TAMPA, FL – The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Mike Trepper as the Lightning Community Hero this evening during the first period of tonight’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Trepper, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program, presented by Jabil, will donate the money to Citrus Park Select Baseball and Pasco Kids First.
Trepper has been a servant leader in six nonprofit organizations and a multitude of community initiatives over the last 23 years, serving thousands of youths across Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Hernando, and Sarasota Counties. At these nonprofits, Trepper has created and directed programming for youth that empowers hundreds of local teens to develop a diversity and inclusion perspective. Currently serving as the CEO of Pasco Kids First, Trepper is able to help provide a safe, neutral, and child-friendly place for kids who have experienced abuse, neglect, or witnessed a violent crime, as well as help parents provide nurturing environments for their children. Additionally, Trepper volunteers his time as a baseball coach with CP Select Baseball, teaching the kids fundamental skills in the sport, as well as the intangible skills athletics provide like teamwork, hard work, and perseverance. During his time in Tampa, Trepper has made an indelible impact on countless kids and families.
The funds from tonight’s grant will be used to continue to further the unique missions of Pasco Kids First and Citrus Park Select Baseball. Pasco Kids First will use the funds to support their Trauma Therapy Program, which helps children and families recover from traumatic events such as physical and sexual abuse, medical and health-related neglect, human trafficking and witnessing or being exposed to violence. The goal of the program is to help clients rebuild trust, self-confidence, and appropriate boundary setting, as well as help families address aspects of guilt and shame along with learning skills to better support the child. Citrus Park Select Baseball will use the funds to continue helping make baseball more accessible across Tampa Bay.
Trepper became the 573rd 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 $31.02 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.
