightning Community Heroes this evening during the first period of tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Shepherd and Bray, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Hero program, presented by Jabil, will donate the money to Seniors in Service.
Shepherd and Bray both serve as Classroom Grandparents through Seniors in Service. They, along with 235 other Classroom Grandparents, dedicate countless hours in classrooms across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties to serve thousands of children who are at risk of falling behind the curriculum for their ages. They are instrumental in helping the next generation succeed in school and beyond.
The funds from tonight’s grant will be used to support the mission of Seniors in Service. Specifically, the funds will support their Classroom Grandparent Program. The program provides meaningful impact to both the grandparent and the student, offering one-on-one tutoring and mentorship. The program primarily serves kindergarten to third-grade students in economically disadvantaged schools. This grant will allow Seniors in Service to assist Classroom Grandparents going through their own economic hardship by providing support with gas mileage traveling to and from the school.
Shepherd and Bray became the 588th Lightning Community Hero since Jeff and Penny Vinik introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through tonight’s game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $31.77 million to nearly 750 unique nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2021, the Viniks announced that the Community Hero program will give away another $10 million over the next five seasons.
